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We’ve had a lot of requests for a video on my favorite boots and the difference between boots and straps. The truth is kiteboarding is a diverse sport and what works for one person might not be best for another. Boots and straps have their place and are here to stay. It’s funny, in the early days, the first kiteboarders were actually wearing wakeboarding boots and building features. Just check out films like Auotofocus with Andre Philip and Jason Slezac. Or google Lou Wainman from the earl …

This is part two of the master your kite and board videos. Last week, I covered a new angle on how to control your kite with the edge of your board. I’m going to expand on this now, and help you really get control of your board and riding position. Kiteboarding is funny because unlike other board sports we have a lot more going on with controlling the kite. The thing is, It seems like a lot of kiteboarders never learn how to ride a board properly and it actually holds back their p …

Today, we’re going to do one of the most important videos we’ve ever done. 3 tips to master kite control. This is part one of two, I’m going to do a second video on advanced kiteboard skills to expand on this next. We're lucky to live in a time where all kites are really user friendly but it came at a cost. It seems like most new kiteboarders don’t know how to control their kite with their edge. Riding in a boarding stance is important In the early days of kiteboardin …

Today we are going to cover a Darkslide Kiteloop Transition. This is an advanced trick and is similar to the hand drag and the 360 video we did in this playlist. In the sense that you will be sending the kite from one side of the wind window to the other for lift and then looping the kite at the edge of the window followed by a second half loop to transition. PDF available Step One - Small Send & Pop Come into this trick with a light pop and be subtle with sending the kite. You don&r …

Muskegon Michigan, a very special place for me as it's where grew up and learned to kite. It's always amazing to come back and share sessions with all my old friends. When the conditions line up the sessions are all time! The flat water in Muskegon Pier for free-style and endless amounts of fun on the dunes; I always have the best time and have a hardest time leaving. Thanks to all the homies that made it so fun! Marc Hoeksema, Blake Olsen, Tye Kowalski, Sarah Dunick, Ryan Goloversic ext. …

Being locked down the past few weeks with no access to the beaches I’ve been dreaming of early this year in the Kite park in Hatteras and the Hood Rider Slider Project. Not to mention the good times with the Kite Park League homies. Shots by: Knot Future, Alexander Hughes, Ewan Jaspan, Vincent Bergeron, Brian Wennersten, James Ropner, Rian Osmond, Sarah Dunick, Karolina Winkowska …

So you’re looking to pick up your next board. You’ve looked around and heard good things about the Duotone twintips. Supposedly they are lighter, snappier and unique on the water. You went online, did some research and came across a few models. They all look good but you’re just not sure what one is the right choice for you. As you run through all the product descriptions you’re bombarded with words like high performance. The ultimate pop, unmatched torsional flex. …

3-meter line extensions are an invaluable tool that give you the ability to change the range and performance of every kite in your quiver. They can be added or removed to the end of your lines in about a minute and they make a huge difference in how your kite performs.  Add them and you get:  More Power  Slower Steering  Higher Jumps Longer powerstrokes in light wind Or take them off if you want: more responsive handling tighter kiteloops faster steering better wave p …

The best progression comes from riding with your friends. There is no one better to push your limits than those who are closest to you. Liquid Force Team Riders Elias Ochner, Gabe Payne and Viktor Luypaert are all students of the World Class Kite Academy. Unlike most of us, they receive a high school education while traveling to the best kite locations on the planet. "Mission with the Crew" is produced, edited and filmed by this dynamic trio and showcases the talents of these up and coming r …

This is the last video in the fundamentals playlist for now. Soon, I’ll be filming an intermediate level playlist. This week, we're going to cover the Back to Revert or Back to Toeside. In kiteboarding, I’ve been pushing that all advanced moves are combinations of the basics and this is going to be your first combo. You'll be pairing a backroll with a frontside 180.This is the second progression into the Back to Wrapped or the Backmobe and its super fun to turn into a downloop tran …

I’ll be going over the differences and updates to their light wind kite the Juice and their single Strut kite, the Mono. We've done an in-depth comparison video on these kites a couple years back. Over the years these kites have evolved and there's actually been a lot of changes since that first video. The core design for both of these kites remains the same so much of that original video still stands in 2020. Yet, you can expect the 2020 versions to perform better in some areas an …

Is your kite becoming soft after a session? Did you just have to swim in front of all of your buddies? It is possible you have a tiny leak in your kite. The first step of fixing this leak is to identify where that leak is. Professor Rich highlights the steps necessary to find out where that leak is. Once you've figured out where the leak is, it's time to graduate to the next step of kite repair. Easy Steps to finding a leak in your kite: Check inflation valve for sand or damage between all …

This week's tip is going to be short and to the point. It’s a stylish variation of the pop and an important movement pattern that builds on many things for later on in your progression. This will be your first 180, and a good introduction to landing toeside with power. Remember, landing blind is just toeside with the kite behind your back. Aside from that, you'll be learning how to rotate frontside. This is important for tricks like the rally to wrapped or the back to revert. Later on, t …

Download the PDF Here Today we’re going to breakdown another fundamental move. The Pop to Blind or Landing Blind. This is a variation of the first two videos in this playlist. One of the most important skills to learn in freestyle or wakestyle kiteboarding is the blind landing. Landing blind makes anything you do look way better. The mistake most people make is thinking they need to learn this move powered. Something I’m pushing on our fundamentals playlist is all advanced kiteboar …

  Rygo: In years past we've often touted the Neo as more than just a wave kite, but also an awesome freeride kite. While this is true, it occurred to me that we've almost done this kite an injustice in regards to its surfing capabilities. This year, I'm committed to going the extra mile with these reviews. We'll be diving in to everything you might want to know about the Neo, and why this may or may not be the right kite for you. The Neo is a good fit for a specific type of kitesurfer. W …