Kiteboarding Review: 2022 AIRUSH Ultra Team

Crisp and extra drifty

Tkb Review: 2022 SLINGSHOT SST V6

Meeting the needs of the surf-minded kiter

Kiteboarding Review: 2022 DUOTONE Neo SLS

Succeeding a legacy

Tkb Review: 2022 NAISH Kite 650 Hydrofoil

Turbo glide machine

Gear Reviews

Tkb tests and reviews the latest kites, surfboards, twintips, bars, foils and accessories with in-depth analysis of its key features, performance, build quality and flight attributes.

Epic 2010 Screamer Analyze This Kite Review

The Screamer is the first kite from new company Epic Kites tested by The Kiteboarder Magazine. For a first-effort, we were very surprised to see the attention to details on the construction of the Screamer.... Read More...

Slingshot 2010 Skud Skimboard Analyze This Board Review

The Scud is a skim board, and it rides like one. Even with the center fin, the Scud is loose. If you try to ride this board like you would ride a twin tip or surfboard, be prepared to slide around all over the place.... Read More...

Best 2010 Waroo Analyze This Kite Review

Riding the new 2010 Waroo, it became immediately apparent that this is kite is quite different from the previous designs. While the kite seemed to pivot in the turns, it was easy to control and handle throughout the window.... Read More...

Designer’s Corner: 2010 Genetrix Origin

We wanted to complement the existing Hydra by offering a brand-new design dedicated to wave riding and freestyle. ... Read More...

Designer’s Corner: Slingshot Arcane

The Arcane differs due to its shape, volume, concave characteristics and fin configurations. The combination of features such as its single to double concave, concave deck, and down-rail with wing swallow make it very different than our other boards.... Read More...

Designer’s Corner: Eclipse Kima Wave Custom

All our boards are handmade here in the Outer Banks. We use traditional construction along with reinforcements in key areas. All my boards are designed, shaped, and glassed entirely in-house. Most brands don’t offer that.... Read More...

Designer’s Corner: Slingshot Celeritas 2010

Ben Wilson was in the shaping room when Slingshot made it and ended up liking it so much he took it home with him. He said it changed his life. He then convinced Slingshot to develop a full line of Celeritas boards. ... Read More...

Designer’s Corner: Best/Balance Boards 2010

For 2010, Balance focused on further refining the construction of their boards to extract the last ounce of possible performance. Designer Carlos Saez is utterly confident that they have the highest parts specification and construction found anywhere in the kitesurf market.... Read More...

Designer’s Corner: Liquid Force Havoc 2010

We wanted to give one of the best SLE kites ever built a major face lift. We envisioned the high demand in 2010 for a no-center-strut design, so we redesigned the Havoc on a 4-strut structure, giving room for a much deeper and more powerful profile in the center of the kite where it’s really needed. ... Read More...

Designer’s Corner: Globe Sonic 2010

For the 2010 Vsonic, designer Mat Pendle almost totally eliminated the kite’s V shape. The new GKVDelta shape is more like a high aspect ratio delta.... Read More...

Naish 2010 Cult Analyze This Kite Review

We were sent a 12m Cult and rode it in 20+ mph winds. Inflating the Cult is simple and fast with the Octopus single point inflation system. The overall quality of the Cult is one of a kind with solid construction throughout the kite.... Read More...

Wainman Hawaii 2010 Blunt Analyze This Board Review

First off, the Wainman Hawaii Blunts ship with a board bag and everything you need to set it up without going to your tool box. The 130 Blunt has attention getting graphics, a nice thin profile with soft rails all around the board and some mad concave.... Read More...

Caution 2010 Mayhem X Analyze This Kite Review

Upon inflating the MX, we found it to be a stylish kite complete with Caution’s trademark flame graphics across the top of the canopy. The Mayhem X is very stable, rock solid in the gusts, and delivers a strong consistent power stroke.... Read More...

RRD 2010 Obsession Analyze This Kite Review

There is no doubt people will see you coming with this kite we couldn’t help but be attracted to the colorful graphics of the kite and bag. Upon setting up the Obsession, one of the most noticeable things we found was its long bridle, however, it seems to work perfectly with this kite design.... Read More...

Best 2010 Nemesis NXG Analyze This Kite Review

Anyone planning to buy this kite should spend at least a month playing around with the tuning and different settings. Yes, it does work out of the bag just fine, but the NXG is the dream kite for those who like to tinker.... Read More...

Naish 2010 Torch Analyze This Kite Review

We were surprised and intrigued at how fun new school C-kites have become. The one common myth that was dispelled during out test was that the Torch doesn’t have mass appeal: It’s not just a high end performance kite that can only be enjoyed by experts.... Read More...

Slingshot 2010 Octane Analyze This Kite Review

We read the hype about the Octane on many of the forums before we tested, so our staff was excited when a 13m arrived in the mail. After spending hours riding this kite, we have to admit it lived up to its reputation and more.... Read More...

Liquid Force 2010 Envy Analyze This Kite Review

The Envy is a very easy and fast kite to inflate due to the Union single point inflation system and the fact that the Envy is only designed with 3-struts. By taking away the 5th and 4th struts, Liquid Force was able to make a lighter kite.... Read More...

Designer’s Corner: Naish Cult 2010

Due to the success of the 2009 Helix and the new 2010 Helix, essentially a brand new kite, Naish combined the best of last year’s Helix and Cult to product the 2010 Cult.... Read More...

Designer’s Corner: Slingshot Comp Stick 2010 Control System

The biggest challenge was trying to get all of the features we wanted to incorporate into the bar to work together in a streamlined design, without compromise.... Read More...

Designer’s Corner: NPX Zealot 2010

The goal was to incorporate some of the newest neoprene technologies to make the Zealot even warmer, lighter, and stretchier than last year.... Read More...

Designer’s Corner: Best Nemesis NXG 2010

I had taken the Nemesis HP design as far as it would go. I simply couldn’t make it jump higher, ride faster or deliver more power, so we had to look at other ways of improving it.... Read More...

Designer’s Corner: Eclipse Surge 2010

The Surge is a completely new design within a traditional C-kite geometry.... Read More...

Designer’s Corner: Globe Trix 2010

The flying feeling and performance can be adjusted to react like the Trix 09, but can also be adjusted like a totally new kite with low bar pressure, very stable, perfect for cruising.... Read More...

Designer’s Corner: Caution Mayhem X 2010

We kept the name the same for the 2010 model, but made significant changes to the profile and wingtips, making some serious gains in efficiency and control.... Read More...

Designer’s Corner: Liquid Force CPR 2010 Control System

Liquid Force has designed a completely new safety and control system to go with its 2010 lines of kites. We spoke to LF kite designer and pro rider Julien Fillion to find out about the company’s new CPR control system.... Read More...

Designer’s Corner: RRD Obsession 2010

The Obsession was already a great kite, so we focused on small details to improve its overall performance.... Read More...

Designer’s Corner: Jimmy Lewis Chamber KT

The main goal was to capture the highest performance wave characteristics of my top surfboard and make it suitable for kiting.... Read More...

Designer’s Corner: Naish Helix 2010

We had to live up to the hype from the previous edition as many customer were telling us that we should not mess with it. However, we did introduce a new foil profile on this kite that has proven itself to increase turning speed and overall efficiency.... Read More...

Designer’s Corner: Best Waroo 2010

The Waroo is a known commodity ”” riders know what to expect from it. To keep moving the kite forward we had to make significant changes to its shape.... Read More...