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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 it really shows. The next thing yo …

If the calendar says you're past your "expiration date", but you're still feeling a bit spry, maybe you should try some basic unhooked tricks! What is riding unhooked?  This means that you disconnect (or unhook) your control bar from your harness. Don't freak out—it's all about technique. Yes, you will be getting out of your comfort zone. Yes, you will be crashing more. Yes, it is totally worth it! If you're a wakeboarder or a snowboarder, then riding unhooked is an obvious choice fo …

I used to profess this simple concept back when I was a kiteboarding instructor and I know it to be true today. Kiteboarders are simple creatures. We like windy days, good people to share the stoke with, and a good feast afterward. Easy enough.         Hey, new guy—just show up with some pizza, introduce your self, and be humble—it'll be all good!"Seriously though—here's how you break into your local kiteboarding scene and be welcomed into the fold. Decide which beach/area yo …

Many years ago, pro rider Chris Bobryk and I were kiteboard instructors here at MACkite. Our lesson center was right on the sugar-sand beach of Pere Marquette Park, in Muskegon, Michigan.We would ride as much as we possibly could before and after our lessons and I can remember Chris just hucking himself constantly. He was sending it on every tack. He was absolutely consumed with progressing his kiteboarding ability and it paid off for him in his pro career. I, on the other hand, did not have pro …

There are a lot of different travel bags out there for kiteboarding and kitesurfing. North offers the "Combi Bag" and "Team Bag Surf", while ION has the "Gearbag TEC". Here's the breakdown from Ben Skaggs, our North and ION Kiteboarding rep from Hood River, Oregon.North Combi BagColors: Black and BlueAvailable sizes: 140cm155cmSurfboards up to 5'6"Surfboards up to 6'2""This is a lightweight travel bag that uses the method of “use your gear and clothing as padding to save weight” for protecting y …

As any dedicated wind-chaser knows, it can be challenging to balance work, life and kiteboarding. Sometimes, we just can't get enough time on the water. Here are 3 simple tips to help you out! Subscribe to Wind Alerts via iKitesurf.com. Keep your gear with you at all times. Communicate with your significant other.   The Alert iKitesurf.com is one of the most important sites/apps for kiteboarders who want real-time wind data from around the world. Not only can you access wind speed, di …

With so many freeride kiteboards on the market, it’s hard to choose between them all, right?The 2018 Liquid Force Legacy is one of those all-around freeride kiteboards that bridges the gap for a wide range of riding styles. Freeride, freestyle and waves. Even hook up some boots and get your wakestyle on! Big jumps? Yup. FreerideFreestyleBig-AirWakestyleStokestyle (I just made that one up, but it fits!)Rider, Jason Slezak and shaper, Jimmy Redmon have combined their many years of kiteboarding and …

How do you go about carrying all of your kiteboarding gear?ION has a full-featured line of “golf-style” travel bags that will surely put a smile on the face of any traveling kiteboarder. Whether it’s a trip around the world or just a day-trip to your local spot—ION has you covered.With the ION Gearbag series, you have a choice between the Core and TEC models. Both will get the job done for you exceptionally well. Build quality, features and capacity are spot-on!The Gearbag Core series is made fr …

Are you one of those people at the beach, endlessly watching the kiteboarders and thinking to yourself, “hey—I wonder if I could do that?”Yes, you can go kiteboarding.One, are you physically able to get up and walk around the block? OK, it’s a little more demanding than just that, but I don’t want to over complicate things either. People tend to associate kiteboarding with having a higher level of physical exertion than what’s actually required. Kiteboarding is more finesse than brute strength.T …

North has redesigned one of the best freeride kites on the planet, and now it's available to you. Introducing the 2018 North Evo! Historically, there were too many similarities between the North Evo and North Rebel. Many riders used to make the decision between the two by whether or not they wanted to fly with 5 lines or not. Of course, they were more different than that, but it seems like line configuration was a big deal for many riders. In 2018, North has increased the gap between …

The North Neo put a smile on my face the very first time I flew one a couple of seasons back. And it's only gotten better with time.New for 2018, North incorporated what they call, "flex segments", into the leading edge of the kite. This allows the kite to have a more pivotal turning characteristic. I thought it was great before—now it's even better. The low-end power is by far one of the best in the industry when compared, pound-for-pound, with other surf kites. You can definitely fly one size …

My first session on the 2018 North Dice 13m was solid! Yeah, man—I can actually still stick a few basic unhooked tricks after riding nothing but surfboards for the past season—old-guy stoked.The 2018 North Dice received some significant mods but is still the same intermediate to advanced-level performance kite that we've come to know. North tweaked the radius of the kite, along with the leading edge diameter and steering speed to give us an even more progressive freestyle kite this year. The Dic …

Who Is MACkite? If you're a kiteboarder with an internet connection, then you may have already heard of MACkiteboarding.com. We've been heavy with our internet game for quite a few years now, and people have taken notice. As online consumers, it's nice to have an idea about the places that we choose to do business with. It's great to know a little bit about the people behind the website and connect with them on a personal level. So let's dig in.Where are they from—Michigan? The prefix, MAC st …

Are you thinking about stepping up your freestyle/wakestyle game? Maybe you're looking for a mega-looping machine? Something with the most direct steering, explosive lift, and mad pop? Look no further, amigos—it's Vegas time. The North Vegas is a kite that will blow your mind—just be sure you're ready for it. While the performance capability is unquestionable, the level of forgiveness is also a bit less. Meaning that you will have to actively fly this kite to get the most out of it. It's not a …

Dear kitesurfers: have you ever paddled into a wave on a surfboard? If yes—you already get it. If not, however, please read on.Surfers have been "out there" for much longer than kiteboarders and kitesurfers have. Since the 18th century in Tahiti and Hawaii, surfers have been paddling out, catching waves and enjoying the stoke. Eventually, it hit mainland USA and became a subculture. Boards went from long to short, and back again. Shortboarders feud with longboarders, who now get snaked by s …