The SST is one of Slingshot’s key models for the 2019 season. Originally the Wave SST, Slingshot have found this kite to be so adaptive that they have rebranded this model to suit a variety of styles. Now coming to us as the wave, foil, freeride crossover. A 3-strut compact C shape kite with features such as the Slingshot IRS…
Odo Kiteboarding started in 2014; they set out as a group of wave riders aiming to develop new products for the strapless market. We recently got our hands on their YO kite. The YO is a 3-strut medium aspect kite aimed at excelling in the wave, strapless freestyle and freeride markets. The YO is packed with technology and construction features…
Building on the success of the Reo V4, the Ozone Reo is back in version 5 (V5) to make its mark once again as one of the top performing wave riding specific kites. The main structure of the kite has stayed the same with 3 struts, large inflate/deflate valve with 1 pump, a pulley-less bridle system and direct line attachments.…
An entirely new kite for 2019 from CrazyFly, the Hyper sits in their range as a high performing freeride and big air specialist. This seems to be a new big trend within kitesurfing, and it is great to see brands moving with the wants and needs of the riders. The Hyper is a 5-strut kite, with a high aspect ratio…
An entirely new kite from Ozone, the Amp has been designed for those dedicated freestyle and park riders who need a tool to help them progress. Featuring 5 struts, a mid to high aspect ratio, both 4 and 5 line options and a C kite shaped design, the Amp has all the attributes to keep you at the top of…
With a wakeboarding background Liquid Force make some awesome boards and have some seriously good kites in the stable to compliment them too. One model that has undergone another refinement and update is the NV v9. The NV v9 is a 3-strut high performance freestyle kite that aims to excel at freeride and wakestyle too. For the 9th version the…
The Evo from Duotone has a long heritage as the go-to all-rounder. First appearing in 2008, the Evo has come a long way since then. Still holding its Delta design, the kite has been refined over the past decade to become a genuine all-rounder for beginners and experts alike. The Evo features 3 Fusion struts, which allows for controlled distribution…
Just in case you haven’t heard the news, all your favourite North Kiteboarding products are now being produced by Duotone. Same riders, same designers, same team and the same great products, just with a new look and a new name on the fabric. The Dice has been around for years now and has an army of fans who I am…
Another genre of kite we are seeing boom recently is the single strut. Single strut kites are a brilliant addition to your quiver, or even replacements for your quiver. They tend to be very lightweight, pack down much smaller for traveling, have huge amounts of depower and many are now performing incredibly well. Ozone have the Uno which is a…
Recently we have had our hands on some of the 2019 Cabrinha gear. For 2019 we see a few models disappear and some new additions throughout the lineup, one of the most exciting is the new Moto. The Cabrinha Moto is a 3 strut, versatile freeride crossover kite. With many kites in their range targeting certain disciplines, the Moto is…
Eleveight have been on our radar for a couple of years, but it is for 2019 where they jump in with the big boys with a full line up of kites and boards. We had the all-round RS on test this issue and, as always, were excited to get our hands on gear from a new brand. The RS is…
The Slingshot Rally is an institution in kiteboarding. One of the longest standing all-round kites, it has die hard fans the world over who use it for all sorts of kiting endeavours. Suited to those who are just beginning in kitesurfing to those who have a decade of riding under their belts, the Rally will do it all with power…
The Bandit has been a mainstay of the F-one line up for now over a decade. A do it all kite, it has changed from a prominent delta style to now a more C style delta kite with square wing tips, three struts and a compact bridle system. 2018 saw quite a major overhaul of the kite, and for 2019…
Canadian kitesurfing players Ocean Rodeo bring their all-around favourite ‘The Prodigy’ back for round 6. A kite designed to be a genuine all-rounder, the Prodigy features an incredibly lightweight design for increased low-end use. Three struts and only essential reinforcements in critical areas keep the weight down low for better low-end performance and ease of use while travelling. There is…
Core Kiteboarding produces some seriously good kite gear, with models like the XR5, GTS5 and more. They like to cater for everyone, so there is always going to be something to suit your needs in their range. This issue we are taking a look at their freestyle and wakestyle weapon the Impact 2. In its second generation, this 5-line full…
The all-around freestyler from CORE is back for the 5th time as the GTS5. Favoured by their pro team for looping and boosting, we were excited to get our hands on this new version. The GTS5 is a 3-strut kite, which has a Future C shape design and a new short bridle system with a double pulley on each side.…
New to the kitesurf game, Odo kiteboarding have impressed us so far with their YO kite, so we were very excited to get the more all-around/freestyle orientated kite, the K1 out on test this issue. The K1 has been designed as an all-around kite for use in a wide range of styles and conditions. The kite has 3 struts, a…
One of the original 3 strut high performing hybrid kites, the RPM is synonymous with power, performance and success. Designed for riders in average conditions who need a kite to keep up with their progression, all the way through to World Champions who need a kite they can, quite literally, pay the bills with. The 2019 RPM has had some…
No matter what level you are in Kiteboarding you’re going to be thinking “what do I do on those light wind days?”… Well, you’ll want light wind kite. Gone have the days where the grown-ups used to throw rocks at me for being the only person riding. We have foilboards, foil kites and some amazing light wind LEI’s that get…
RRD are unique in the kite industry; they were the first brand to adopt a “don’t change it until it’s ready” launch program. While many brands scramble to “change” their product by the deadline, usually in August, so they can be the first to market with an entirely new range of product, RRD have adopted a different approach. They are…
The Liquid Force WOW has been around for a few years now, billed as their go-to wave kite; it’s aimed at the riders out here looking for the perfect kite to help them get the most out of every wave. The V3 for 2018 has undergone quite a few changes, the goal of which was to make the kite lighter,…
Since 2001, Flysurfer have been pushing the boundaries of foil kite design. We have recently seen some pretty exciting stuff come into the water market, the Stoke kite and Rush twintip, which we loved. We have recently had our hands on the latest closed cell foil kite from Flysurfer. The Soul. The Soul is aimed at the freeride, freestyle and…
The Enduro V1 was one of Ozone’s biggest sellers. Suiting a vast array of people for different kite activities, we have been eagerly anticipating its updated version, the V2 we have here, to see what improvements Ozone have made. Still the same spec, a 3-strut mid aspect all-rounder, Ozone have taken their winning formula and tweaked it until they have…
The Rally has been a forerunner in the Slingshot stable for some years now. It’s billed as an all-round kite for all conditions and styles, built using their famous Delta C-shape 5-strut design. You often see the Rally used for teaching in schools, as well as being used by Slingshot pro riders smashing big airs, riding waves and more –…
Last year CrazyFly moved their entire kite factory onto home soil in Slovakia. Not only does this mean they are heavily involved in the manufacturing process, it also enables them to keep their processes as eco as possible; something CrazyFly are admirably committed to. The Sculp is a well-known favourite in the world of all-round kites, and with the 2018…
Cabrinha has been releasing some cracking high quality, high-performance gear to the kite market since day dot. We’ve seen models come and go, models progress and the range of their kites grow over the years. There is one model out there you most certainly would have come across: the Cabrinha Switchblade. The Switchblade has been refined consistently for over 12…
The F-One Bandit is now in its 11th year of production and is still taking names and kicking ass when it comes to three strut all-round kites. It’s been the benchmark for some time now and with many brands trying to emulate the success of the kite. At one stage it was F-One’s only kite, and arguably some of its…
The Rebel is one of the longest standing kites in the business, it’s been one of the most popular kites ever made and has an army of devoted kiters who will choose nothing else. A bold move by North then to make the jump from 5 to 4 lines after championing the 5th line system as being the best out…
The Religion is the dedicated wave kite from RRD, used by the pro team and lots of adoring fans around the world it has proved to be a formidable weapon over the years. For the MK8 version the team totally redesigned the kite and it is almost unrecognisable from the previous MK7 incarnation. The kite features a new shape, with…
The Cabrinha FX stormed into the high end freeride freestyle crossover market on its first outing, and since then it keeps getting better and better, winning an army of fans worldwide. Now, for 2018 it has been redesigned and packs some of Cabrinha’s latest design and construction improvements as well as some new features. The 2018 Cabrinha FX is well…
The Liquid Force Envy, now NV has been around for 8+ years now and has undergone some serious improvements over the last year or so, along with most of the Liquid Force line up. The NV is a three strut, simple to use, performance freeride / freestyle kite. It’s bridled hybrid C shape design, is what gives this kite its…
Naish have mixed things up a bit in their kite range in the last few years, and the result is a range nothing short of impressive with a kite to suit pretty much every rider. This Pivot came into our lives in 2015, and four years and four models later this kite has become one of Naish’s most eagerly anticipated…
The Slingshot SST has truly made its mark on the wave kite scene, and the 2018 version has only built on that already excellent reputation. A few minor tweaks and changes have gone into the kite, and the result is outstanding. The SST is Slingshots wave specific kite. Featuring three struts and a compact C design, it has been designed…
The Evo has undergone a huge overhaul this year with an aim to define its place within the North Kiteboarding line up. In previous years it’s always been the all-round weapon of choice but often sat too close to the Rebel to allow it to stand out on its own. This year we see a radical change in the design…
The Dice has long been a popular kite in the North Kiteboarding line up. They have four main products these days; each kite tries to fulfil a dual purpose, the Neo is a great wave kite that can also handle freeriding, the Rebel is a high end freeride kite that also works well for beginners and the Vegas is a…
The RPM almost defines the three strut Open-C kite market, for 2018 it is back, quite literally, stronger than ever. The RPM is designed to be a jack-of-all-trades, with an emphasis on freestyle. Its unhooked performance has been proven time and time again with numerous World Champions hanging beneath it, and the freeride capabilities are seen on beaches worldwide. Most…
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It’s the start of another year and we’ve got an incredible issue lined up for you! We travel to the far northern islands of Scotland with the Manera crew and discover some of the best conditions on the planet! Lewis Crathern uncovers the real Egypt in Dahab and Steven Akkersdijk heads off on a road trip around Ireland! On the other side of the world Rou Chater witnesses Guy Bridge smash the course record for the Red Bull Lighthouse to Leighton race and the is plenty more inside too with thebest photos, stories and videos!
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