Kitesurfing Kites Reviews
Ocean Rodeo Razor
Canadian kite brand Ocean Rodeo have a full range of kites, and we have been riding their freestyle specific Razor. The Razor is designed for those more experienced riders who focus almost entirely on high-end freestyle and high-velocity loops. The Razor is interestingly a four-strut kite, which is not something we have seen for a few years. It has a…
Naish Kiteboarding Boxer
The new Boxer from Naish is a big statement from the brand in the one strut kite market. Damien Girardin has been working on this design for several years now, if you remember the no-strut Trip kite which was incredibly light and perfect for travelling the Boxer now fills that brief and then some. By using a single strut, the…
Ozone Hyperlink V2
Ozone have been the brand to watch of late, this dedicated small group of passionate riders have been pumping out incredible products for a long time. In recent years their innovation seems to have taken things up a notch or two. The Hyperlink is a case in point. Launched a couple of years ago, the kite aimed to bridge the…
Ocean Rodeo Flite
Most brands have a light wind offering these days, and the Ocean Rodeo Flite has been around for a while. Available in five sizes 8, 10, 12, 14.5 and 17. Those smaller sizes give you an idea of the flavour here. This isn’t just a big light wind kite, it’s a kite that is designed to perform, regardless. The Flite…
Slingshot SST
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 YO
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…
Ozone Reo V5
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.…
CrazyFly Hyper
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…
Ozone Amp V1
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…
Liquid Force Kites NV v9
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…
DUOTONE Evo
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…
DUOTONE Dice
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…
Ozone Alpha V1
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…
Cabrinha Moto
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 Kites RS
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…
Slingshot Rally
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…
F-ONE Kiteboarding Bandit Xll
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…
Ocean Rodeo Prodigy 6
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 Impact 2
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…
CORE Kiteboarding GTS5
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.…
Odo Kiteboarding K1
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…
Slingshot RPM
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…
Airush Union V4
The Union from Airush made a huge impression when it first appeared a few years ago, and the 4th version of the popular kite is no less impressive, and we predict will be no less popular. A 3 strut all-round kite, it has been designed as the first and last kite you should ever need for the weekend warrior and…
DUOTONE Neo
The Duotone Neo needs no , but I’ll give it one anyway, this kite has been at the forefront of wave kite design for a long time. It’s won countless events and titles and is the weapon of choice for all the Duotone wave team. Think Airton Cozzolino, Matchu Lopez, Sebastian Ribeiro and Patri McLaughlin. It’s perfect for slaying down…
Cabrinha Contra
Cabrinha’s long-standing light wind cruiser, the Contra, comes back again for 2019 and is set to fulfil all your light wind dreams. Coming in 4 sizes: 13,15,17 and 19 meters, there will be one to suit you no matter what your weight or style. The Contra is a 3 strut, mid aspect kite which has been designed to get you…
Ozone Catalyst V2
Ozone’s dedicated freeride kite, the Catalyst has come back for round 2 and promises to build on the successes of the first incarnation. A 3-strut hybrid kite, the Catalyst V2 has been designed with ease of use and simplicity in mind. The kite is made with industry-leading Teijin Technoforce D2 and Teijin Dacron for canopy quality and has been developed…
DUOTONE Rebel
Now by Duotone, the Rebel has made a welcome comeback and continues to be one of the world’s most popular kites. A hybrid design for those who need a kite for boosting, cruising and all-around high performance freeride action, the Rebel has come back for 2019 as its best version yet. The Rebel is a 5-strut kite, has a high…
Flysurfer Stoke 2
Flysurfer have undergone a makeover, and the resulting look is clean and fresh. We were excited to get our hands on the new Stoke; Flysurfer's all-round wave and freestyle tube kite - right in time for the 2019 season! The Stoke is a three strut mid aspect kite, with a new compact bridle system and tweaked profile. The construction quality…
Cabrinha Contra
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 Passion V9
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…
Liquid Force Kites WOW V3
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,…
Flysurfer SOUL
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…
Ozone Enduro V2
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…
Slingshot Rally
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 –…
CrazyFly Sculp
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 Switchblade
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…