Most Cabrinha twintips have a light, strong Paulownia wood core, and many models come in two versions: a wood board that feels smooth and forgiving, and an Apex version with carbon that is stiffer and more direct. On top of that, Cabrinha tunes the bottom shape, rails and fins of each board to its discipline. On the water you notice it in how softly a board lands, how much grip you keep and how quickly it responds.

Apex construction: stiffer and more direct
On the Apex boards, Cabrinha combines the wood core with Japanese Toray carbon. On the Vapor Apex and Xcal Apex the core is fully wrapped in carbon, while the Ace Apex has strategically placed carbon strips. The result is a board that reacts faster and gives you more grip and control at high speed. An Apex board suits advanced riders who jump hard or ride technical freestyle. Looking for more comfort? Choose the wood version of the same model.

Concaves, channels and Variable Angled Rail: grip and soft landings
The Xcal and Ace Apex have a double concave in the centre for soft landings and quad channels in the tips for extra grip. The Vapor Apex has a Variable Angled Rail: a rail that is flat in the middle and gets more aggressive towards the tips, so you keep maximum grip on big air landings. The Spectrum has a single concave with a channel in the tips, which makes it predictable and easy to ride.

4-degree fins and grab rails
On the Spectrum, Ace and Vapor, among others, in both the wood and the Apex versions, the fins are set at a 4-degree angle. That gives the fin more projected area and therefore more grip, without much extra drag. You notice it most when you ride upwind or load your edge hard for a jump. Grab rails in the middle of the deck give you something to hold on to for grabs and board-offs.

DSV bottom and Apex Pro Carbon on the surfboards
Cabrinha surfboards such as the Skillit, S-Quad, Rocket and Arcade have a DSV bottom, a double-in-single concave that channels water efficiently under the board. The Apex Pro Carbon layup keeps them light and responsive. The Skillit is an all-round surfboard for everyday waves, while the four-fin S-Quad is built for steep, powerful waves. Which surfboard suits your spot? Find out in question 3.

Cabrinha makes three types of kiteboards: twintips, surfboards and foilboards. The twintips are the Spectrum for beginners and freeriders, the versatile Ace, the Xcal for freestyle, the Vapor for big air and the Stylus for light wind days. The Ace, Xcal and Vapor also come in a stiffer Apex version with carbon. For the waves you choose between the Skillit, S-Quad, Rocket, Arcade, Phantom and Method, and for kitefoiling there is the Logic. Below you'll find what each board does, plus earlier models you may still come across second-hand or as a previous-season board. What Apex and the other technology involve is explained in the technology question. Which board suits your level, you'll read in question 3.

Cabrinha twintips

Cabrinha Spectrum
The Spectrum has been Cabrinha's accessible freeride board for years and was already part of the range in the early 2010s. The board has a Paulownia wood core, a single concave with a channel in the tips and a medium rocker. A refined deck shape spreads the flex evenly, so you ride comfortably and absorb landings smoothly. The Spectrum works from beginner to intermediate, and with sizes from 136 to 152 cm there is also a board for heavier riders. A great choice if you have just finished your kite lessons or want an easy board for every day. Compare it with other boards in our beginner twintips.

Cabrinha Ace and Ace Apex
The Ace is Cabrinha's versatile freeride and freestyle board. It used to come as the Ace Wood and Ace Hybrid, and today it is available in a standard version and an Apex version. The standard Ace comes in a wide size range, starting at 120 cm, so lighter riders can find a board that fits too. The Ace Apex has a hybrid core of Paulownia and honeycomb foam with strips of Japanese Toray carbon. A double concave in the centre, quad channels in the tips and a medium rocker give grip and good upwind performance. With its moderately low flex, the Cabrinha Ace Apex is a board that grows with you, from your first jumps to powered sessions.

Cabrinha Xcal and Xcal Apex
The Xcal is Cabrinha's freestyle twintip. The wood Xcal has a Paulownia core, a double concave in the centre, quad channels in the tips and extra channels along the rails. That gives plenty of grip and edge hold, while the board feels light and predictable. It is aimed at intermediate to advanced riders. The Xcal Apex has the same base, but with carbon. That makes it stiffer and more responsive, ideal for experienced freestylers who want a sharp response and lots of edge grip. Looking for more comfort? Then the wood Xcal is the more pleasant ride.

Cabrinha Vapor and Vapor Apex
The Vapor is built for big air and freestyle. It has a Paulownia wood core with carbon stringers, a medium rocker and a moderate flex for soft landings. The Vapor Apex is Cabrinha's big air specialist. The Paulownia core is fully wrapped in carbon, the rocker is low and continuous, and the tips are stiff to give you hold on heavy landings. Thanks to the Variable Angled Rail you keep your grip even when you load the edge hard for take-off. This board is made for experienced riders who jump high. Also check out all big air twintips.

Cabrinha Stylus
The Stylus is Cabrinha's light wind freeride board. With its large size, available in 150 and 160 cm, you get planing early and keep riding when the wind drops. That makes the Stylus a handy addition to your quiver for light wind days, for example on lakes and inland water. Check out all light wind kiteboards.

Earlier Cabrinha twintips

Cabrinha Xcaliber and Tronic
For years the Xcaliber was Cabrinha's freeride and freestyle twintip. Around 2013 it was designed for Italian freestyler Alby Rondina, with a wood core with some carbon, a medium flex and a combination of concaves and channels for grip. Later versions included the Xcaliber Carbon. The Tronic from the same period was a twintip with rounded tips and a surf-style outline, which you could also ride with boots for wakestyle. If you come across one of these boards second-hand, you get a solid board for freeriding and your first tricks.

Cabrinha CBL
The CBL was Cabrinha's wakestyle and cable board. It was built for the park and for wakestyle, a discipline where many riders use kite boots, and stayed in the range until at least 2024. Looking for a board for wakestyle tricks? See if there is a CBL among our second-hand kiteboards.

Cabrinha surfboards

Cabrinha Skillit
The Skillit is Cabrinha's all-round surfboard for everyday waves, from small to medium surf. The board has a medium rocker, a wide point slightly forward and a DSV bottom with a light Apex Pro Carbon layup. With three fins and a full EVA deck pad, the Skillit is ready to ride. A good first step if you are moving from a twintip to a directional.

Cabrinha S-Quad
The S-Quad is Cabrinha's performance surfboard and was already part of the surf line in 2019 as a board for power surfing. It is made to drive hard through your turns on steep, powerful waves. The current S-Quad has four fins, a high nose rocker, a DSV bottom and an Apex Pro Carbon layup. This is the board for riders who come alive when the waves get serious.

Cabrinha Rocket
The Rocket is Cabrinha's surfboard for riders who want to carve hard and fast in straps. It is built for powered conditions, on flat water and in the waves: quick turns, high speed and jumps, as well as downwinders and long-distance sessions. The board has a DSV bottom, a rocker that runs from medium in the nose to low in the tail, and a wide point in the middle. Four fins in a quad setup give grip and control when you go full throttle. The Rocket has an Apex Pro Carbon layup and comes in 5'5", for riders of roughly 65 to 95 kg.

Cabrinha Arcade
The Arcade is Cabrinha's strapless surfboard for freestyle and small waves. It is made to take your strapless airs further, and stays fun when the waves are small or when you pop off flat water. The board has a compact outline, a round nose, a wide point set slightly back and a DSV bottom. Thanks to the low rocker you get up to speed quickly. Three fins in a thruster setup make for easy take-offs and loose but balanced turns. The Arcade has an Apex Pro Carbon layup and comes in 4'10" for riders of 50 to 75 kg and in 5'1" for riders of 75 to 100 kg.

Cabrinha Phantom
The Phantom is Cabrinha's kite surfboard for bigger, more powerful waves. It came out in 2023, and the bigger the waves, the more it comes into its own. You mainly ride it with straps, but strapless works too. It has a round pin tail, a slim outline, a progressive rocker and a deep single concave. The board has five fin boxes: ride it as a thruster for a looser feel or as a quad for more speed and long carves. The Phantom is built with IsoFlex, a light fibreglass sandwich around an EPS core, and comes in 5'6" and 5'9".

Cabrinha Method
The Method is Cabrinha's strapless kite surfboard for riders who are mainly in it for the tricks. It is made for strapless freestyle and aerials, from technical spins to high strapless jumps. The board has a square nose, a fast rocker and a channel in the tail that flows into a single concave. That gives speed, grip on your rail and more pop for your jumps. The Method is a three-fin thruster and has the same IsoFlex construction as the Phantom. With sizes from 4'10" to 5'4" it is compact, which helps with tricks and board-offs.

Earlier Cabrinha surfboards
Cabrinha has made plenty of surfboards over the years. The Secret Weapon was a modern take on a retro surfboard, with a round nose, a wide swallow tail and four fins. It was aimed at riders who surfed changing waves and also rode strapless freestyle. In 2019 the surf line consisted of the S-Quad plus the X:Breed for surf and freestyle, the Cutlass for small to medium waves and the Spade, a versatile performance surfboard that had been on the podium. You can still find these boards among our second-hand kiteboards, often at a good price if you are looking for your first surfboard.

Cabrinha foilboards

Cabrinha Logic
The Logic is Cabrinha's kite foilboard, which you can also use for pumping or tow foiling behind a boat. The board is compact, low in volume and has an Apex Pro Carbon construction, which makes it stiff and light. A wider tail and a straighter centre section add stability and make it more forgiving on a touchdown. Adjustable inserts let you position your foil exactly right. The Logic comes in a smaller, faster size and a larger size with more volume and forgiveness. Cabrinha also makes foilboards for wing foiling, downwinding and prone foiling, such as the Code, the Swift, the Quest and the Bump.

Cabrinha AV8
The AV8 was Cabrinha's high-end foilboard with a race-oriented design. It arrived in 2019 as part of the AV8 collection, together with the AV8 kite, an AV8 foil and a bar with race trim. The board is made of 100% carbon around an EPS core, which makes it light and stiff. Bevelled rails give you more room to lean the board over in a turn, and an extended planing surface makes it efficient. You mount your foil with a Pro box connection, and three footstrap positions let you set it up for your style. The Cabrinha AV8 foilboard is aimed at riders who want to foil efficiently and fast. Check out all foilboards and hydrofoils.

Buying a previous-season or second-hand Cabrinha kiteboard

The shape largely determines how a Cabrinha kiteboard rides, the construction determines how much weight, stiffness and feedback you get. Cabrinha updates its boards with each collection, but not every model changes every year and names can change. A Cabrinha kiteboard that is a few seasons old can therefore still be a good choice, as a previous-season model or second-hand. With a second-hand board, check the condition of the rails, inserts and fins in particular. Fins, screws, handles and pads and straps can be ordered separately among the Cabrinha spare parts.

Which Cabrinha kiteboard suits you depends on three things: your level, what you want to do on the water and your weight. In short: the Spectrum is the beginner board, the Ace the all-rounder, the Xcal the freestyle board, the Vapor the big air board and the Stylus the light wind board. For waves you choose the Skillit, S-Quad or Phantom, for hard carving the Rocket, for strapless freestyle the Arcade or Method, and for kitefoiling the Logic. Below you'll find which Cabrinha kiteboard fits each type of rider best.

Your first board after kite lessons: Cabrinha Spectrum. Fresh out of lessons, you want a twintip that planes easily, rides calmly over the water and forgives small mistakes. The Spectrum does exactly that. A single concave and a medium rocker make it predictable, and the flex smooths out chop and your first landings. You won't outgrow it quickly either: the Spectrum is made for beginners up to intermediate freeriders. With sizes up to 152 cm there is also a board for heavier riders. Check out all Cabrinha beginner twintips.

Freeriding and progressing to jumps: Cabrinha Ace. Can you ride upwind on your own and do you want to learn your first jumps and tricks? Then the Ace is the logical next step. It is Cabrinha's versatile freeride and freestyle twintip, with more grip and pop than the Spectrum. Torn between the standard Ace and the Ace Apex? The standard version feels softer and more comfortable, while the Ace Apex with carbon is more direct and gives more back in powered sessions. Check out all Cabrinha twintips.

Lighter build: Cabrinha Ace in a small size. If you are on the light side, look at the smaller sizes of the Ace, which starts at 120 cm. As a lighter rider you get a board you can put on its rail without much force and that doesn't feel too stiff in a turn. A board that is too big is actually hard to control at a low weight once the wind picks up.

Freestyle and unhooked tricks: Cabrinha Xcal. Going for backrolls, kiteloops and your first unhooked tricks? Then you want plenty of grip and a board that stays locked in at take-off. That is why the Xcal has extra channels along the rails and a double concave in the centre. For most freestylers the wood Xcal is the best choice: light, predictable and forgiving on landings. The Xcal Apex is stiffer and more responsive, and is meant for experienced freestylers who know exactly what they want from their board. Want a tighter connection to your board? Pair it with kite boots.

Jumping as high as possible: Cabrinha Vapor or Vapor Apex. If your sessions are all about height and hangtime, look at the Vapor. The standard Vapor has a wood core with carbon stringers and a moderate flex, so landings stay soft. That makes it a great choice if you are just starting to jump higher. The Vapor Apex is the true big air specialist: full carbon, with stiff tips and a rail that keeps biting when you load hard for take-off. You get the most out of it once you can already put serious load on your edge. Check out all Cabrinha big air twintips.

Often light wind at your spot: Cabrinha Stylus. On lakes and inland water the wind is often just too light for your regular board. The Stylus is made for exactly that. At 150 or 160 cm long and with a large surface area, you get planing early and keep riding when the wind fades. Pair it with a big light wind kite and you'll get many more hours on the water. Check out all Cabrinha light wind kiteboards and the matching Cabrinha kites.

Wave riding and carving with straps: Skillit, S-Quad, Phantom or Rocket. Choose a Cabrinha surfboard based on the waves you usually ride. The Skillit is the all-rounder for small to medium waves and a good first step when you move from a twintip to a directional. If you often ride steep, powerful waves, the four-fin S-Quad gives you more drive and grip in your bottom turn. The Phantom is made for bigger surf: with five fin boxes you ride it as a thruster for a loose feel or as a quad for fast, long carves. Mainly want to carve hard and fast in powered conditions, on flat water, in the waves or on a downwinder? Then the Rocket with its quad setup is made for you. Check out all Cabrinha surfboards and the matching surf pads and surf straps.

Strapless freestyle: Cabrinha Arcade or Method. For strapless airs and board-offs you want a compact board that stays under your feet and is easy to grab. The Arcade is the versatile choice: thanks to its low rocker you get up to speed quickly, and it stays fun in small waves or when you pop off flat water. You pick the size based on your weight: 4'10" for riders of 50 to 75 kg and 5'1" for 75 to 100 kg. If you are mainly after technical spins and high strapless jumps, the Method is the more specialised trick board, with sizes from 4'10" to 5'4". The square nose adds stability at take-off and the channel in the tail helps you release quickly from the water.

Kitefoiling: Cabrinha Logic. If you want to foil, the size of your foilboard decides how easily you get going. The Logic comes in two sizes. Just starting out with foiling? Choose the larger size: more volume and a wider tail make starts and touchdowns easier. Already foiling on your own and want a faster, lighter board for gybes and jumps? Then the smaller size is the better choice. Check out all Cabrinha foilboards and hydrofoils.

Standard or Apex: which suits you? The Ace, Xcal and Vapor come in two versions. The standard version has a wood core and feels smooth and forgiving. That is great for beginners, freeriders and anyone riding long sessions in chop. The Apex version has carbon, is stiffer and responds more directly. That suits advanced riders who jump hard or ride technical freestyle. Not sure? Go for the standard version: most kiters ride it more comfortably and for longer. Read more about the construction in the technology question.

What size Cabrinha kiteboard do you need? Your weight is the starting point, then you look at your level and the average wind at your spot. A bigger board helps in light wind and while you are still learning to hold your line upwind. A smaller board turns faster, is easier to control in strong wind and feels more playful in the air. Torn between two sizes? Send us a message with your weight, level and spot, and we'll help you choose. We keep a large range of Cabrinha boards in our own stock, so your new board ships express worldwide.

On a Cabrinha twintip you ride with pads & straps or with kite boots, on a Cabrinha surfboard or foilboard with separate straps or fully strapless. Cabrinha's own line is compact: the Source for twintips and the Ultralight Straps for directionals and foilboards. The Source is an adjustable footstrap for all-round performance. The pad has two foam densities, so you stand comfortably while keeping enough grip and balance. The strap wraps around your foot in one piece and adjusts precisely in both width and length, barefoot or with booties. With three duck stance settings you decide how your feet sit on the board. The Source fits almost any twintip with the standard 6 inch insert spacing, including other brands, and comes in three sizes. Check out all Cabrinha pads & straps.

If you ride a lot of unhooked freestyle or wakestyle, kite boots give you the locked-in connection to your board that those tricks need. Cabrinha's own boot is the H3, and thanks to the standard insert spacing you can also mount boots from other brands on your Cabrinha twintip without any trouble.

For surfboards and foilboards there are the Cabrinha Ultralight Straps. These are light straps you don't need to adjust, with minimal coverage and still a solid connection to your board. The foam has two densities, doesn't compress and absorbs very little water. You choose a set of two or three straps, with mounting hardware for both foam-core and wood-core boards. Riding strapless on a Cabrinha surfboard such as the Arcade or the Method? Then simply leave the straps off. Check out all Cabrinha surf straps and Cabrinha foilboards.