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Welcome to episode three of the Brazilian Brothers and MACkite Kite Academy. The Brazilian Brothers are back with Nikki for what might be the most important video in the entire series. Today, they're covering everything about rigging the kite when it comes to the bar, along with the essential safety mechanisms of kiteboarding. Unwinding and Walking the Lines With the kite already secured with sand, the first step is to remove the latches from the bar and secure all four lines simultaneously. D …

The Brazilian Brothers caught up with Alessa Mensch right next to the action in Big Bay for a very special interview. From taking her first lessons in Ecuador and becoming an instructor, to entering her first Big Air competition and becoming an established rider for Naish, Alessa shares the details of her incredible kiteboarding journey. If you haven't read part one yet, here is the first Brazilian Brothers interview with Alessa. The First Female Big Air Competition at Lords of Tram Alessa and …

The Brazilian Brothers sat down with South African big air rider Josh Gillitt, diving into everything about Cape Town — the local kiteboarding scene, the best spots, and what it's like growing up in the mother city. Growing Up in Cape Town Josh considers Cape Town his favorite place in the world. Despite traveling globally to various kite spots, coming home is always a special experience. It offers the best conditions, lifestyle, culture, and people. The locals are incredibly friendly an …

Aaron pulled Kevin Wade from Eleveight aside for a few minutes at the KoGL Test Fest to chat about the RS Pro V2. Although the RS has been Eleveight's all-around freeride kite for the company's entire 10-year history, the concept for a pro version is much more recent. So what's special about it, and who is it for? What is the RS Pro? The RS is a do-it-all kite that appeals to a wide range of riders, but what if you want to push the limits just a bit further? The RS Pro uses the best materials …

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 …

Sitting right next to the action with some awesome kiting taking place in Big Bay, Capetown, the Brazilian Brothers caught up with Naish pro rider Alessa Sophia Mensch to talk about her progression through the sport and how she turned kiteboarding into a full-blown career. How Did Your Kitesurfing Journey Start? Alessa's entry into the sport is a long, wild story. Originally from the south of Germany, she grew up in a small vineyard village. Up until she was 18 years old, she had never even he …

The Brazilian Brothers sat down with F-One pro rider Josh Gillitt, an international rider who has been pushing the boundaries of big air kiteboarding on the world stage for the past couple of years. Known for his aggressive style and massive sends, he shares the details of his progression, his competitive mindset, and what it takes to ride at the highest level of the sport. Starting Young and Moving to Cape Town Josh's kitesurfing journey started when he was just seven years old. His dad had s …

The Brazilian Brothers are back for episode two of the Kite Academy. In the first episode, they walked through all the gear you need to get going: a helmet, an impact vest, a harness, a kite, and a board. Today, they're getting into the fun stuff: pumping up the kite, walking through its different nuances, and learning how to handle it, all of which is incredibly important for anyone who wants to be an independent rider. Where Is the Wind Coming From? Before you even pump up the kite, you have …

The Brazilian Brothers sat down with kite designer legend and Brainchild founder, Ralf Groesel. In this highly specific breakdown, they ask Ralf some of the most important questions about kiteboarding bars, line setups, and everything in between. Low V vs. High V Kite Bars When testing kites, it becomes very clear that a kite performs drastically differently depending on whether you're using a Low V or a High V bar setting. Ralf explains that he uses High V on his kite designs simply because h …

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 …

If you've ever stared at your wind app, watched the forecast hover around 8–10 knots, and talked yourself out of a session—this kite was built specifically for you. The Harlem Thrive LiteX is a purpose-engineered light wind kite designed to get riders on the water in conditions most people write off entirely. It's not just a bigger kite with a lighter touch. It's a ground-up rethink of what a light wind kite can do, and Harlem has backed it up with some genuinely impressive ma …

If you've ever grabbed a bar and just felt instantly comfortable, like it was designed for your hands, you'll understand what the team at Harlem was going for with the Lead Bar. This isn't just another piece of kit. It's a highly engineered control system built around one clear philosophy: the connection between you and the kite should be exact, predictable, and completely trustworthy. We sat down with the Harlem team to break down exactly what goes into the Lead Bar, from the line constr …

The 2026 Cabrinha kite lineup rolls out a refreshed airframe system, and one of the most practical things you can know is how to work with the new clips. Whether you're doing a field repair, swapping out a sprint tube, or just getting familiar with how your kite is put together, this walkthrough has you covered. The good news? You don't need any special tools. A standard butter knife does the job. Shop Cabrinha What Is the Cabrinha 2026 Airframe System? Cabrinha's 2026 airframe system is …

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 …

Cape Town's Blouberg launches kiters 30 meters into the sky on dense, lifty wind with Table Mountain looming behind them. Brazil's Prea delivers bullet-consistent 25-knot trade winds for five months straight, with open ocean and friendlier conditions for pushing your tricks. After spending recently spending a month in Cape Town, the Brazilian Brothers share their opinion on which destination deserves your next kiteboarding vacation. Overall Conditions and Friendliness Northeast Brazil (Prea ar …