Tona Boards

I wanted to give everyone the heads up.....I am the new Canadian west coast rep/rider for Tona Boards!!!

Here is the mission statement from the boyz... Welcome to TONA. A company committed to developing superior kite boarding gear by utilizing our greatest asset, YOU, the rider. Our goal is to reach out directly to the source, to gain the best feedback possible through our core community, Kite Scoop, bringing you the gear that you demand to take your riding to the next level. We want to push the progression of the sport offering products that are geared towards the riders needs. Keeping our finger on the pulse of the industry we believe that we can offer something fresh and different.

The Tona Pop brings something fresh back into the kiteboarding world with its unique design and bottom contour. If you are looking for a board that explodes off the water whether its on natural kickers or flat water, without sacrificing any upwind ability, you will love this board. The Pop is stiffer than the average kiteboard on the market, this helps the board hold its static rocker line while riding and also helps generate the maximum amount of energy when you load up to pop off the water. The double concave in the center and deep channels along the rails give the board lots of stablity while riding finless, and the flat surface area out the tail makes for minimal drag and great release off the water on air tricks. The channels are also effective in creating extra surface area, which in turn increases upwind ability. The Pop does not disappoint!

The Driftwood 118 is a product of the ideas that we have collected from our riders over the past few years. Its birth place was on Kite Scoop where wake style movement riders wanted a kite specific skate and the driftwood was born. A skate totally dedicated to kiting. With it’s solid wood 3D CNC shaped deck with raised tips and sides, and the choice of either EVA or grip tape (both come included) you will get the 3D shape with both choices of decking for personalized feel, all in one package. The size and weight was extensively tested and tweaked to suit kiting and the rails fine tuned for optimized feel. Want something fresh to spark up you session? Try the Driftwood, a kiteskate designed with you in mind.

TONA Driftwood kite skate from TONA on Vimeo.

I currently have a couple kite skates to demo and will be getting a couple pops to demo soon if you are in the Squamish, Vancouver area! email me at tony@tonalife.com I'm also running a free shipping promotion for a limited time.

Starkites 2012 Taina Review

Here is the latest review of the 2012 Taina from starkites courtesy of Kiteboarder US magazine. I have yet to try out this kite, I have been riding the new 2012 Arawak.....and it rocks! It has a direct feel, is easy to fly, effortless relaunch, unhooks well and has great lift. I'm super stoked to be riding these kites!

How do you get powered up?

My powerhouse kite caddie in mexico (Willi Hasenkrug) aka "dad"

  What do you do to keep you're energy up when kiting?  Or anything for that matter.  Are you able to stay powered up and focused when your shredding?   What keeps you going? 

  After years of  snowboarding and the last six kiting, I was deep into a routine of  what I call the "brown diet"   Which consisted of coffee, nicotine, beer and any food that was fast and easy and far from healthy.  I would get off the water for a break and go right for a beer and a smoke.  Then go out for another session.  I never really thought anything of it, It's what I did.  How do you think I performed?  You guessed it... flailing, cold, and unfocused.

  It wasn't until I met Tammra (a holistic nutritionist) and she introduced me to a nutritional program called Isagenix  that I realized what I was missing....A basic balance of the right proteins, carbs, and fats. It really started to change the way I looked at my routine.  I wasn't leaning towards the beers and cigarettes, instead I couldn't wait to fill my body  with goodness and get the most out of my sessions.  I was so fired up and excited every time I would  pump up.  I was able to ride way longer, keep warm, stay focused and progress.  That was the biggest thing for me, The focus, endurance and progress I felt was truly amazing!!  Some of my friends on the beach were even mentioning it and asking me "what are doing these days? dude you were chargin' out there!"

  So what do you do pre, during, and post session?  Are you aware of what you put back into your system?  If you do, awesome! You're definitely ahead of the game.  I now realize how important it is to replenish my body while doing any sort of sport or hard work.  Think about it......when your kiting its unlike so many other sports. You're out there for hours and you never really are taking any breaks, you're always moving, always engaged and burning lots of energy. It's vital that you fill your tank before and after your session if you want to make the most of it!  If you're interested in what isagenix is all about please check this out easy2Bhealthy.com

  Would you rather flail and bail?  Or you would you rather charge?

Weather or Knot?

Would you ride here?

  SO you've had a few sessions, you're able to get out, make a few tacks and get back to the beach..... Awesome! Keep practicing, it'll all come together!



   You show up at your local launch and there is a bunch  of people hangin' around on the beach......and no one's shreddin'.... do you think its "GOOD OUT THERE?" You can usually make a pretty good call on whats happening out on the water by whats happening on the beach. BUT the reality is you should already have some kind of an idea, because....you've checked the weather, wind, and tide reports. You've gone online and looked at a kiteboard forum to see what the reports say, what the prediction is....."is it gonna be cloudy? Clear and warm? What's the weather network or environment Canada calling for? A northern push? or a steady southerly for the next couple days?

  The reality is you can never really fully predict whats gonna happen, but you can definitely make an educated guess....And remember we've all had to start at the bottom so don't be afraid or intimidated to ask one of the other kiters.  Everyone's usually pretty friendly and willing to give you a little heads up on the conditions.

  One of the most overlooked aspects of kiting is the weather.....so do some research, learn about the different weather patterns, satellite images, and how the weather can directly affect the wind.  A word of caution...if you see any BIG anvil shaped clouds (cumulonimbus) get back to the beach as soon as you can.  These gnarly clouds can reek havoc on your session.  Learn as much as you can about wind (there are so many variables when it comes to wind)  wind shadows, venturi effect, Gradient wind, inflow, outflow, If you're gonna be shreddin it......you should know as much as you can.....It could make or break your session!

  When you're first learning to kite it isn't just about board and kite skills.  You need to educate yourself on all the aspects of the sport and be an informed and safe kiter.

  Have fun and see you on the water!!!

Getting Started on The Right Track

Rider : Tony Hasenkrug

So you've seen it at the beach....checked it out from the shore, and now you think you're ready to give it a go! So what now?
  

The best advice I can give you is.......TAKE A LESSON!! Yes they are pricey, but think about it, not only do you get to thrash the schools gear while your flailing around in the water, but you're also gonna be supervised if it gets haywire out there. Would you just jump in a plane, strap in and go for a rip??? Funny thing is back in the day a lot of us did teach ourselves, and believe me I'm soooo lucky I didn't hurt or kill me or any other beach users. A lesson is integral to learning quickly and efficiently!

With that being said, You should definitely do your research about what school, or instructor. IKO and IKA are organizations that have Qualified certified instructors!

Kiting is fun and easy to learn if you take the right steps! Take a lesson, be safe, patient, and listen to everything your instructors tells ya, Before you know it....You'll be rippin' it up out there!