Latest News, Blog & Videos
Load Testing Aluula and Dacron Kite and Wing Materials | Reece's Shred Lab
"And so I'm here at the Ocean Rodeo headquarters where Aluula is being tested, and I am going to be doing some load-testing on some Aluula that I have here, and I'm going to compare it to some standard Dacron that is normally used on the leading edge of kites.
Alright, so the Aluula weighed in at 78 GSM, and the Dimension Polyne Dacron weighed in at 157 GSM. And so when we go into this tear test, which is going to happen next, keep in mind that the Aluula is basically half the weigh
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8th Nov 2022
Why I Ride a Dakine Renegade Kiteboarding Harness
How did you size your harness?
I am 6’2 175 lbs with a 32-33” waist. I wear a medium harness as it provides the perfect amount of adjustment to securely fit with a 1mm wetsuit top to 5mm wetsuit. I find the 25cm spreader bar is perfect as it extends just before my hip bones so the harness wraps properly around my hips.Why do I ride the Dakine Renegade?
Its simple minimalist design provides the perfect balance of support, stability, and comfort. My lower back never hurts or gets sore after
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22nd Mar 2022
Kiteboarding Trends and Random Predictions for 2022
It’s a question we get quite often: what’s new for this model year? Well, color, obviously. Maybe some new canopy material, and there’s probably a bridle tweak somewhere in there. What else? Well, you see… errr…We look forward to 2022 to the trends we expect to see in the kiteboarding industry.
1) Lighter Canopy Materials for Kites and WingsThe biggest innovations in recent years have come in lighter materials – first with the Ocean Rodeo Aluula and then the Duotone SLS. We expect this to conti
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18th Mar 2022
How to Choose a Duotone Surfboard
Quick Reference Guide
Pro Voke - Best for Strapless Freestyle
Pro Fish - Best for Progression & lightwind
Pro Whip - Best all Around
Pro Wam - Best Surf Feel and Wave Variety
Pro Session - Big Wave Performance
The Voke is as good as it gets with strapless freestylePro Voke
The Voke is unique in the sense that it rides more like a high volume twintip. It has a wakestyle board outline and is made to pop hard, stay on your feet and not boot you during hard landings.
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24th Aug 2020
Can I Mix Kiteboarding / Kitesurfing Control Bars
I wanted to cover a topic that comes up all the time. Can, or should, you mix control bars? The short answer is yes. The long answer is... maybe.
The last few years, I've used a ton of different brands. Cabrinha, Slingshot, Liquid Force, North, Duotone, Naish, Airush and more. When I started at the shop, I was surprised to see the crew was always mixing control bars. More often than not, you can mix any modern 4-line kite with any 4-line bar. However, there are some things to watch out
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10th Feb 2020
How to Choose Your First Kiteboarding Kite Size (With Chart)
This is going to be another quick, information-packed blog. I wanted to cover a question we get almost daily: How do I pick the right size kite? This video is aimed at new riders, but I will address intermediate riders at the end of this blog.
When picking the correct size kiteboarding kite, there are four things to consider:
How much do you weigh?Is this your first kite or are you adding to your quiver?What kind of conditions will you be riding in?What style of kite are you looking at
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29th Jan 2020
Neil Pryde Glide Surf Foil Extended Review
UPDATE... Nine months of testing later. Jump down 10 paragraphs to the red heading
We have a new foil offering here at the shop that is getting everyone pretty excited. The Neil Pryde Glide Surf foil brings a lot to the plate for riders looking for a foil on a budget with excellent performance and room to grow. Thoughtfully designed, the Glide foil also provides some unique benefits that enhance the user experience, durability, and rigidity of the system.
The Glide has an aluminum
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3rd Apr 2019
Hydrofoiling: Lift Hydrofoil Product Overview
Lift Hydrofoils have been in the foil game for a long time. Their commitment to building quality carbon foils has made them a favorite of many foilers, and their latest designs are next level. Let's take a quick look at how their foils differ from others.Wings and Fuselages
Lift is the only brand I am aware of using a one-piece wing, fuselage, stabilizer type design. The primary benefits are efficiency, rigidity, simplicity, and weight. This all results in a more efficient foil that
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21st Mar 2019
Things to know about Moses Hydrofoils - Foil Fridays EP 24
Moses foils have skyrocketed in popularity this year. They are widely known as the best race hydrofoils available, but that does not exactly translate for everyday rider use. The versatility and accessible performance of the Moses Onda 633 hydrofoil has opened everyday riders' eyes to the brand. If you are someone who is interested in or perhaps already owns a Moses foil, these are things you should know about their hydrofoils.
Fuselage
Moses has a few fuselages in their lineup.
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15th Mar 2019
Building A Kiteboard Hydrofoil Wing Quiver - Foil Fridays EP 23
A foil is no longer simply a foil. There are so many flavors of hydrofoil wings around these days and some really compelling reasons to have more than one at your disposal. The vast range in wing size, new designs, and how they complement your given condition or riding style can really expand what is possible when you are out foiling. In this blog, we are going to walk you through some good reasons and common choices to add to your kiteboarding hydrofoil wing quiver.
Wing 1 - Large
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8th Mar 2019
2019 Slingshot RPM VS 2018 - Complete review
A review of the 2019 Slingshot RPM
Slingshot is hyping up the new RPM hard and their videos are hilarious. However, they do leave some questions at hand. Namely, what can you expect from the new RPM, and how does it differ from the original? More importantly, are they fixing something that's not broken to get it back on your radar? We'll cover all of that and more in this complete review. If I had to sum up the new RPM in three words it would be, "smooth, consistent and gru
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18th Feb 2019
2019 Duotone Dice Review
2019 Duotone Dice Review
So you’re thinking of crossing over to the Dice? I get it, explosive pop, forgiving slack, powerful loops and a kite that loves side and side off shore waves. After all, if you’re an intermediate or advanced rider it’s fun to upgrade to an advanced kite. There are some things to consider before making the leap. I’ve done quite a few videos on the topic of freestyle kites now. I’ll include a link to one of those videos in this blog so you can d
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6th Nov 2018
Kiteboarding: How to Trim Your Kite "Ride with Blake"
While not incredibly exciting, trimming your kite is important. It is imperative if you unhook, and it does help you jump better when your kite is set up correctly. Let's be honest, no one likes it when their kite isn't flying right!
Most importantly, a properly trimmed kite will prevent back stalling. Step One: Find Some Space
Find somewhere safe to park your kite, ideally over water or a large beach. You don't want any obstacles downwind of you or solid objects that you m
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7th Aug 2018
Kitefoiling: Best 2019 Hydrofoils for You
Best 2019 Hydrofoils For You With the explosion of hydrofoil sports and new designs for 2019, even experienced riders are left with some questions. In this blog, we’ll go in-depth covering the differences between foil options, and discuss how to choose the best foil for you. I’ve done my best to title each section appropriately so you can skip to the point if you are in a hurry. There is a lot of info here so you may want to bookmark it for later reference.Weight and PriceWeight and price
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27th Jul 2018
How to Self Rescue on a foilboard: Foil Fridays EP 12
The Self Rescue is your ace in the hole when it comes to kiteboarding.When in doubt, if you’re in trouble you can count on this method to systematically get yourself and your gear back in safely.
When it comes to foilboarding, the process is mostly the same but there are some subtle differences. I originally intended this video for riders who already know how to do a self rescue but it occurred to me that a full recap is always a good idea. I’ll break down all the steps below and the differ
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19th Jul 2018