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Lightwind kites have come a long way in just the last 5 years really. I’ve said it before, if you’re not taking advantage and kiteboarding in the sub 12 knot days, you’re really missing out. This week, we’re breaking down two of the longest standing light wind kites in our shop. The Cabrinha Contra Vs The Slingshot Turbine. Their both built with the same purpose and rider in mind but they do have some pretty distinct differences. Let’s start with the Contra. There …

This week I’m going to a compare two kites that really fall into two different categories.  Two kites built for similar but different reasons  The Juice is North’s go to lightwind freeride kite while the Mono is their Freeride and foil kite. With that said, these are two very different kites built for different reasons but they do have crossover applications.  So where do we begin? Let's start with the Juice. The North Juice has many of the characteristics one can ex …

North has redesigned one of the best freeride kites on the planet, and now it's available to you. Introducing the 2018 North Evo! Historically, there were too many similarities between the North Evo and North Rebel. Many riders used to make the decision between the two by whether or not they wanted to fly with 5 lines or not. Of course, they were more different than that, but it seems like line configuration was a big deal for many riders. In 2018, North has increased the gap between thes …

The North Neo Vs the Cabrinha Drifter. Both of these kites are kitesurfing kites in the same vein. On paper, they don’t look that much different but once you get on them water it’s clear that they are very different kites. If I were to define each in a paragraph, I would describe the Neo as controlled, powerful and constant. The Drifter, I would say playful, well-rounded and aggressive. When it comes to deciding which one is for you, it really comes down to what sort of feel you&rsq …

The North Neo put a smile on my face the very first time I flew one a couple of seasons back. And it's only gotten better with time. New for 2018, North incorporated what they call, "flex segments", into the leading edge of the kite. This allows the kite to have a more pivotal turning characteristic. I thought it was great before—now it's even better. The low-end power is by far one of the best in the industry when compared, pound-for-pound, with other surf kites. You can definitely fly …

2018 Ride Engine Hex-Core Is it worth the upgrade? With the 2018 Ride Engine release, the Hex-Core is on its third iteration since production moved from Coleman Buckley’s garage. And without a doubt, this year’s Hex-Core is the most refined yet. Is it worth a purchase if you don’t already own one? Absolutely? Is it worth the upgrade from a gen 1 or 2 Ride Engine? Let’s start by discussing what’s new. The first notable improvement on the 2018 Hex Core is the ad …

Jake M's 2018 North Rebel Review We get it, you're busy, so let's start with the TL;DR. The 2018 Rebel is everything you've loved about the past iterations, but better and now 4 line compatible. Having finally gotten the chance to ride the 2018 Rebel, I can absolutely attest that North knocked it out of the park with this year's kite. I mean, for those of us who could stomach the 5th line we always knew North had something special with the Rebel. It was truly a premium freeride kite that of …

My first session on the 2018 North Dice 13m was solid! Yeah, man—I can actually still stick a few basic unhooked tricks after riding nothing but surfboards for the past season—old-guy stoked. The 2018 North Dice received some significant mods but is still the same intermediate to advanced-level performance kite that we've come to know. North tweaked the radius of the kite, along with the leading edge diameter and steering speed to give us an even more progressive freestyle kite this …

Are you thinking about stepping up your freestyle/wakestyle game? Maybe you're looking for a mega-looping machine? Something with the most direct steering, explosive lift, and mad pop? Look no further, amigos—it's Vegas time. The North Vegas is a kite that will blow your mind—just be sure you're ready for it. While the performance capability is unquestionable, the level of forgiveness is also a bit less. Meaning that you will have to actively fly this kite to get the most out of it. …

The top two performance freeride kites in the world. How do they stack up?  A little history. The last decade and a half, kiteboarding culture has come into its own. In the formative years, we had legends like Pete Cabrinha, Robby Naish, Lou Wainman defining the sport, and the list goes on and on. Most kiteboarders lived in Hawaii and other tropical locations. At first, the sport wasn't accessible to everyone. The gear wasn't safe or efficient - albeit, it was fun if you had the fortitu …

Have any of you ever had one of those "ah-ha" moments with a new piece of kiteboarding gear? Something that made you grin from ear to ear the first time you tried it? Here are my thoughts after spending a whole year riding the North Click Bar. At first sight, I was blown away at how simple the Click Bar appeared. Ben Skaggs, our North sales rep, put one in our hands last August, at the North dealer meeting in Hood River, Oregon. It actually looked less complex than the North Trust Quad or 5th E …

2018 North Rebel Product Clip Diehard North Rebel fans—take a deep breath—everything is going to be OK. Your 2018 North Rebel kite is now a 4-line powerhouse! For many years, we have been recommending the North Rebel to that premium freeride kiteboarder. Historically, the Rebel has had amazing qualities, like huge jumps, ripping upwind ability and massive wind range. While those are all things that a freerider wants from a good kite like the Rebel, they don’t seem to want the 5 …

2018 Cabrinha Contra Overview Hey guys what’s going on today? It’s Nathan from MACkite and today we’re going to be discussing the new 2018 Cabrinha Contra. The Contra was originally designed as a lightwind kite. A few years ago Cabrinha decided to expand it into smaller sizes. Despite this, the Contra is still available all the way up to 19m. The Contra is known as an extremely lightwind kite, or a lightwind kite that can be used by someone a little heavier. High Tenacity Dacr …

2018 Cabrinha FX Overview The FX has been a shop favorite since 2016 Today I’m going to be discussing with you the all-new 2018 Cabrinha FX. All new...what does that mean? There’s a bunch of design changes that have been made for the 2018 FX that are marked improvements over the 2016/17 models. This is pretty hard to do, as the FX was already one of our favorite kites for freeride and advanced freestyle. Cabrinha has increased it's capabilities. There’s three different setti …

2018 Cabrinha Switchblade Overview The 2018 Switchblade remains the kite we know and love, with a few new updates. Today I’m going to be discussing with you the new 2018 Cabrinha Switchblade. The Switchblade has been a staple in our lineup for years. It’s always been one of our most popular kites, and for good reason. It’s an easy beginner kite. You can pick it up and go right away. It’s something that will take you from your early kiting stages to winning Red Bull King …