Latest News, Blog & Videos

Lightwind kites have come a long way in just the last 5 years really. I’ve said it before, if you’re not taking advantage and kiteboarding in the sub 12 knot days, you’re really missing out. This week, we’re breaking down two of the longest standing light wind kites in our shop. The Cabrinha Contra Vs The Slingshot Turbine. Their both built with the same purpose and rider in mind but they do have some pretty distinct differences. Let’s start with the Contra. There …

Last week, we did a video on Light wind vs Strong wind and how currents and tides come into play. Contrary to what I expected, it seemed to be well received. So as I said, I’m going to elaborate further and talk about conditions a little more. I know these conditions videos are a little beginner centric so for any experienced riders who watch this series for gear reviews I’ll get back on track with another gear video next week. That said, you might find some of the points in this …

This week I’m going to a compare two kites that really fall into two different categories.  Two kites built for similar but different reasons  The Juice is North’s go to lightwind freeride kite while the Mono is their Freeride and foil kite. With that said, these are two very different kites built for different reasons but they do have crossover applications.  So where do we begin? Let's start with the Juice. The North Juice has many of the characteristics one can ex …

This week, we’re going to break down the difference between flat boards and rockered kiteboards. Last week, we got started with our first kiteboard comparison. We broke down small boards vs large boards, as well as choosing the right size. This week, we’re going to get a little more tech and break down the difference between flat boards and rockered boards. We’ll also finish up this series next week by breaking down construction materials like wood boards vs carbon boards. Le …

The last few weeks, I’ve been experimenting with topics deviating away from kite comparisons but I haven't forgotten that they are they bread and butter of our Versus series. It’s been quite busy around here, with that said, I’m making a point to get ahead on these videos. On top of that, I’m trying to escape the cold and log as many hours as possible on all the gear we carry so I can produce these for you guys. Next week, I’ll be heading down to Mexico to star …

Part three in our kiteboard comparison series. Wood and fiberglass boards.  These tend to be heavier but more, durable, and damp. What I mean by damp is that they absorb the vibrations from chop much better than their carbon counterparts. This means you’re going to have a more comfortable ride even in those locations with choppier water. The response and feel of the boards is obviously going to vary from brand to brand and model to model however, there are some basic concepts to con …

We’ve been getting a surprising number of requests for C-Kite comparisons. The North Vegas vs the North Rebel, The Cabrinha Chaos vs the Cabrinha FX. With that said, I’ve decided to first do a video focused specifically on all C - Kites in general and who they are for. There are three types of people riding C-kites right now. Riders who have been using them since the early days of the sport when they were the only option. Riders who are competing in the PKRA and making a living off …

The North Neo Vs the Cabrinha Drifter. Both of these kites are kitesurfing kites in the same vein. On paper, they don’t look that much different but once you get on them water it’s clear that they are very different kites.If I were to define each in a paragraph, I would describe the Neo as controlled, powerful and constant. The Drifter, I would say playful, well-rounded and aggressive. When it comes to deciding which one is for you, it really comes down to what sort of feel you’re looking for …

The top two performance freeride kites in the world. How do they stack up?  A little history. The last decade and a half, kiteboarding culture has come into its own. In the formative years, we had legends like Pete Cabrinha, Robby Naish, Lou Wainman defining the sport, and the list goes on and on. Most kiteboarders lived in Hawaii and other tropical locations. At first, the sport wasn't accessible to everyone. The gear wasn't safe or efficient - albeit, it was fun if you had the fortitu …

Hey this is Crystal Veness with MACkiteboarding and in today’s vlog we’ll be talking about how to pick the perfect wetsuit for kiteboarding. A few things we are going to cover in this vlog include how to pick a suit that suits the place you are riding, the temperature and conditions you are riding in, and that fits well and fits your budget just right. We’re also going to talk about the different types of wetsuits. This is applicable for you whether you’re in a warm-wa …

2018 Cabrinha FX Overview The FX has been a shop favorite since 2016 Today I’m going to be discussing with you the all-new 2018 Cabrinha FX. All new...what does that mean? There’s a bunch of design changes that have been made for the 2018 FX that are marked improvements over the 2016/17 models. This is pretty hard to do, as the FX was already one of our favorite kites for freeride and advanced freestyle. Cabrinha has increased it's capabilities. There’s three different setti …

2018 Cabrinha Contra Overview Hey guys what’s going on today? It’s Nathan from MACkite and today we’re going to be discussing the new 2018 Cabrinha Contra. The Contra was originally designed as a lightwind kite. A few years ago Cabrinha decided to expand it into smaller sizes. Despite this, the Contra is still available all the way up to 19m. The Contra is known as an extremely lightwind kite, or a lightwind kite that can be used by someone a little heavier. High Tenacity Dacr …

The Chris Bobryk interview, Today, we are flying over to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and heading over to Miami. Palm trees, sunshine, and blue skies... what's not to love?! We're going to check in with Chris Bobryk and get some tips on how to stay fit and in good shape as a kiter! He'll tell us a bit about how to stay healthy, prevent injury, and recover if you do find yourself injured. But first, it's time to slow down and relax. It was a hectic week in Las Vegas and LA, and a day of downtime, a …

Cable parks have been around since 1959. Since their inception in Germany. They have been popping up all over the world. In fact, there's a good chance you’re just a short drive from one yourself. The cross over from cable to kite is undeniable. Whether you're an absolute beginner or a seasoned rider working on that next trick. Here at MACkite, we have been doing lessons almost as long as the sport of kiteboarding has been around. In 2010, the first 2.0 cable wake boarding system opene …

Spring is here and we all know what that means. Warm weather, wind and good times with good friends. We’re officially kicking off our kiteboarding lesson season for 2017. This marks our 16th year teaching kiteboarding. In that time the gear, as well as the sport have changed drastically. With all that change there still remains one universal truth for new kiteboarders. That is the thirty hour rule. Ten hours on the kite, ten hours on the board and ten hours to put it all together.Now, we know w …