North kiteboarding 2020

[Toby]

Old North = DUOTONE = Vegas, Rebel, Dice, Neo, Evo, Juice

New North = NORTH from North Technology Group (NTG) = ?

[sms-kite]

Hello,

New North = Cabrinha

What will be cab?

See you

Nono

[cor]

I still wonder if a lot of people that have North kites today will buy the new North stuff. Duotone/old North is one of the most popular brands here. EVERYONE I know here who used to ride North kites switched to Duotone. No exception so far. The reason is always the same. You just know what you get! As simple as that. You know the products already. You know what you can expect. I myself fly Neos and I bought a Duotone Neo. I am so happy with that kite. So why go to the new North?

Of course this may be a wrong assumption and I am just judging others by my own standard, but unless the new North comes either with an absolute killer product (and the green prototype I've seen is clearly not one but rather looks like a Cabrinha switchblade with a "North" print on it) or they come with way less expensive gear I just don't see it.

Has this really been thought through by the North (resp. Cabrinha)? What is their strategy?

[Toby]

Mike Raper used to manage Cabrinha...now at NTG.

He lead Cab to one of the two top brands...so be sure he knows what he is doing.

But will be interesting what they are up to...if they do the same like Duotone or Cabrinha I think success will take a long way...but if they will become a cheaper brand, things could be very different.

Best had money behind and became a big player with lower prices...things changed when they wanted to be a premium brand with according prices...

The current brands with lower prices don’t have much money to spend to push further...

We shall know more in 3 months....

[cor]

You are right, Toby. But the situation is quite different now than what it was like when Cabrinha took a share on the market. The Sport was still rather new and there still was innovation going on that companies could use as a unique selling proposition. He was there at the right time. Now, the market has been shared between just a few main players and a lot of very small brands.

I think it will be VERY difficult and also a long process until North becomes a serious player in the market. They MUST come up with a convincing strategy, otherwise they will merely stay a small brand.

But yeah let's see what happens.

[fzonatto]

I was using north for quiet some years, I am not moving to duotone, I believe the price tag is unrealistic dia not like the push they gave on the prices that is it

[kiteswede]

I can see that North are starting to give out distributions to countries. I can see cabrinha is getting smaller in sweden.

[CaptainCore]

The new North dealers have already made their pre- orders so know what's being released.

Ha, I was in a 'new' North Dealer just the other day, so far he's been shown three line drawings asked for an order, told it was going to be a premium brand so in such short supply nobody would be able to buy them so he must order them now.
Surprisingly, he didn't.
I think sex and travel was suggested...

[windmaker]

There is a good reason why Duotone choose the name North when they started making kites and windsurfing sails. North sails was a big name and had a solid reputation for quality and performance in the sailing world.

Guess they hope that name will help them again, and I guess it does give them more attention than the other new comers.

[Leon van Bergen]

Yes you can be sure of that, same time next year no onze knows beter and you see North everywhere I expect..