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The Best Kites for Learning Freestyle Hey guys! As I promised I'm going to write about my current three favorite kites for learning freestyle. Now, just because I favor these kites doesn't mean there aren't a lot of other great kites that offer similar benefits. I’m going to write about these as well. As I said, these are the best kites for learning freestyle. I know some of you are going to start shouting about C-kites and I’ve addressed this before. Check out my video on the top …

We’ve had a lot of requests for a solid review on the 2018 North Evo and how it compares to the 2017. I can’t say I’m surprised there is very little content beyond the basic brand notes on the 2018 Evo. I’ve been really curious to compare these two kites myself, but it definitely took me some time, to say the least! The reality is that this kite has become a completely different animal designed to meet the same end, yet with a new approach. It’s rare for a kite to …

The Story Behind "Sessions" Welcome to "Sessions"!I'm just a dude from a kite shop making videos and testing all the gear, one session at a time. A year ago, I started working with two talented individuals, Blake Olsen and Crystal Veness. The goal was simple: put out the most thorough and relatable kiteboarding trick-tips online and produce the most informative and useful kiteboarding travel guide on YouTube. One year later and we're working hard and having a lot of fun creating useful cont …

So if you’ve watched the last few videos, you might have caught Freeride Kites vs Freestyle Kites where we talked about how most kites that undergo years of development slowly get so well rounded that they cross over into all-around territory. The Cabrinha Drifter is one of those kites. While it is a surf specific kite, it is a great contender as an all-around freeride kite. It’s even decent at unhooking. So the first thing to consider would be the most obvious, and that is where t …

So you’re looking to go big! One of the most fun aspects of kiteboarding is going all out at full speed and just sending it. On those days where the wind is so strong that the beach is empty except for a hand full of wind junkies. Your heart is pounding, all you hear is the constant hum of the wind in your ears and the shouting of your friends as you set up. Cars line up to watch the show, people venture out to the pier to see what's going on. It’s one of the most exciting and eye- …

Kiteboarding has come a long way since the early days. What was once an extreme sport is now only as intense as you’d like it to be. Whether you want to experience the freedom of sailing and exploring, you want to wakeboard without a boat. Maybe you want surf in any conditions or you want to get 40 feet of air and push the limits. Best of all it’s an all season, all terrain sport. Basically, kiteboarding is freedom. It’s gravity, it’s your lift pass for life. All the hy …

The two leading performance kites that bridge the gap from freeride to freestyle. Both appeal to intermediate to advanced riders looking to push big air, kite loops or unhooked freestyle. Often, when I review kites there are a lot of trade offs and the differences are very clear. Between these two kites, the water can get a little muddy. All that said, I hope to clear this up for you. These kites are designed to fill the gap between C-kites and user friendly Freeride kites. What’s awe …

Kiteboards are often treated as an afterthought next to kites but that's a huge mistake. There are a ton of variables in every kiteboard and it makes a huge difference on the water. As far as kiteboard construction goes, Slingshot has been on top of the game since the very beginning. From their hand-crafted construction to their clever shapes. In 2018 they have a solid line up with each kiteboard catering to and crossing over into different styles of riding. It can be a little confusing sortin …

A lot of you probably don’t know this but in Michigan, during the winter our beaches get a decent amount of shelf ice along the coast. This weekend, we had a bit of a thaw, some sunshine and some decent weather for kiteboarding. Some of our shop riders like Logan Armstrong and Marc Hoesksma  put some time in at our local slick. It got me thinking about how hardcore some riders can get just to get a session. Kiteboarding can seem overwhelming when it’s warm out but going out in …

Lightwind kites have come a long way in just the last 5 years really. I’ve said it before, if you’re not taking advantage and kiteboarding in the sub 12 knot days, you’re really missing out. This week, we’re breaking down two of the longest standing light wind kites in our shop. The Cabrinha Contra Vs The Slingshot Turbine. Their both built with the same purpose and rider in mind but they do have some pretty distinct differences. Let’s start with the Contra. There …

Last week, we did a video on Light wind vs Strong wind and how currents and tides come into play. Contrary to what I expected, it seemed to be well received. So as I said, I’m going to elaborate further and talk about conditions a little more. I know these conditions videos are a little beginner centric so for any experienced riders who watch this series for gear reviews I’ll get back on track with another gear video next week. That said, you might find some of the points in this …

This week I’m going to a compare two kites that really fall into two different categories.  Two kites built for similar but different reasons  The Juice is North’s go to lightwind freeride kite while the Mono is their Freeride and foil kite. With that said, these are two very different kites built for different reasons but they do have crossover applications.  So where do we begin? Let's start with the Juice. The North Juice has many of the characteristics one can ex …

This week, we’re going to break down the difference between flat boards and rockered kiteboards. Last week, we got started with our first kiteboard comparison. We broke down small boards vs large boards, as well as choosing the right size. This week, we’re going to get a little more tech and break down the difference between flat boards and rockered boards. We’ll also finish up this series next week by breaking down construction materials like wood boards vs carbon boards. Le …

The last few weeks, I’ve been experimenting with topics deviating away from kite comparisons but I haven't forgotten that they are they bread and butter of our Versus series. It’s been quite busy around here, with that said, I’m making a point to get ahead on these videos. On top of that, I’m trying to escape the cold and log as many hours as possible on all the gear we carry so I can produce these for you guys. Next week, I’ll be heading down to Mexico to star …

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 …