GEAR: CHOOSING A DACRON OR UPE ARAMID KITE?

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12 february 2026 0

How materials influence your kite’s performance.

Since the beginning of kitesurfing, Dacron has been the reference material for building inflatable kite structures. In recent years, however, innovative alternatives have emerged.

Leading this revolution is UPE Aramid. We were the first to integrate it into our production models, especially on our wings, and it has become a highly praised material for its rigidity, light weight, and durability, which had been lacking in other market innovations.

How do you choose the material that suits you best? We’ll tell you everything 👇

Kitesurfers: Airton and Nataniel, GONG team riders, on Atomic PU, Chemical HDCC, Elips, Elips Aramid and FeelX bars.

What are the differences between these materials?

Dacron and UPE Aramid are used for the leading edge, struts, and certain reinforcements:

Dacron DP 175LL is a fabric that provides a rigid structure, which is crucial for the leading edge and struts to maintain their shape under pressure. This rigidity helps the kite maintain a stable and predictable profile while riding.
UPE Aramid is an ultra-light laminated composite material that is particularly stiff (very low elongation), designed to maximize precision, responsiveness, and performance. Its structure, made of Aramid fiber, UPE base, and PET film, ensures extreme strength and durability.

At 85g/m² (half the weight of Dacron!), UPE Aramid used in the leading edge and struts delivers unmatched responsiveness.

In addition to its exceptional mechanical properties, this material has a very low water absorption rate. The kite gains very little weight when wet.

It is also highly tear-resistant, an important factor on certain launch areas.

How does Aramid influence a kite’s behavior?

In a sport driven by subtle sensations, a kite’s lightness and responsiveness are essential.

UPE Aramid provides an immediate gain in structural rigidity, locking in the profile and stabilizing the kite under load. The kite handles gusts better, extends its upper wind range, and maintains perfectly controlled deformation during loops, where Dacron absorbs more but compresses further.

Being lighter, Aramid reduces inertia: reactions are faster, relaunches are sharper, and flight is more precise. The kite stays in motion without ever feeling sluggish. As a result, the lower wind range is also extended thanks to a livelier kite.

This combination of rigidity and lightness delivers a very direct bar feel, with a kite that

Kitesurfer: Yucel, GONG team rider, on Steez Carbon Pro twin tip and Ayto Team Series kite.

Which kite should you choose in the GONG range?

Today, traditional Dacron construction is used in our Perf Series kites, while innovative UPE Aramid construction is featured in the Team and Pro Team Series ranges.

The shape of a Team or Pro Team Series kite remains 95% identical to the Perf Series version. Same DNA, same balance, same fundamental behavior. It’s not a new model, but the highest-performance expression of a proven shape.

On these Aramid kites, diameters have been optimized and segmentation redesigned: adjusted leading edge, stiffer struts, reinforced skin/structure tension, recalibrated bridle. The result: a tighter, more precise, and more efficient kite, designed for riders who want to extract maximum performance at every moment.

Pro Team Series kites also feature:

A double profile that boosts glide, speed, dynamism, upwind ability, and overall wind range, as explained in this article.
LDS tips (Low Drag System) with refined diameters that improve glide by reducing turbulence. This system includes a carbon strut in the tip that enhances responsiveness for unmatched performance. The rear line acts directly on the carbon batten, meaning the entire tip is connected to your bar, without deformation, without latency.

Pro Team Series kites have no equivalent on the market. This range goes beyond what the industry currently produces, not only in innovation, but also in the way kite design is approached. It is a truly disruptive offering.

Kitesurfer: Yucel, GONG team rider, on Steez Carbon Pro, Ayto Aramid DP and FeelX bar.