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This video is for riders who can jump bit would like to go higher. It was fun speaking with Shaun because in a way we both kiteboard but we’re practicing completely different sports. Big air riders do things very differently and they have one goal. Go high and loop the kite! You need to be proficient with the basics and a solid free rider before going for maximum height. That said, Shaun had some great tips to help you take your jumps to new heights. Load those lines up with the bar all …

This video and blog will hopefully give you an idea of what to expect from the spectrum and help you decide if it's the right kiteboard for you. ANNELOUS LAMMERTS popping a melon grab What kind of kiteboard is the Cabrinha Spectrum  We would classify this as a midrange all around freeride board. This means the Spectrum is made to do a little of everything.  Like any jack of all trades, the spectrum is a master of none. That said, you get a lot more out of this board than you wo …

The Roam is Ocean Rodeos Surf kite and if you kite foil, you know up until brands started developing foil specific kites like the UFO, Surf kites were a popular choice among foil enthusiasts. You might be surprised to hear that Surf kites are still the most popular choice at the shop among the team. Mostly because they give you options from surf performance to high-end kite foil performance. For reference, currently, I weigh 185 I was using the Slingshot Infinity 76 and I tested the Roam Aluul …

Whats up guys, this week, I’m going to cover a fun and easier kiteloop based trick. With hooked in kiteboarding there’s three things that take a trick to the next level, a loop, a rotation and a grab. Moving past down all the download variations, the Bankroll Nose grab kite loop is probably the easiest powered loop trick. Its a little intense but one you can start underpowered and work your way up! Let’s get to it. Get simple Backroll kiteloops dialed first Before attempting …

These bars are similar in design. They use a clicking system to adjust the steering lines rather than the center lines. The Stick Shift is super soft on the hands The Ocean Rodeo Stick Shift is soft and floaty; while the Duotone Clickbar is a little less soft, it's more refined. The drawback to the Clickbar is that sometimes the centerline can bind. This is due to the automatic swivel feature. The Stick Shift's main drawback is that you must flush it out between each use. Obviously, these …

Kitesurfing fins come in a variety of sizes, from 10mm to 50mm or so. Fins are an often-overlooked part of gear, but they can make a huge difference in how your kiteboard responds and how it feels on the water. Small fins: 10 to 15mm These are less common now, but are arguably the most fun fins available. They loosen up the board and make for a skate feel on the water. Imagine your kiteboard feeling more like a snowboard. You can really add some style to your riding, especially on your land …

A question we get daily from new kitesurfers is if you can mix kiteboarding footstrap brands with different boards. The quick answer is most of the time, yes. However, it might not always be a perfect fit. For example the standard spacing is six inch inline inserts. Some brands like Duotone kiteboarding and North kiteboarding do offset inserts. Duotone also opts to use a track system that will hinder the range on some straps.  Kitesurfing footstraps are flexible In general, its not a …

The carve has a different design than your average wave kite. For perspective, regular waves kites share a few traits. On & off Depower, down the line drift, they also fly a bit smaller as far as power. The Carve is unique. Like the Duotone Neo, they have taken a different approach. You can expect the on and off depower but the real surprise is the low end power of the carve. With this in mind, the on and off depower becomes more important because you can sheet out and still have good cont …

The shop asked me to try to compare Duotone's SLS kites and the Aluula kites from Ocean Rodeo. I've decided to do a couple videos on this to share my experience and that of friends who tried it. I was able to get some time on the Neo SLS, and now I've got a Roam Aluula and a Flite Aluula. So far I've tried the Flite and the Neo SLS. Two very different kites, so I'll compare how the lighter materials used impacted the kites in their own respective ways. I do have a Roam that I'll test and compar …

Today we're going to review the Eleveight FS. Who is this kite good for? Whats it good at and what's it lacking? This is a kite I have gravitated towards for a couple of years. It's known as Eleveight's freestyle / big air kite. It's an open C design, so you can expect more direct input into the kite. This gives you an aggressive pull up on the jumps and aggressive kite loops. Don't expect a ton of loft from the FS. This freestyle-oriented design is made for pop and slack so you will rea …

The Roam has been a favorite in the Ocean Rodeo lineup for several years. This great surf/freeride kite comes in an all-new construction called Aluula. This new material takes this solid kite to the next level by making the kite lighter and stiffer. What this does for the kite's performance is to make it more reactive to bar input and to perform better in lighter winds. Improved Performance What this means for improved surf and foil performance is that the kite stays in the air; you can …

Choosing a suit can be as complicated or as simple as you want to make it. There are a ton of options, including high end suits that are soft, warm, seal out water, drain any excess or even block the wind. Ultimately it comes down to your budget and your threshold of cold. If you get cold easily, it's worth it to invest in a high end suit. I've used budget suits in the cold and it's never worth it in my opinion. It's fine in warmer water but I've always regretted it in the winter. The first ste …

This is the most basic trick and is derived from skateboarding. It's also the easiest because you can basically ollie or ride up in the same direction you were traveling. Eventually you can take this to a nose press or try to spin into it or out for more technicality and style. This is the first move you should try and it's going to open a whole new world of kiteboarding for you. Let's get to it! Prerequisites  You should be able to do all the basic unhooked tricks comfortably. Frontroll, …

In this video, we break down the five fundamental steps to jumping. Whether it's your first time jumping or you already know what you're doing, these steps will help you jump the right way without having too many falls. I remember learning to jump for the first couple of years and rarely having a consistent landing. Now that I know how to land most of my jumps, here's the easiest way I could think to break it down! Step one: Send the kite with the bar sheeted out. Sending the kite with the ba …

The Neo SLS performs a lot like the old Neo, but it does have some advantages. The real question is whether these changes are worth trading in your old Neo. I had the chance to try this kite in some light wind and some stronger wind with onshore and cross-shore onshore conditions. I've had loads of time on the original Neo, and after trying the SLS I do have an opinion on whether the trade up is worth it. Let's break down what you can expect and then we'll get into whether it's worth it or n …