Kite packs

We decided toreduce our marginson the kite wings in order toboost practice.Indeed, kitesurfing is taking up a lot of space in people's minds, even in factories. However, it would be a mistake to deprive oneself of the pleasure and performance of kitesurfing, which are fantastic. Significantly lowering prices while costs are rising sends a message of encouragement to the sport.

Today theEvolutions in kitesurfing are no longer visible revolutions.Yet theSometimes details matter more than big ideas. Details are the basis of the reliability, ofgood feelings, of aprecise piloting. So nothing looks more like a kite than another kite without its decoration. And despite this, the differences between two kites are considerable, even if only in our own range. To tell you that R&D costs are immense in kites is a false truth. Yes, the efforts are important because seeking micro evolution is a job that takes time and calls on highly specialized profiles. But the bulk of the R&D on a kite was done and validated more than ten years ago. This is what we are doing today on the wing and it is also a huge expense.

So yes, Dacron is increasing by 45% on certain colors, yes, the factories are overwhelmed with work, yes, we sold 30% more kites in 2020, and yes, we are lowering the price of our kites to encourage you to discover that our innovations have real results on the water.

To a beginner, all kitesurfing wings might look the same, but their exact shape, number of struts, or aspect ratio make a significant impact on their behavior and intended use. Visually, the differences might appear minimal, but in practice, they are fundamental.

Aspect Ratios:

The aspect ratio defines how stretched out your kite is, indicating whether it is more round or oval. This stretching directly influences how the kite flies and its performance level. Most of our kites feature “moderate” aspect ratios. Depending on specific needs and the intended use, we adjust the aspect ratio higher or lower.

A higher-aspect kite has a wider wingspan and a narrower chord. Viewed from above (kite laid flat), it appears more elongated, like the Ayto. These kites have less baseline power but move more quickly and, as a result, generate more power per square meter once in motion. They’re responsive to handling, sometimes tricky, with a broad wind window and strong upwind capabilities. Historically used in racing, they are now popular for big air freestyle due to their superior lift and hang time. They are best suited for advanced riders.

While high-aspect ratios offer substantial performance benefits, they require more technical handling and demand good control and anticipation. They are less maneuverable and, depending on the shape, slower to pivot due to their wingspan (as with racing kites). Their large wind window makes them less stable in gusty conditions because they can fly far in the window and risk overshooting the zenith. They are also more challenging to relaunch than low-aspect kites in light wind.

Low-aspect kites are more "stout." They have a more compact shape due to a smaller wingspan and a wider chord. Like our Display or Strutless Revo, these kites have solid baseline power, are very stable, and are easy to handle. They sit deeper in the wind window, giving excellent drift and stability. This type of kite is easier to control, making it ideal for all skill levels and great for freeride or wave riding. The drawbacks of this aspect ratio include lower speed/upwind performance and less lift and hang time.

For these reasons, most of our range revolves around variations with moderate aspect ratios, combining the benefits and minimizing the drawbacks. This factor is indicated in the product specs of each kite as the projection coefficient. The higher it is, the greater the aspect ratio.

To summarize:

• A stout kite (low aspect ratio) like the Strutless Revo is more maneuverable.
• An elongated kite (high aspect ratio) like the Ayto is faster and has excellent lift.
• A kite with a moderate-plus aspect ratio like the Vertigo balances performance and maneuverability well.
• A round kite like the Display or Elips is easy to relaunch.
• A kite with a lot of surface in the center, like the Unik, has more torque.

The number of struts:

Inflatable struts form the skeleton of your kite. Traditionally, more struts meant a "stiffer" kite. Today, with evolving practices and extensive work from designers on shape and bridle development, we've been able to modify the "classic" structures of our kites to reduce or even eliminate struts.

Five-strut kites: Kites like the Ayto generally feature a higher aspect ratio, targeting extreme performance in heavily powered or gusty conditions. That's why they require more struts to stabilize the profile. With these struts, the kite can withstand significant forces and handle aggressive riding.

Three-strut kites: A three-strut kite like the Vertigo has a stabilized profile that performs well even in challenging or overpowered conditions. It's perfect for freeride and strong winds. Three-strut kites offer the best balance between stiffness, weight, maneuverability, and versatility.

Single-strut kites: The Unik, with its single central strut, is lightweight and provides stable flight in light wind. This type of kite is versatile and easy to use for riders of all skill levels. The central strut helps maintain tension in the power zone and aids with relaunching. Ideal for light wind and all-terrain versatility!

Zero-strut kites: With the rise of kite foiling and the need to ride in the lightest wind possible, we developed zero-strut kites like the Strutless and Strutless Revo. The result is maximum weight reduction for a significant performance boost. With no inflatable struts, drag is reduced to a minimum. These kites are generally recommended for intermediate to advanced riders for kite foiling or surf kiting.

Bridles With or Without Pulleys?

To maximize the versatility of our kites, we've developed several types of bridles. Depending on the intended use and desired feel, we use anywhere from zero to three pulleys per side on the front lines.
Each setup caters to specific needs: depower, maneuverability, direct feel, etc.

If we're aiming for maximum versatility with ultra-precise, super-linear control and kite twist, like with the VERTIGO, the three-pulley system is fantastic! Your bridle maintains consistent tension regardless of the kite's position in the wind window. It delivers nearly instant, perfect control with linear power even when the kite is trimmed. Depower capability is at its peak.

For simplicity and forgiveness, a single-pulley bridle is the way to go. It offers significant depower while maintaining a decent kite response. On a kite like the DISPLAY, its simplicity provides reassurance, reduces wear, and significantly increases the sense of safety.

Extreme responsiveness? Zero pulleys! A pulley-less kite sacrifices some forgiveness and smooth handling but gains immense aggressiveness and performance. Our ELIPS and AYTO kites are unapologetically pulley-free, prioritizing responsiveness and reactivity. With fast turns and ultra-precise bar feel, this setup is a game-changer for this kind of program!

The desire to expand the low end and, above all, to chain top turns like a pro surfer could no longer be contained. Because that's what a surf kite is all about: accessing with relative ease sensations known only to high-level surfers. Another attraction, and not the least for many kitesurfers, is that surf kite navigation is more comfortable and less traumatic, especially for your knees and ankles, than a TT. So here are the models we recommend to get started.

For a smooth transition from a twin tip to a kitesurf, you need a board that's stable and forgiving in maneuvers. Because your new challenge on a directional board is learning jibes and tacks, which now involve switching feet. A wide enough outline and well-distributed volume will help you master them quickly. A more prominent volume around the front foot will help you work on these different maneuvers accompanied by foot movements. The volume also helps you with relaunches and in your first surfs where the challenge will be to maintain a constant speed and fluidity in your turns.

Quad setups (4 fins) like those found on the Matata and the Pie provide the acceleration and grip you've experienced with twintips, but without having to over-canvas! This helps relieve the physical strain over long sessions.

In our range, three boards are particularly well suited to the needs of a beginner. They are distinguished as follows:

• Beginner in directional and for the light wind: there MATATA for a very early planing start and an outstanding upwind ride.
• Beginner surf And strapless: there PIE to surf with an easy shape, ultra fun and great for learning maneuvers.
• Beginner in strapless And freestyle: there CATCH to have the best stability and the best chance of landing your tricks regardless of the position of your feet.

Note that these boards can also be suitable for experienced kitesurfers who want to have fun in specific conditions or in a more versatile program than the more radical boards in the range.

Our range of kitesurfing boards is wide but which one is made for you? Firstly, you need to determine your program. Because it’s the use that makes the choice!

Three types of kite surfboards stand out:

Board for light wind

When sailing in low wind ranges, you especially need grip and speed to go upwind. Choosing a kitesurf with a quad setup (with two front fins and two rear, which are all placed close to the rails) helps a lot. Often larger, these boards are perfect to begin with: they offer more buoyancy and reassure the rider… strapped or strapless.

• Matata: It’s the ideal board to go fast in light wind. Its unique shape allows you to have some gas left in the tank and to head almost as if you were on a kite foil. Its planing start is really early.
• Pie : More versatile and maneuverable than the Matata, it can also do freestyle if needed. The Pie is really great for learning maneuvers, tacking and surfing in soft waves.

Boards for freestyling

Short and narrow, these boards offer maximum radicality and their thruster setup guarantees maneuverability and control to its user. In concrete terms, they are made to link maneuvers and do it very well.

• Fatal : This board is great for surfing a wave between several tricks. Especially because its rocker is more accentuated than the one of the Catch or the Matata. The result? It offers more maneuverability and allows you to approach the curves with more speed. Its diamond round nose carries you through the tricks. It’s the perfect combo for surfing and freestyling.
• Catch : Its almost rectangular shape – reminiscent of a twin tip – is really ideal for freestyling. The support is maximized and its tail offers a monstrous pop. Its lower rocker generates more speed which opens the possibility of jumping high and sending big tricks! Definitely the most versatile shape in the range.

Boards to surf with style

A 100% surf oriented kiteboard has more length and rocker but less thickness. A perfect compromise to generate a high maneuverability and a lot of grip, two useful features in waves.

• Alu : When the water is ugly… it’s great for the Alu! Dynamism, easy turns, good rocker and well-balanced volume allow it to turn on-shore windy waves into ideal conditions.
• Lethal : This board has been pushed to the extreme in its specialty: surfing in beautiful conditions. With the most lifted rocker in our lineup, it takes down everything in hollow waves and supports the most extreme curves, it is perfect in the wind side. Unforgettable rides coming up!

Keep in mind that the longer your bar, the easier it will be to turn your kite. Also, remember that the smaller the kite, the easier it will turn. So, the smaller the kite, the more you need a smaller bar to balance behaviors.

Conversely, the larger your kite and the more you use it in light wind, the slower it will be. A longer bar will have a greater leverage effect to compensate for this natural loss of reactivity.

Therefore, consider these parameters to choose the size of your bar and adapt the steering to the feeling you like and the conditions encountered.

If you want smooth and progressive steering, then you should “undersize” the bar. If you want more reactive but less forgiving steering, you should choose a longer bar.

For example, if I want smoother steering with my 9m2, then I will go for a 46cm bar.

If I want hyper-reactive steering, then I would go for the 52cm bar.

Oversizing the bar will have little interest and paradoxically will result in a feeling of heaviness in steering in the case of the 62cm. This one will be perfect, even essential in light wind. But in stronger winds, it will be slower to untwist and manipulate.

Between the 46 and the 52, there is no sensation of heaviness. These are two very close bars.

Note also that the 52 is perfectly usable on all our kites. No kite will not work or perform poorly for this reason. The 46, 57 and 62 are just optimizations for perfectionists.

It should also be noted that two bars generally age only half as fast as a single bar for the whole quiver ?

The key size is 52cm; it is the most versatile bar that you should choose if you want to have only one bar for a quiver 7-9-12 or 8-11 or even 8-10-13. If you want to add a second bar to your quiver, here are our recommendations with GONG kites:

The recommendations below are based on the behavior of GONG kites. Since our bars are compatible with a large number of kites, you can adjust your choice according to the type of kite used.