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The small North Navigator kiteboarding control bar comes in 38 to 43 cm. As a female, I’m always on a smaller kite than all the guys out there. The reason I like a smaller bar is it slows down and gives me more control of the smaller kites I am using.  Small kite control bars slow the kite down.  This is great because it prevents accidental loops and more control in wild conditions. The other reason I like it is because the bar is plush and soft. I have used some harder and mor …

The North Nova wing foiling wing is North's first wing. While it is first gen, they have taken the time to get it right. There is a good deal of refinement that I would expect from a second or third gen wing. First thing that stands out is the color. Sorry, I know, that's a silly thing to talk about, but the black and teal really stands out. I used this wing in a wide variety of conditions from light to lit on the 5m. The wing is compact but powerful. It rides upwind. It has great powe …

The North Flare is a wakestyle / parkstyle board. It's made for kiteboarders who are looking to ride powered, do unhooked tricks and grind things. In spite of the fact that wakestyle is pretty underground right now, I wanted to do a review on this board. I've used almost every wakestyle board to date, so I have a good idea where this one stacks up behind the kite and in the cable park. Performance My first impression is the simplicity of the design. The board has a good outline for speed and …

The North Atmos Carbon is a pretty specific tool and a fun option for a kiteboarder looking to get as much upwind performance and pop as possible. I've had this board for a few months now and I think I have a good feel to break down everything you can expect. I've been using the 139 Atmos, and for perspective my personal go-to is a 147 Slingshot Refraction. The 139 is super small for me but the speed, rocker and outline allow this board to ride upwind as well as, if not better than, my 147. …

The Orbit and the Reach are two offerings from North Kiteboarding. One's a big air specialty kite and the other is an all-around kite. The North Orbit 2021 North Orbit Let's start with the Orbit. This is a five-strut big air specialty kite. The Orbit implements a two-stage arc in the canopy. This means the top of the kite is flat to help with a hanglider-floaty feel. The wingtips are curved so the kite turns faster than it should. This makes the kite exceptional at kite loops. It's designed t …

The carve has a different design than your average wave kite. For perspective, regular waves kites share a few traits. On & off Depower, down the line drift, they also fly a bit smaller as far as power. The Carve is unique. Like the Duotone Neo, they have taken a different approach. You can expect the on and off depower but the real surprise is the low end power of the carve. With this in mind, the on and off depower becomes more important because you can sheet out and still have good cont …

2021 North Kites Overview This is a good look at the 2021 North kites compared to the 2020 North kites. We'll be taking a look at what the changes are and how it will impact you as a rider in this blog.  The Orbit  The ORBIT changed the game when it came to big air kiteboarding. It's one of the most successful kites at KOTA. With swept wingtips and a flatter canopy you get a very unique kite. It has the turning possibilities of a freestyle kite, but the flat canopy allows you to …

Hey guys, it’s Nathan here from MACkite, and today, I’m going to talk to you about the 2020 North Orbit. 2020 NORTH ORBIT We’ve not had a chance to thoroughly review the North Orbit at this time, so this post contains more of our first impressions as a reviewing team. Because we had limited time on it, and were testing it in some conditions that we weren’t necessarily used to, we want to get some more time on the kite to further develop our opinions on what we think thi …

In 2020, the name North Kiteboarding is coming back. While this is a completely new brand, they have assembled top players from across the industry and created a new lineup. In a time when products have become ridiculously over-complicated with a multitude of options, North has taken an elegant, simple, yet masterful approach to every facet of their brand, from form to function. In a way, they are like the Apple of kiteboarding. Now before we go any further, we wanted to clear some things up. Th …

Welcome DUOTONE! We know that there has been a tornado of speculation and questions regarding the re-branding of the well known and loved North Kiteboarding brand.  To put it as simply as possible, nothing is changing except for the name!  Customers can expect the same highly developed product, improved service, and a fresh brand energy.  Duotone is essentially what "North" for 2018 was - same designers, products, and distribution channels "Duotone is going to go forward …

*Emails submitted above are submitted to Duotone, not to MACkiteboarding.com The Secret Is Out After 18 years Boards & More is dropping North Kiteboarding and launching their own brand, Duotone. Citing differing views on the future of the brand with North Sails (owned by Oakley Capital), Boards & More has parted ways and will move forward under the newly formed brand Duotone. So what does this mean for you? Hopefully only good things. Their new website can be found at: www.DuotoneSpor …

The Best Kites for Learning Freestyle Hey guys! As I promised I'm going to write about my current three favorite kites for learning freestyle. Now, just because I favor these kites doesn't mean there aren't a lot of other great kites that offer similar benefits. I’m going to write about these as well. As I said, these are the best kites for learning freestyle. I know some of you are going to start shouting about C-kites and I’ve addressed this before. Check out my video on the top …

We’ve had a lot of requests for a solid review on the 2018 North Evo and how it compares to the 2017. I can’t say I’m surprised there is very little content beyond the basic brand notes on the 2018 Evo. I’ve been really curious to compare these two kites myself, but it definitely took me some time, to say the least! The reality is that this kite has become a completely different animal designed to meet the same end, yet with a new approach. It’s rare for a kite to …

OK, I’ve officially found my favorite kite-surfboard of all time, and it only took me 18 years. Ha! Nah—seriously though, you’ve got to have a look at the NEW 2018 North Pro Whip CSC.  This little blaster will have you grinning from ear to ear the first time out. I’ve spent a bit of time on the North Nugget and the North WAM, but the Pro Whip is my jam! The first thing you’ll notice is how light the board is. North utilized bamboo and carbon in this board and …

Sessions Blog - Testing the 2018 North Evo For the  2018 North Evo, I really had to put in the work to get my review right. In most of my previous videos, I'd already had years of experience testing the gear. Demand was high for this review and I was struggling to get any real information on the kite. I decided to get as much time in on the kite as possible and take notes on my sessions. The problem was I only had a 12 meter and the conditions never seemed to line up. I had tested the kit …