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When I first started kiting, unhooked freestyle and strapless surf were king. Athletes were pushing the sport forward at an incredible pace. We started to wonder what it would be like if athletes from other sports took notice. Would world-class surfers pick up a kite? What about wakeboarders or snowboarders? As things panned out, some did but never quite on the level we hoped for. Tye is the rare example of a pro crossing over from another sport and excelling at kite. The only other pro snowbo …

Chris Bobryk, aka "The American Sledgehammer", needs no introduction. He's one of the original North American riders from the second wave of freestyle and an innovator of the sport. He's even claimed a few NBD (Never Been Done) tricks in kiteboarding. He's still touring the world and chasing the kite dream. Most recently he's posted up in south Florida teaching lessons and riding as much as possible. While he is an innovator in freestyle, his freeride game is on fire. Check out this edi …

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 …

This at a glance review is to help you decide if this kite is for you! What kind of kite Freestyle Big Air & Wave Crossover The Dice is a crossover kite for high level kitesurfers in all disciplines from freestyle, big air and loops to waves. It sits between the Evo and the Vegas in regards to performance and feel. Think of the Evo as an automatic transition while the Dice is a stick shift. Of all the bridled kites in Duotones range, it unhooks the best only sitting second to the Vegas. If …

When I first started kiting, unhooked freestyle and strapless surf were king. Athletes were pushing the sport forward at an incredible pace. We started to wonder what it would be like if athletes from other sports took notice. Would world class surfers pick up a kite? What about wakeboarders or snowboarders? As things panned out, some did, but never quite on the level we hoped for. Tye is the rare example of a pro crossing over from another sport and excelling at kite. The only other pro snow …

This video and blog are meant to give you perspective and to help you decide if the Evo is the right kite for you.  What kind of kite is the Duotone Evo?  The Evo is a true modern All Around kite. I'ts meant to please everyone and it does a good job of it. It’s easy to use, and you’re just as likely to see someone teaching on this kite as you are to see someone riding on a completion level for big air. Fast, playful and fun is a good way to describe the traits of this kite.&n …

Hey guys, for this video we're going to cover a new angle on a basic freeride trick. I've done frontroll and backroll videos before, but I wanted to take the angle of a brand new rider attempting their very first backroll. The Light Wind Pop Learning to Backroll in Light Wind I've always advocated that it's best to learn new tricks in light wind because the falls are super chill and it's easier to build muscle memory. Thing is, with the exception of our kite loop tutorials, I rarely film …

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 design …

This blog is a quick look at the Swithcblade. Hopefully it will help you decide if the 2020 Cabrinha Switchblade is the right kite for you.  What kind of kitesurfing kite  Cabrinha classifies the Switchblade as a Performance Freeride and big air. This means the kite excels at hooked in and sent jumps. Things like bankroll hand drags, board offs, simple low kite loop based tricks. Jump transitions and getting a ton of height. Its okay but not the best for waves and an unhooked. I …

Recently I was tasked with reviewing the ocean Rodeo Flite Aluula 17m. The kite flew so different that it really got me thinking about how different size kites fly and what I’ve come to expect over the years. For this blog, I’ll break down the general characteristics of kites in a size range, conditions and the disciplines they are good for. I’ll also break down techniques for flying these kites and the best use of your time on the water. The 15m North Reach is a faster fun big kite Big k …

This video is for riders who can jump bit would like to go higher. It was fun speaking with Shaun because in a way we both kiteboard but we’re practicing completely different sports. Big air riders do things very differently and they have one goal. Go high and loop the kite! You need to be proficient with the basics and a solid free rider before going for maximum height. That said, Shaun had some great tips to help you take your jumps to new heights. Load those lines up with the bar all th …

This video and blog will hopefully give you an idea of what to expect from the spectrum and help you decide if it's the right kiteboard for you. ANNELOUS LAMMERTS popping a melon grab What kind of kiteboard is the Cabrinha Spectrum  We would classify this as a midrange all around freeride board. This means the Spectrum is made to do a little of everything.  Like any jack of all trades, the spectrum is a master of none. That said, you get a lot more out of this board than yo …

The Roam is Ocean Rodeos Surf kite and if you kite foil, you know up until brands started developing foil specific kites like the UFO, Surf kites were a popular choice among foil enthusiasts. You might be surprised to hear that Surf kites are still the most popular choice at the shop among the team. Mostly because they give you options from surf performance to high-end kite foil performance. For reference, currently, I weigh 185 I was using the Slingshot Infinity 76 and I tested the Roam Al …

Whats up guys, this week, I’m going to cover a fun and easier kiteloop based trick. With hooked in kiteboarding there’s three things that take a trick to the next level, a loop, a rotation and a grab. Moving past down all the download variations, the Bankroll Nose grab kite loop is probably the easiest powered loop trick. Its a little intense but one you can start underpowered and work your way up! Let’s get to it. Get simple Backroll kiteloops dialed first Before attempting this I want t …

These bars are similar in design. They use a clicking system to adjust the steering lines rather than the center lines. The Stick Shift is super soft on the hands The Ocean Rodeo Stick Shift is soft and floaty; while the Duotone Clickbar is a little less soft, it's more refined. The drawback to the Clickbar is that sometimes the centerline can bind. This is due to the automatic swivel feature. The Stick Shift's main drawback is that you must flush it out between each use. Obviously, …