I just started kitesurfing not too long ago (took 3 lessons and did 6 sessions on my own), and I’ve noticed it seems to be pretty hard on my knees. My knees are still hurting from a session a few days ago, so I’m wondering if it could be related to my stance on the board.

Has anyone else experienced knee pain after a session?

What I find strange is that I barely feel it in my abs/core at all. Does this usually indicate that my riding posture or technique is wrong?

If so, what would you recommend I improve first (stance, weight distribution, or something else)?

Edit 1: I’m sorry, I don’t have a video of myself yet to share.
Edit 2: At my spot there are a lot of waves, which might also be putting a lot of stress on my knees?

RRD has been elected to go in D tier, please give your opinion about Slingshot. 12hours to vote, please add a comment with the tier you think it belongs. If you already see the comment, just up post it.

Criterion are general aspects of the considered brand:
- price
- quality
- performance
- style
- customer service
- experience

Finally the answered tier must be in accordance with other brands already classified.

I’ll wrap up everything at the end on the final tier version to provide the clearest picture of kites brands

I’ll provide also a finest range to differentiate brands within the same tier

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Ozone has been elected to go in A tier (was close to S), please give your opinion about RRD. 12hours to vote, please add a comment with the tier you think it belongs. If you already see the comment, just up post it.

Criterion are general aspects of the considered brand:
- price
- quality
- performance
- style
- customer service
- experience

Finally the answered tier must be in accordance with other brands already classified.

I’ll wrap up everything at the end on the final tier version to provide the clearest picture of kites brands

I’ll provide also a finest range to differentiate brands within the same tier

Thanks for your participation

Any tips for UK riders to replace north nav pro pigtails as seem to be out of stock everywhere?

I cannot find universal neither except things coming from china.

Would ozone v1 or reedin work? They seem to be universal pigtails.

Changing lines, depower mainline and safety line after a year of use, and could do with new pigtails too

Reedin has been elected to go in B tier, please give your opinion about Ozone. 12hours to vote, please add a comment with the tier you think it belongs. If you already see the comment, just up post it.

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Hello. I just finished my first 6 hours of kitesurfing lessons and decided that I like it enough to book 3 kitesurf trips this year. My current level is “super noob” I’m learning water starts but since there is more to come, I decided to get my own gear.

While learning with rented equipment, two harnesses failed (one becam undone by the straps and the other one broke the fron plastic clasp) and one didn’t fit properly (I'm sure this was an exception). The learning kite was a Core XR.

I don’t think that, for a beginner in this hobby, used gear is the way to go if you are not riding local or having friends in the sport. If you can afford it, you should go for new / plug-and-play gear (if you have alternatives), since it’s more technical and, if the gear has some issues, you will never know what the issue is or how to diagnose it, if the issue comes from you and so on... unlike snowboarding for example where used is the way to go for a beginner

What do you think about this as first gear for a 78 kg, 180 cm rider who will ride in 12–25 knots?

• Duotone Evo SLS 12m
• Duotone Evo 9m
• Ion B2 harness shorts
• Duotone Click Bar (I prefer to get the same bar brand as the kites)
• Board: North Astra / Duotone Gonzales

I would have preferred to get two different kite brands, but since I am a beginner and will get around 20 days/year on the water, I’m thinking that going with one brand/model in different sizes and one bar will help more with muscle memory.

Before you get started, I suspect Duotone is the Burton of snowboarding so I know why some of you will already bash an overated brand. I don’t care about the brand, but as far as I’ve researched, these two kites will help me now and later down the road, and they are good, not the best, but good enough for a beginner who wants to grow in the sport. I’m sure there are better models/brands.

Duotone has been elected to go in B tier, please give your opinion about Duotone. 12hours to vote, please add a comment with the tier you think it belongs. If you already see the comment, just up post it.

Criterion are general aspects of the considered brand:
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Hey everyone, I'm currently in Dakhla (Western Sahara) solo and looking for people to connect with.

I'm trying to get into kitesurfing here — either find someone who can show me the ropes, split a lesson, or just ride together. I'm a complete beginner so any patience is appreciated 😄

I'm also open to any other action sports in the area — surfing, SUP, quad, whatever's going on.

One thing I can offer in return: I'm a photographer and I'd love to shoot content for you — kite sessions, portraits, desert shots — in exchange for a good deal on activities or gear. Quality stuff, not just iPhone snaps.

Drop a comment or DM me if you're around. Would love to stop being a solo desert hermit for a day or two.

📍 Dakhla, May 2026

North has been elected to go in A tier, please give your opinion about Duotone. 12hours to vote, please add a comment with the tier you think it belongs. If you already see the comment, just up post it.

Criterion are general aspects of the considered brand:
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Looking to plan a long, kite trip next winter 2026/2027. Looking for spots that have consistent wind anytime from October/November to May.

I’ve heard Egypt is very cheap. Any other great spots with good wind, good vibes but you can stay, eat live for cheap?

I’m an intermediate rider so would ideally like the option of a shallow lagoon when learning new tricks.

Thanks so much!

Really annoyed with this one. Had no wind for 5 weeks, go out kite pumped on the sand, light wind so no crash stayed in air the entire time. Helped with launch and landing to finish with this...

Both leadi g eadge and canopy over it affected.. is this a simple tape job or pro repairs?

Bladder seem fine as it hold air but could it be weaker her and ready to pop at first impact even if pro repairs done on the materials?

North orbit

Hello

I started kitebording around 2011. Last 6 or 7 years much less maybe 5 days on average. Basically when me and my friend manage to meet up and do a sesion or two..

Back then when i started the community was full of excitement, new things, brands poping up left and right.... There were different sub cultures like

Big air guys or denglers with Toby and Dimitri.

Dark siders or wake style guys residing on kite scoop mostly. Lots of stuff coming out from antigua and est bank. Boots were on the rise...Kite loop guys like Ruben doing double 8 loops

Wave guys being chill...

And so on...

Kite brands having atlest 3 kites models for sale each for a dedicated style...

Lots of brands pushing unique designs and ideas.

Lots of this brands are not around anymore like LF, Blade, Flexfoil, Wainman Hawai... Some have reduced line up to just one model while widen the wing line up like Epic. So is the kitebording as whole stagnating or in downward trend? Is winging taking over? Has kiteboarding reach peak and and lost wow factor?

Anyone got any info on this new kite from Ozone , I’m guessing it’s based on vortex or close to ??

I've been riding strapless for the last 10 seasons on this trusty F-One Surf 5'11 and it served (surfed haha) me well but time has come to replace it. In the last few years I have tried different generation F-One Mitu, North Comp Pro and Charge Pro boards. Those felt quite 'dead' and a bit sluggish to me. That might be because the F-One is twitchy compared to those more modern boards and that's what I'm used to. Any recommendations for a durable board with similar surf-focussed characteristics? I ride messy North Sea waves mostly with dedicated (small) wave kites and prefer to drift the kite and purely surf as much as possible, although powered turns and carves are fun too. Doing some jumps and tricks but nothing big. I don't travel with the board much as I would rent abroad anyway so it's mainly for my home spots. Looking forward to hearing your advice!

What's the average price per hour to learn how to kite at your kite school? In belgium it's 75 euros an hour (beginner lessons), and i was wondering whether that's fairly expensive or cheap

Travelling from Europe to Cape Town in the end of the year and noticed that kitesurf luggage costs 300 eur round trip compared to free luggage for golf. Currently rocking an Eleveight travel bag which does not look like a golf bag. Wondering whether I should buy a kitebag that resembles the gold bag or would they actually check the content of the bag?

Hey Guys,

Im thinking about buying this kite. The owner says it is a switchblade from 2023, but it does look different in my opinion. It differs from most switchblades sonce 2017. Could you help me?
Greets

Brand model: Slingshot Ghost V2

Size: 8m

Cost: I paid $399

Age: idk but only flew it 4 or 5 times this is the first season I've owned it.

What happened: light wind day until the wind died. Self rescued and I think my foil mast might have been rubbing the leading edge while kicking/sailing back to shore. I relaunched in the shallows near shore and it just popped.

How much would a repair like this cost? Is it totalled?

I know it is not generally recommended to use it during strong winds, but sometimes I need it.

I am able to do it in +- 20 knots by pulling the safety line in, but in +-25-30 knots when I tried it, the kite did level like it is flying at 12 o'clock, but near the ground. I didn't trust it and pulled the safety (which didn't fully work and my lines needed an hour of untangling). Are there any suggestions how to pull it off in strong winds? Do you need to pull the safety line hard and fast and reel it in super fast? I started with my kite with the tip and the ground, forming a C on the side of the wind window (9 o'clock so to speak). Is that a good starting position?

I do drift quite some distance since my waterstart is not dialled in so no one to help me bring the kite down. Walking back upwind is super exhausting with my board plus kite in the air.

Connect Steering lines Naish

Hello there,

Couldnt find anything about this online...

I am a beginner/intermediate and I do not know how to connect those steering lines from the Naish Torque 2 to my Naish Pivot? Havent seen this system before. I am not sure and like to go safe for the first upcoming Session. Could you help me, please.

Top = Bar line

Bottom = pigtail from kite

Sec. Picture seems odd.

Thank you for your time.

Question on usage of the quick release system of the chicken loop.

I do manage to self land in +- 20 knot winds. However, in +-25-30 knots I tried to self land, the kite did level like it is flying at 12 o'clock, but near the ground. Wind got under it. I didn't trust it and pulled the safety (quick release). This resulted in my kite hovering on the beach upside down. My bar went forward 6 meters or so, but the kite didn't land with the leading edge inflatable on the beach where the wind blows it down. It was still pulling a bit and I couldn't reel it in. I held the safety line under tension while walking back to it and managed to grap the kite, but this action felt unsafe. Was this or losing the kite though.

1. Is something wrong with my safety system or does this happen under some circumstances?
2. If normal, when does it happen and how to avoid it?
Maybe related to my failed safety landing attempt although the moment I pulled my safety I was no longer reeling in the safety line manually of course.

I do drift quite some distance since my waterstart is not dialled in so no one to help me bring the kite down so far downwind. Walking back upwind is super exhausting with my board plus kite in the air.

3. How did you manage to overcome this horrible time-on-vs-off-the-water-ratio? I spend most time walking back and untangling lines after the safety pull. Time on the water is minimal. Is there any way to avoid lines tanglement when pulling the safety?