Latest News, Blog & Videos

Congrats, Nick Jacobsen! Cabrinha team rider and all-around goofball Nick Jacobsen has won the 2017 Red Bull King of the Air in Cape Town, South Africa. In the final, Jacobsen battled kiteboarding legends Aaron Hadlow and Ruben Lenten in front of the large crowd, coming out on top with his signature trick the "one footed boogie loop".  A terrifying, confounding trick where Nick jumps over thirty feet, whips his kite in a vertical loop whilst doing a full rotation himself, all this...one.. …

Richard Branson vs. Barack Obama: A Kitesurfing Story I know, it sounds crazy, right? Perhaps it sounds like something you would read in one of the tabloids you casually glance at while in line at the grocery store. Believe it or not, the former first couple, Barack and Michelle Obama, were enjoying a well-deserved vacation, and Barack Obama took the leap of faith to learn how to kiteboard.  Image by Jack Brockway // Source: Virgin It's not every day you catch a former POTUS learning an a …

Cabrinha Contra vs. North Juice The last few years, light wind kites have seen some very real improvement. Gone are the days where companies simply take their 12 meter kites and blow them up to slow, clunky 17m or 18m kites. All modern light wind kites are designed specifically for the demands of light wind and fly surprisingly nimbly and easily for their large size. North and Cabrinha have built a serious reputation over the years and established themselves as leaders of the industry. Let's s …

Tips for keeping your car clean, even after those sandy kiting trips... As we were about to leave the beach one hot July afternoon, my 5-year-old son, River, turns to my wife, Lesa, and says, “Remember, Mom—NO sand in the whip!” Hahaah! I about fell over laughing - my poor kid has OCD like me! You know that one friend of yours that never cleans their car, truck or van out? Especially if they’re a fellow kiteboarder that always has all of their kiteboarding gear with them …

One kiter’s pilgrimage to Hood River and what she learned along the way. Kallie and her husband Andrew exploring the hood A few years back, my husband Andrew and I were traveling through Colorado. It was late on the Fourth of July, and we found ourselves driving from campground to campground only to hear, “Sorry, we’re full.” We finally found an RV park after ten P.M. where an awkward teenage host said we could pitch a tent, but with a warning: “Just make sure you …

What should you bring on your next big kiting trip? A checklist. So, you've booked tickets to head toward warmer climates, have you? Or, haven't you? It's time to get that done, as it's travel season for many of us - we're here to help your upcoming trip go as smoothly as possible. Here at MACkite, we don't just sit at our desks all day checking emails and answering phones - we actually leave the office with kite gear in tow and head south as well! After years and years of experience, we feel th …

The Switchblade vs The Rebel  The aim of this video series is to remain as objective as possible.That being said, we made sure to get opinions from our entire crew. Rygo and Lucas collaborated to communicate the group consensus to you, and you can expect more videos to come soon. So, you're debating between the Cabrinha Switchblade kiteboarding kite and the North Rebel. Not an easy choice, but this should give you plenty of insight when making your decision. Both of these kites have been a …

Rough feat. North Kiteboarding The Magdalen Islands: a small island located in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. Here, you'll find the chilly but no less beautiful landscape of the great hockey and maple syrup loving country of Canada. Here is also where you'll find Craig Cunningham, Aaron Hadlow, Stefan Spiessberger, Noe Font, and Colleen Carroll.  While watching this video, you'll be able to see some amazing shots and thoughtful insight from some of the leaders in the kiteboarding industry.&nb …

 Traveling, Kiting, and Working Around The World It sounds too good to be true, an unattainable adventure. Traveling full time, working remotely, and kiteboarding as much as you want?! How is that even possible? Relax… it is. My name is Crystal Veness, and I’m living the dream. I’ve been traveling full time for more than two years, with no home base and nothing but a kite bag, a carry-on suitcase, and a backpack in tow. This journey has spanned 5 continents, 19 countries …

As winter approaches, we're all in need of a little warmer weather. Cabrinha's crew heads to Indonesia in their most recent kitesurfing video, encountering difficulties from rain to no wind to everything in between. Despite the setbacks, the waves and the culture provide plenty of entertainment for the kiters.  Indonesia is famed for its deep-ocean swells, creating beautiful conditions for kitesurfing even when the wind is kicking. However, there's no real way to tell when the wind is comi …

North Kiteboarding - 2017 North Evo The Evo is the arounder of the range—best suited for free riders at home at all disciplines. The five-strut design, combined with the new Dacron frame 3-D shaping and updated strut-tip design intern an even cleaner profile and faster turning than the previous years. The Evo works on four or five lines, depending on your personal preference. When hitting the waves, the Evo wants the rider to use a proactive riding style. If you want to boost, you can tak …

MACkite's Aaron on the Surf-Fur Original Water Parka So far, this fall has been exceptionally warm—but we know that will change. Speaking of changing, the good people over at Surf-Fur© have developed a changing parka to help you comfortably get in and out of your wetsuit when the weather turns cold. What’s so special about it? The Surf-Fur Original Water Parka is: Windproof Waterproof Full-length Hooded And it features: Thick, warm polyester fleece Snap closure “H …

Ryan on the 2016/17 Airush DNA The DNA is Airush’s answer to new kiteboarders who are on a budget, yet aren't willing to compromise on performance. As the head instructor here at MACkite, I find the DNA offers quite a few advantages to new riders as well as intermediate riders looking for a user-friendly kite to help progress. The DNA is based off the Lithium, Airush’s all-around freeride kite.  It’s a slightly stripped down version of the Lithium, although we find that i …

Jake on the 2017 North Neo The Neo is known as North's go-to wave kite but in all reality, it is much much more than that. What most people don’t know is with a slight tweaking of the bridle it becomes an excellent free ride kite. So What’s new with the Neo in 2017? This year North didn’t want to fix what's not broken. For 2017 you can expect incremental improvements in the turning speed, the de-power and a more direct feedback and bar feel. Order your 2017 North Neo today! T …

Jake on the 2017 North Dice The Firecracker! or as you might know it. The 2017 North Dice. What's new, and what kind of rider will benefit from this kite. What is great about the Dice is it really has something to offer anyone. Whether you are into unhooked wakestyle/freestyle. Hooked in riding with some serious flair, waves or kite loops. This kite loops especially well! The Dice is North's answer to riders willing to sacrifice a little wind range for an exceptionally high performance all …