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You've heard that you "should" wear an impact vest, but do you really need one? And if so, what's a good one that won't get in your way? The Brazilian Brothers think they have the answer to both questions in the Ride Engine Empax V2. What's an Impact Vest For? Protection Buoyancy Warmth Harness Positioning An impact vest has a few benefits, not just the obvious protection from impact. You get some buoyancy, which is very helpful when you're in the water trying to relaunch your kite. Yo …

We've been seeing some exceptional kites coming from brands collaborating with Brainchild, so the Harlem Thrive has got the Brazilian Brothers excited to do a review on it. It excels at freeride, wave and the Brothers' favorite, big air, so they took it out to test its jumping and looping ability, as well as to figure out just who this kite is right for. What Is the Thrive? Like other kites made in Brainchild's facilities, the Thrive takes advantage of Proweld technology, which ultrasoni …

Jeff had a chance to catch up with Kevin Langeree at the Reedin tent at KoGL to chat about the brand new 2026 MasterModel big air kite. Damien had been wanting to design a 5-strut kite, but they were just too heavy to achieve the turning speed, lift, and hangtime he was looking for. Now, with the weight-reducing technologies developed by Brainchild, that vision has finally become a reality. Who Is the MasterModel For? Before you write this off as a high-performance kite that's just for t …

The Brazilian Brothers had a chance to hook up with big air legend Baby Shark (Josue San) and see what he thought about the 2026 North Orbit. The wind there in Prea was 30 knots and the kite's purple colorway matched Baby Shark's Astra board perfectly, so Baby Shark was pretty stoked as he headed into the water. What's New with the 2026 Orbit? The Orbit and Orbit Pro have been combined into a single offering, and the shape has been refined into a higher-aspect design that sits further fo …

Helmets are for kooks, right? Real kiteboarders ride with the wind blowing through their hair. Yep, tell that to an increasing number of pros and everyday riders who swear by the benefits of protecting their noggin from a knockin'. There are enough people out there with helmets that you won't look out of place, and it may just save you from a painful concussion or worse. Do I Really Need a Helmet? If you do freestyle or big air, a helmet can protect your head from a hard impact with the …

Choosing the right kite is important, but how you interact with that kite can make a big difference too. The Brazilian Brothers took the North Navigator Pro bar for a spin, and it's got some features they really appreciated, but a couple they wished it had as well. Overall, is it still a bar they'd recommend, or should you keep looking? Get a Grip The brothers feel that the Navigator Pro Bar has one of the most comfortable grips on the market. When they get in the water, they're out ther …

The Brazilian Brothers, Arthur and Rubens, are back with another review. Up this time is the 2025 F-One Trigger BrainChild, and it turns out that it feels right at home in the windy conditions of Prea, Brazil. It's designed for big air, which is the brothers' favorite style, so does it measure up to their standards, and what makes the BrainChild edition special? Pro-weld Technology The BrainChild edition of the F-One Trigger uses the innovative Pro-weld technology, which ultrasonically w …

The Brazilian Brothers use the Cabrinha Nitro as their primary clinic kite and there are some good reasons why, but it's also not a kite for every kiteboarder. Rubens explains why he and Arthur love the Nitro, and whether it's the right kite for you. What Is the Nitro? The Cabrinha Nitro is a big air kite designed by Pat Goodman. If that name sounds familiar, there's a reason. He's also designed kites like the Switchblade and the North Orbit, both kites that revolutionized the kite indust …

There's hardly a better testing ground for the Duotone EVO D/LAB LTD than Prea, Brazil with its consistently strong wind. The Brazilian Brothers are based there and have reviewed the big air capabilities of this Blue Aluula kite for us. How does it jump and loop? And have there been any improvements over the 2023 Evo D/LAB? How Does the 2025 Duotone Evo D/LAB LTD Jump? The previous Evo D/LAB was one of the brothers' favorite kites of all time, so the bar was set pretty high for this year …

The Brazilian Brothers have been putting the Harlem Thrive through its paces, and no doubt about it, this kite is anything but ordinary. Built in collaboration with Brainchild, the Thrive brings some innovative design and construction concepts to the kiteboarding world. Clearly, it's pushing the boundaries of performance and style. Let's break down the performance features, from jumping and looping ability to control and functionality. Harlem Thrive Construction Features The first noticea …

The Brazilian Brothers have broken down the brand-new 2026 North Orbit. They've had early access to the kite, plenty of sessions on the water, and (unashamedly) some big crashes already. In this review, they break down the Orbit's capabilities along with some insight into who the kite is really for. First Impressions: Orbit with Pro DNA The Brazilian Brothers have been riding the Orbit for years. While past versions have gotten small tweaks, the 2026 model takes a step forward. Basically, …

The Reedin SpaceAgency was one of Jake's favorite twintips last year, so he was excited to get on this year's. Much to his delight, not too much has changed, so it's still an absolute ripper. If you liked last year's version, you'll like this year's as well. If you haven't had a chance to try the SpaceAgency, what can you expect, and is it right for you? What Are the Key Features of the SpaceAgency? Not only is this board out of this world, but it's made with space-age tech. The paulown …

There are a lot of nice footstraps out there these days. The North Flex and Cabrinha Source are both great choices, along with Jake's longtime favorite, the Duotone Entity Ergo. For 2025, Reedin has released the Toasties, a binding that prioritizes weight, comfort, and adjustability. How does it stack up to Jake's favorites? What's in the Box? When you open the box, you'll find your two bindings, of course, and a baggie containing just one piece of hardware. Don't panic- that's the spare. …

Jake's back with a quick follow-up to add some more details about the Limited Edition Evo D/LAB, specifically the blue Aluula material. Why Is the Blue Aluula Really a Limited Run? Initially, the guys thought it was a limited run due to cosmetic issues with the first run of blue Aluula. They could see some lighter areas that looked like crease marks and took those to be a flaw in the manufacturing process, but it turns out that's a common trait of Aluula and not a defect at all. It's pres …

If you subscribe to our newsletter or follow our YouTube channel or blog, then you know that there's been a bit of hype about Duotone's new blue Aluula (which we've taken the liberty of dubbing "Bluula") Evo D/LAB kite. Dustin and Jake both finally got a chance to get a session on it to get a sense of how it flies and who it's for. What Is the "Bluula" Evo D/LAB? The blue Aluula isn't just a new color; it's actually a limited run of the latest version of the Aluula material called D/TX. …