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Rubens of the Brazilian Brothers had a chance to meet up with strapless wave legend, Gray Foster. Gray's been on the Duotone Neo wave kite almost exclusively for the past five years, and Rubens thought it'd be fun to put him on some three-strut freeride kites to see what he thought. Normally Gray looks for a fast, responsive kite for wave riding and a lifty kite with good catch for freestyle, so it was going to be an interesting test to see how the freeride kites stacked up. The Conditions fo …

The Brazilian Brothers are back to compare two heavy hitters in the Cabrinha lineup: the 2026 Switchblade and the 2026 Nitro. Both are five-strut designs, and both feature the high-performance Apex series material. They share some DNA, but they're built for very different riding styles and conditions. The Swiss Army Knife vs. The Big Air Machine The Cabrinha Switchblade requires almost no introduction. It's arguably the most-sold kite of all time, backed by over 20 years of development. With P …

2026 Switchblade Apex When it comes to Cabrinha's 2026 freeride kite lineup, two models stand out as the flagship options for performance-minded riders: the Switchblade Apex and the Moto Apex. Both carry the Apex construction package, which includes Ultra HT leading edges, Teijin D2 ripstop canopies, and refined Apex bridle systems, but they take fundamentally different approaches to how power is delivered, how the kite moves through the wind window, and who belongs on each one. Shop Switchb …

Modern hydrofoil design has reached a point where "one foil does it all" is no longer the move. The best brands are building with intention, and F-One is one of the clearest examples of that shift in the current market. Their Sk8, Eagle, and Seven Seas front wings each carry a distinct personality, a clear purpose, and a specific type of rider in mind. Understanding those differences is not just useful knowledge. It is the difference between buying a foil you love and buying one that sits in th …

The Brazilian Brothers are back with a very special kite comparison: the Harlem Peak versus the F-One Trigger Brainchild. The Influence of the Harlem Peak and F-One Trigger The Harlem Peak is a massively hyped kite at the moment, largely thanks to the performances of Leonardo and Lorenzo Casati. Lorenzo has done the trilogy this year — winning a World Championship, the Megaloop Challenge, and King of the Air — showcasing just how much top-end performance the Peak has. In terms of g …

When Cabrinha drops new boards, it's always worth paying attention, but this year is especially interesting. For 2026, Cabrinha is covering both ends of the spectrum with an all-new board and a returning, but refined favorite. The Quest is their first dedicated downwind board, and the Code is their do-it-all winging platform. Tucker and Jeff from MACkite got an early look at both. While they're waiting for the lake to warm up a bit before heading out to get a full review, the direction is …

F-One Free Surf vs Free Downwind boards—what’s the difference, and which one is right for your riding style? From volume distribution to board shape and real-world practice, Tucker and Jeff dive deep into how these boards perform to help settle the debate between a one-board quiver or a two-board setup. TLDR; Mid-length boards have filled the gap between compact sinkers and full downwind shapes. They’re longer, more efficient, and far more versatile than traditional wing …

The 2026 lineup from F-One tightened the gap between the Eagle and the SK8 in a big way. What used to be a clearer split now comes down to how and where you ride most. Tucker and Jeff spent a lot of time on both, and what follows is a cleaned-up, real-world breakdown of how these foils actually behave on the water, not just what the specs say. The SK8: When Turning Is the Whole Point The SK8 is the foil you grab when you want to turn first and think later. What stands out right away is ho …

The North Nova has built a strong reputation over the last few seasons. It’s one of those wings that almost everyone who tries ends up liking. It’s easy to ride, balanced, and works across a pretty wide range of conditions and skill levels. We recently had both wings with us in La Ventana, Mexico, and spent some time riding them back to back. The question a lot of riders are asking is pretty simple: if the Nova is already so good, what does the third generation Nova Pro actual …

North made a notable update to the Seek lineup for 2026. Instead of one model covering the entire size range, the Seek is now split into two versions: the Seek and the Seek Pro. At first glance they look similar, but they serve slightly different purposes. We spent some time going through the new boards with our North rep and getting a few sessions on them ourselves. The updates focus on lighter construction, improved takeoff efficiency, and giving riders clearer options depending on skil …

When two kites share the same name, the same designer, and the same big air DNA, but are built on completely different platforms, it’s worth slowing down and taking a deeper look. After spending weeks riding both models in strong Brazilian conditions, the Brazilian Brothers set out to answer one key question: “Which version of the Trigger truly delivers when it comes to big air, hang time, and kite loop progression?” In this detailed breakdown, we’ll unpack the dif …

Aaron catches up with Kevin Wade to break down two of Eleveight’s most popular wings—the WFS and the WFS Pro. The conversation blends real-world learning with performance-driven design details, offering a clear view of why these wings have become standouts in the freeride and progression categories. WFS | The Bread-and-Butter Progression Wing The WFS has been in Eleveight’s lineup for six years and continues to be one of the most accessible and widely used wings in their …

Brainchild DNA | Two Very Different Big Air Personalities The Brazilian Brothers are back with another high-level big air showdown—this time comparing two of the most hyped five-strut kites in the game. Both are built at the Brainchild Production facility and designed by Ralf Groesel, but that’s where the similarities start to diverge. On paper, they look like close cousins. In the sky, they feel radically different. This breakdown covers: Jump performance Loop characteristics B …

The Brazilian Brothers are back with a comparison that many riders have been waiting for—a direct breakdown of the Trigger Brainchild versus the Bandit Brainchild. While both kites share the same design lineage and manufacturing DNA, they deliver drastically different experiences on the water. This is not a subtle tuning difference. These are two kites built for different missions. If you are deciding between explosive big air performance and all-around versatility, this breakdown will …

Choosing between the North Reach and the North Orbit is one of the most common questions riders ask when building or refining their quiver. On paper, both kites come from the same design DNA, share North’s build quality, and cover overlapping size ranges. In practice, they are built for very different riding styles, wind ranges, and priorities. This comparison breaks down how each kite actually performs on the water, where each one shines, where each one falls short, and how to spend y …