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Yes, These are the rules...but you should know that not every kiter follows them or knows what they are!   If you see someone who doesn’t seem to know what they are doing, just kindly inform them of what you have learned from this video.  Safety is Key!  Don’t expect other kiters to get out of your way.  You can tell by watching their kite movement as they approach you, if they are going to give you respect or not.  If you have any questions, give us a …

This is Blake Olson here at Smathers Beach in Key West, Florida. I'm about to teach you how to do your first starts on a kiteboard. Ben, the person behind the camera, is going to be demonstrating as he's learning. Here are five simple steps for a successful waterstart.  5 Steps to a Waterstart  1) Fly the Kite with One Hand  The first thing you need to do is to practice flying the kite with one hand while holding the board in your other hand. Be sure to grab the bar in the middl …

This week we thought it would be fun to teach you something a little unconventional. While it's not your typical trick tip, giving a piggyback ride with your kite can be pretty fun!  This is a great way to share the stoke with anyone! If you have any questions, give us a call 800.622.4655  Printable Steps for the Beach   Step 1 Be Comfortable You're going to get close!  Be confident and comfortable in your skill level before taking anyone out with you.  Make sure yo …

Breakdown for two really fun pop grabs that every kiteboarder needs to know: The Mute Grab and the Nose Grab. These are simple grabs that are easily improved and tweaked out as you progress. If you have any questions, give us a call 800 622 4655 We're going to keep these short and sweet. Use these steps to visualize the trick in your mind. If you can see it, you can do it! Printable Steps for the Beach Tips for getting started: Use your thumb for more control on the bar when riding one hande …

Learning to Foil Behind the Boat What's the easiest way to learn how to hydrofoil? Starting behind a boat! Learning behind the boat allows you to fully focus on the foiling itself, rather than worrying about the kite. It's essentially the trainer kite for foiling. This controlled environment allows you to understand how foils operate based on small adjustments.  Before You Hit the Water You can foil behind a multitude of different watercraft, from a wakeboard boat to a jetski to a po …

Excellent flatwater trick to start expanding out of your comfort zone all while incorporating other more basic trick skills   We're going to keep these short and sweet. Use these steps to visualize the trick in your mind. If you can see it, you can do it!  Printable Steps for the Beach Step 1 Ride Powered. Have a sufficient amount of power to ride while not being overpowered (which will end up pulling you off of your edge if you are). This also works best in flat/slick water, a …

Living in Key West Florida has it’s perks. You know, perks like kiteboarding off  of a friends boat in shallow blue water. In Episode four Blake gives you five simple tips for learning how to pop to blind. Believe it or not, riding blind is a simple progression you can learn once you are adept at riding toe side in both directions. It’s a cornerstone to spice up the landing in literally any trick you can imagine. Best of all you can learn to do it hooked in or unhooked! We're …

Hey Guys, Blake here!  This week, were going to cover one of the first tricks you can learn in kiteboarding and one that you can use to add style to your transitions. The Toeside Transition with a pop to toeside, a smooth carve and a downloop. The aim of this progression is to add some serious style and energy to your transitions so pay attention, print of the written steps found at the bottom of this blog and practice!  When to Start Riding Toeside Once you're riding up …

Today we are going to be learning a really fun, scary and feel good trick. This trick takes it to the next level in kiteboarding, and whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced rider this is a trick you should learn someday. The feeling of going up and then flying horizontally through the air is something you can’t do in any other board sport. It gives you a pure and ultimate adrenaline rush and it’s what pushes the limits in our sport of kiteboarding. I’m sure you& …

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. Dec …

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 p …

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 …

7 Steps to Becoming a Kiteboarder Have you seen someone kiteboarding while on vacation or at your local beach? Or maybe you saw a video on YouTube and were like, "what is that?" Your next thoughts were probably "how do they jump so high and land so soft", followed by "I want to do that!" For those of you that want to get started in the sport of kiteboarding but are not sure how, listed below are seven steps that will take you from watching on the beach to riding on the water. 1. Trainer kite Th …

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 …