Middle-Class White Girl Finds Kitesurfing: The Untold Story . . . Published in Vol 13, No 4 | 2016 Winter Issue   To understand Suns Out Buns Out, both I and II, it’s important to get to know the creator, the mastermind behind the humorous video series that uses satire to playfully undermine the sexual objectification of women and the shallowness of modern product content marketing. As I sit down to interview Annemarie Hereford, she warns me that I’d better be ready to write a book: Middle-Class White Girl Finds Kitesurfing: The Untold Story.   A fan of irony, Annemarie Hereford can ..read more

Lighthouse 1,000 presented by Duotone & Baja Joe’s America’s top athletes are headed to La Ventana for the 2nd annual Lighthouse 1000 race on the 2nd -4th of February 2024. This year the event is fundraising for Amigos de Alumnos, an organization that helps fund local La Ventana schools. This year is a bit of a remix from last years event with a substantial upgrade to the famous Lighthouse Race: this year the start will be in front of Baja Joe’s, head out to the lighthouse, around a buoy and back to Baja Joe’s. The Lighthouse Race is open to all divisions. There will also be a Boarder-X (C ..read more

Kiteboarding legend and Icon, Brandon Scheid has single-handedly pushed every boundary in windsports . . . . but today he needs your help! On Saturday November 26th, Brandon clipped a tree with his paragliding wing, suffering a collapse that sent him cartwheeling down a 500-foot cliff near his home in Hood River, OR. With perseverance and luck, he was med-vac’d to Vancouver where he underwent significant surgical intervention. Please visit the Go Fundme page setup by friends to learn more, share your love and spare some change to help this world-class kiteboarding athlete through the present e ..read more

Sizes Available: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 17m Sizes Tested: 9m Airush Says: Defining the future of minimalistic, lightweight performance design for foil, freeride, and surf, the Ultra Team is a more responsive, faster, and lighter version of the Ultra reinforced with Ho’okipa Ultra PE material. Featuring a thinner, higher pressure leading edge to reduce drag and allow for a higher angle of attack when riding upwind, as well as a fixed bridle for direct steering. The unique blend of efficiency, stability and responsiveness creates an extremely versatile product. Visit for more info:  ..read more

Defining the future of minimalistic lightweight performance design for foil, freeride, and surf. Conceived as the ultimate kite for the minimalist, the single strut Ultra continues to lead the revolution of foil and light-wind freeride. From this incredible base, we have developed the Ultra Team and the result is supercharged responsiveness coupled with sublime handling, and of course the long-term performance you expect from Airush. Featuring a thinner, higher pressure leading edge to reduce drag and allows for a higher angle of attack when riding upwind as well as a fixed bridle for direct ..read more

Rolling down Highway 1 after a Sunday afternoon surf, Buck skids the right hand corner into Waddell’s parking lot. Dirt brown dust fills the air; a far less intrusive substance than the fiberglass and resin particles he’s used to huffing down inside his Westside shaping shack. He reaches for a beer from the six-pack in his footwell, pops the top and takes a swig. Perched next to him in the passenger seat sits Sancho, his boxer pit bull mix, who, like Buck, is a little rough around the edges, but as noble as they come. Together, the two of them stare out the windshield of his rusty, beat up Toy ..read more

Sizes Available: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12m Sizes Tested: 9m Slingshot Says: For 2022, we have evolved the SST, our legendary kitesurfing kite, to be better than ever for any wave in the world. Featuring a completely redesigned wingtip shape and geometry, the all-new SST V6 builds upon its reputation as one of the fastest and most responsive kites on the market. The additional curve of the wingtip combined with our IRS bridle technology provides added range and has completely revolutionized its upwind performance and water relaunch. The SST V6’s ultralight and ultra-thin micro-struts provide pl ..read more

Sizes Available: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12m Sizes Tested: 8m Duotone Says: Last year the Neo SLS took the world by storm; utilizing cutting edge materials and new construction techniques, and again, this year the world’s best wave kite got even better. For the Neo SLS, we’ve replaced all the heavy Dacron material with the new Penta TX material that is up to 15% lighter. Combining this with the Trinity TX canopy and the incredible build quality Duotone is famous for offers a winning combination. The Neo SLS is the only Neo offering Flex Struts and combined with the light weight construction, th ..read more

Sizes Available: 650, 810, 960cm2 Sizes Tested: 650cm Tkb Says: The 650 front wing targets intermediate to advanced riders. It has a huge range with a medium speed take off and nearly unlimited top end. The medium aspect ratio delta planform and washed-out wingtips provide smooth lift and balance at lower speeds – as the speed increases, the lift shifts towards the center of the foil, adding stability and the ability to push hard with control. This wing is also a light wind weapon – as soon as you’re able to pop up onto the foil and break the board free, the ultra low drag anhedral design lets ..read more

Sizes Available: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11m Sizes Tested: 7, 9m F-One Says: The true partner to the surfboard rider, the BANDIT S3 follows your every move in all control. You can manage the power at any time. The kite never surges in power if you throw the kite in the window, it simply allows you to kite smoothly in the right position and ride by feel. It provides a subtle ride as well as a constant connection with your board. Turning response when sheeted out has been increased, giving you more control over the kite’s position almost at will. The kite’s handling is precise and provides a const ..read more