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Bret Sullivan & Best Kiteboarding - "African Vibes" Africa can be considered the "wildlands". It's where people go to help, to find themselves, and to experience a new type of freedom. Freedom can be found in many ways. One way we experience freedom is through kiteboarding. Bret Sullivan experiences the same thrills behind the kite that we do, but only in a much more picturesque location. Lions, kitesurfing, and warm weather (oh, my) fill this video. While you're watching from your office o …

Jake M has seen his fair share of kiteboarding blows. Last summer, after winds had topped around 30-knots, Jake ran to the beach for his "lunch break". Not only did the wind die, but he ended up having to swim a quarter of a mile back to shore as a result. With a rip current and five-to-eight-foot waves to fight against and no floatation vest, Mitchell found himself red-faced, short of breath and wishing that he had worn a vest.  What Jake Recommends Since my incident last summer, I've foun …

Craig Cunningham - "Habitual" in Taiba, Brazil When you're traveling, the rush of being out from your office and into the world can have your vacation missing out on the little things, like fishing villages. These little villages and pit-stops may look run-down or abandoned, but they may be some of the best areas to stop (especially for kiteboarding). Every year, Craig Cunningham jumps down to Taiba, Brazil (a little fishing town) to grab some wind. Watch as North's rider Craig Cunningham shows …

2016 North Mono Kiteboarding Kite New for 2016, North Kiteboarding is debuting the Mono, a one strut kite that finds itself in the company of the Airush Lithium One and Liquid Force Solo. Able to be flown on both a 4-line and 5-line control bar, you can expect a light-weight, quick turning kite that’s perfectly suited for light to medium winds. With one strut, expect some canopy flutter. This will make the kite slightly more difficult to handle in heavy winds that require consistent depowe …

Best Kiteboarding - East Coast Snowkiting While winter may mean February kiteboarding in some areas of the world, us Midwest folks get to experience the thrill and the beauty that is snow. In Michigan, almost half of our year has the anticipation of snowfall. That leaves us with two options: go outside and play, or stay inside with cocoa. While I like to do both, there's no question in my mind that there wouldn't be at least three guys out snowboarding or snowkiting if given the chance.  T …

Brazil Through RyGo's Eyes About 5 years ago I discovered the sport of kiteboarding through a lesson at MACkite no less. I took a lesson with a young kid named Chris Bobryk. We formed a solid friendship chasing the wind over the next year. Eventually, Chris moved to Hatteras, North Carolina to pursue kiteboarding.  While I spent my days working my 9 to 5 (that more often than not was a 7 to 7 kind of job), I started dreaming of a better life - by a better life I mean one where I could spen …

Red Bull's King of the Air 2016 Highlights Two weeks ago marked one of the most incredible spectated events in kiteboarding - Red Bull's King of the Air. This year, Aaron Hadlow made it to the top for the second year in a row. While we were sitting in our offices, we had the live stream playing in the background. This year, it seemed like we could not take the event off of our screens. We laughed, we cried a little, and we said, " ooh" during the crashes. Here, Red Bull has given us a little no …

Mystic's Welcome to 2016 We've carried Mystic for a number of years. We love their dramatic styles and their user-friendly gear. In this stunning video, Mystic showcases their 2016 gear and gives a, "hello" (not quite Adele style) to the new year (even though it's February). Enjoy calming waters, sunny beaches, and a soothing voiceover to give your dreams new meaning. Mystic has accelerated kiteboarding to a new level, and we are excited what they will bring in the following years to the indust …

Brandon Scheid - Below Zero Brandon Scheid in Quebec, Canada? That can only mean (cue the dramatic movie pause)...snowkiting. Of course, Scheid would have such an awesome adventure in Canada, who wouldn't? Our northerly brothers and sisters are having some snow, and they're willing to share its pleasures with us - how thoughtful! Enjoy as Brandon Scheid rides some Liquid Force gear and pounces on the crystallized waves.  Would you like to learn how to snowkite like Scheid?  Why …

An Exploration of the Death Loop You've watched the wipe-out kiteboarding videos, right? Where we see people crashing into the water, followed by a surrounding, "oooh" from your coworkers who have huddled over to your monitor? Unfortunately, some of those kiting videos end in tragedy and it can happen because of the "death loop". Anton Chernyshov has released a video on how to "survive the death loop". We've transposed it here to increase the knowledge and safety of our riders.  What is th …

Embracing the Future of Kiteboarding With Drones We've all experienced those windless spells that have us looking at other ways to get a session in and keep our sanity. Newest on the list for windless days is drone boarding! It may not have the power or speed of a kite and may limit your sessions to easy cruising right now, but a sessions a session right?  So am I looking to trade my kites in and grab a drone to start riding behind? Not yet. It has a while to go before drones will have the …

Our Favorite Kite-Mobiles Here at MACkite we are used to talking shop about kiteboarding, paddleboarding, e-transport, snowboarding, and skiing. We are the experts after all. ;) However, there is another often overlooked subject that is common to conversations here. We do not sell it and we are certainly not the experts. The subject is how we get to the beach, our kite-mobiles if you will. From chartered yacht to skateboard, it seems that everyone has their own idea about what is the ultima …

Keahi de Aboitiz - 2015 Kitesurfing World Champion Keahi de Aboitiz has been given the title of 2015 Kitesurfing World Campion. This Aussie rides for Cabrinha, NP, JP Australia, and Sharpers fins and has had the passion of riding since he was little. Our crew is stoked for our Aussie brethren, and it is without a doubt that his hard work has been rewarded with this awesome title!  To learn more about Keahi de Aboitiz, check out his website! Interested in Cabrinha? Check out more he …

Tom Court - North's Team Riders in Brazil Our favorite team riders aren't just born great. They work hard, and that shows in every video, contest, and promotion they attend. Where do they practice? In Brazil, of course! The wind is warm, consistent, and perfect for learning and bonding. Video Synopsis Brazil is one of those destinations in the Kiteboarding season, from October to December it has some of the steadiest trade winds, perfect flat water lagoons and a great scene of kiteboarder's fr …

Blake Olsen: Smathers Beach Ah, Key West, Florida. Home to warmth, simple pleasures, and to Smathers Beach. If you have the gumption to wake up early, take a walk down the beach and catch the sunrise. Sit down and enjoy the sun, the waves, and the surf as you soak in that much-needed Vitamin D. Sounds perfect, right? That's what our Team Rider Blake Olsen thought as well. As he catches a sunset sesh in the month of January, you'll see him pop, glide, and rock the big blue.  …