Kites

Match the specific kite to your weight, experience, board and the wind where you ride. The number on the kite isn’t the whole story: our kite performance guide explains that two models in the same size can deliver different amounts of power.

Check the model’s sizing guidance, then talk with us about your setup and local conditions. Tell us whether you ride a twintip, surfboard or foil; a generic wind chart can’t account for every combination.

Look for predictable power, manageable steering and easy water relaunch. In our 2026 North Reach review, Matt highlighted its controlled response and tested how easily it rolled into position for relaunch. He liked it as both a teaching kite and a kite you can keep riding as your skills develop.

Start by comparing our beginner kites for your conditions. Take kiteboarding lessons so you can choose your first full-size kite around the skills and setup you’ve actually learned on.

Choose around the sessions you want to have. In our 2026 North Reach review, Matt rides it for waves, twintip sessions and kite foiling. It can jump, but he explains that it doesn’t reach the same heights as a more focused kite such as the North Orbit.

If you switch between disciplines, compare all-around kites and the CORE NXS review. If jumping is your main goal, compare the lifting power, feedback and handling in the dedicated big-air models’ reviews.

Look at drift, turning response and how the kite delivers power through the window. In our Ozone Reo V7 Ultra X review, Matt describes a kite that stays with you when the lines go slack and delivers consistent pull without dragging you off your edge. Those are useful qualities when you want to focus on the wave.

Your usual wind direction and preferred feel matter too. Our wave-kite guide explains why different surf conditions call for different handling. Compare kitesurfing kites around where you ride.

You have both all-around and dedicated options. Our CORE NXS review covers its stability, depower and use across foiling, waves and twintip riding. A dedicated design such as the Slingshot UFO V3 uses a zero-strut airframe and is built specifically around kite-foiling drift and response.

Compare low-wind relaunch as well as how easily the kite stays in the air. In the NXS test, Mike found relaunch harder at the very bottom of its range. We’d choose around your foil setup and conditions rather than giving every foiler the same kite-size range.

The kite is only part of the setup. In our light-wind guide, the coaches emphasize board choice as well as kite size. A suitable kiteboard and how efficiently you ride can make a real difference when the wind is marginal.

Compare lightwind kites for your weight and board. The larger 13–19m 2026 North Reach sizes are designed for light-wind drive, but those sizes don’t establish one minimum wind speed for every rider. Check the model and your complete setup.

Bar pressure describes how heavy the bar feels in your hands. Our kite performance guide explains the tradeoff: more feedback can make it easier to feel where the kite is, but can also tire your arms. Lighter pressure takes less effort to steer.

Compare the feel of the kite, not just its size or discipline label. In our Reo V7 Ultra X review, Matt discusses how its bridle settings change feedback. Those adjustments are model-specific, so check the kite’s own guidance rather than assuming the same setting works across brands.

Check the exact kite and bar models and years before pairing them. A connection that fits doesn’t establish the whole setup. In our Reo V7 Ultra X review, Matt notes both its low-Y bar preference and its different pigtail arrangement.

Send us the details of the gear you own and we’ll help check the pairing. If you need a new control bar, choose it around the kite’s specified line layout, connections and safety-system requirements.

Check the included-items list for the exact product. The 2026 North Reach lists a kite and bag, while the 2027 North Orbit lists a kite, bag and repair kit. Neither listing includes a bar or pump.

Compare compatible control bars and pumps separately, or look at our kiteboarding packages. Packages have their own included-items lists, so check what’s in the bundle before buying additional gear.

A trainer kite is a first step for learning kite flying, the wind window and the power zone. Our Road Map to Kiteboarding puts trainer practice before professional coaching and moving into your own full-size setup.

If you’re just starting, pair that practice with kiteboarding lessons. Once you have the foundation skills, we can help you choose a beginner kite and complete setup for where you’ll ride.