North kiteboarding 2020

[Toby]

Never underestimate their team...they have some big names contracted...who we all love to see riding...

[CaptainCore]

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.

Not quite actually what happened since it was myself and a USA colleague who were principally responsible for encouraging the powers that were back then in 2001, to engage within kitesurfing with the North brand name, in my case because they'd forced me to drop Naish, just as they got into kites and in the US guys case because he was a shareholder albeit minority of North Sports in the USA. Also the reason the North Sails actual logo was not featured was exactly so that Boards and More wouldn't have to pay royalties to North Sails, as they did with the Windsurfing arm at the time. But the politics of the company were in such a parlous state as executive after executive failed to make budgets and were dropped so they obviously failed to protect themselves adequately, I also dropped the brand two years later for precisely that reason. Interestingly among the strongest opponents to the brand engaging within kitesurfing was one Til Eberle then a product manager for Fanatic North Windsurfing in Germany and opponent of kitesurfing. It doesn't quite read like that in their revisionist history, but that's what happened, it took a lot of work and a well planned 'ambush' at a distributor meeting to force their hand I can tell you.

[Leo de Castro]

Bruna on the way..
Surprise about this new.
She knows push kite limits.
=)

[gator1]

Quick Quiz

How many old North kiters will go to new North?

[Beardytello]

I moved away from North Duotone around the same time as the rebranding, not because of the name, I found the prices for gear to be at least 10% higher than some other brands.

I've actually moved over to a quiver of Blades which I got at a decent price.

I used to think "huh, Blades, poor mans kites" but actually they are great, boost is great, I am really happy.

Made me finally realise it's all marketing bollocks.

The whole keeping with a brand because you know what you're getting can be a bit of a financial trap I think.

[Hugh2]

Makes no sense for an "old North" kiter to go to "new North" just because of the name (and by the way, Lowell North himself died last week - https://www.sail-world.com/news/218186/ ... well-North), but I could understand going to third brand either because of price or disgust. I still find the Neotone name weird, but there are lots of them in Cape Town, and lots of advertising.

[Leo de Castro]

Hey Dan..
thanks for answering my question.
It is a great honour to talk to someone like you and hear your opinion.
Being a kite designer for sure is not aa easy journey.
Especially when you change the whole scenario (North / Duotone) and need to make sure the work credibility is kept at such a high level!
This photo was taken today before sailing with your creations.
Aloha!

@leo de castro - The kites you've been getting that say "North" on them are now being designed under the name Duotone. There is no change in the company or production, we basically have a new brandname/logo on our kites starting in 2019.

Much like my name on this site used to be "Dan at North" and is now "Dan at Duotone", yet I still feel and look like the same person.

There is a new company to the kite industry, North Technology Group, who will be creating a new line of kites under the name North Kiteboarding. The kite designer for this brand has worked for Cabrinha in the past.

So... If you liked North kites in the past, you will probably be happiest on Duotone gear going forward.

As far as information on 2020 Duotone kites, I still have no information myself, won't find out until July.

-Dan

[Dan-at-Duotone]

Sick!!!

Perfect quiver right there. Hope you had a great session. If I can do anything else for you in the future please let me know.

-Dan

[jumptheshark]

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.

Not quite actually what happened since it was myself and a USA colleague who were principally responsible for encouraging the powers that were back then in 2001, to engage within kitesurfing with the North brand name, in my case because they'd forced me to drop Naish, just as they got into kites and in the US guys case because he was a shareholder albeit minority of North Sports in the USA. Also the reason the North Sails actual logo was not featured was exactly so that Boards and More wouldn't have to pay royalties to North Sails, as they did with the Windsurfing arm at the time. But the politics of the company were in such a parlous state as executive after executive failed to make budgets and were dropped so they obviously failed to protect themselves adequately, I also dropped the brand two years later for precisely that reason. Interestingly among the strongest opponents to the brand engaging within kitesurfing was one Til Eberle then a product manager for Fanatic North Windsurfing in Germany and opponent of kitesurfing. It doesn't quite read like that in their revisionist history, but that's what happened, it took a lot of work and a well planned 'ambush' at a distributor meeting to force their hand I can tell you.

Needle scratches record!

Um revisionist history?

And just how big a kite proponent were you in those early days ???

[iriejohn]

Interestingly among the strongest opponents to the brand engaging within kitesurfing was one Til Eberle then a product manager for Fanatic North Windsurfing in Germany and opponent of kitesurfing. It doesn't quite read like that in their revisionist history, but that's what happened, it took a lot of work and a well planned 'ambush' at a distributor meeting to force their hand I can tell you.

Needle scratches record!

Um revisionist history?

And just how big a kite proponent were you in those early days ???

I will not explain how, but I do know that this is correct