Kite - Allround

Welcome to the Kitemana Q&A on Allround/ Freeride kites. Allround/ Freeride kites are the most common kites you will see at the kite spot. Therefore, our selection is large and making a choice can be tough, especially if you are a beginner and new to the sport of kiteboarding. Below you can find our answers to the most common question kitesurfers have regarding Allround/ Freeride kites. Have a read below and please always feel free to contact us for support. We have English, Dutch and German native speakers in our customer service team, who are experts and happy to help!

Which freeride kite is the best allround kite?
Which features are important in freeride/ allround kites?
What is the difference between a five strut vs. a three strut freeride kite?
Which Allround/ Freeride kite brands does Kitemana stock?
What is the difference between all-round kites and freeride kites?
What is the shape of a freeride kite?
What is the best size for freeride kites?
Which freeride kites are suitable for beginners?


At Kitemana we only stock kites from premium kite brands that all perform very well for their intended use. A great all-round freeride kite has a medium bar pressure and a lot of depower, as well as responds fast and is stable in the wind window. This applies to many kites, especially three strut kites, but which one is the best freeride kite depends on personal preferences! No worries, we will help you to find your ideal freeride kite – just give us a call!

Most freeride/ allround kites are developed to jump well, equipped with a great depower and being easy to handle and stable in the sky. Another aspect to consider is the bar pressure and turning speed. Some riders prefer faster and more responsive freeride kites than others. All freeride/ allround kites go upwind very well and are easy to relaunch.

Within the freeride discipline, you will find kites with five struts as well as three-struters. Mostly, five-strut-kites are high performance freeride kites that are developed for jumping high. Those beasts can generate huge amounts of power and are optimized for boosting (up to 34.8m). Three strut kites are the other common type of freeride kites. They tend to be better all-round or hybrid kites that are easier to handle and designed to cover several kite disciplines.

Kitemana stocks all premium kite brands. You can find out more about each brand following the links below.

Airush: BY INNOVATORS FOR INNOVATORS
Cabrinha: LIVE FREE. RIDE FREE.
Core Kiteboarding: PREMIUM KITES & BOARDS FROM FEHMARN, GERMANY.
Duotone Kiteboarding: TRUE KITEBOARDING.
F-One: ENJOY ALL CONDITIONS, TRY OUT NEW THINGS, OPEN UP YOUR PLAYGROUND
North: FOR THE SEEKERS.
Ozone: INSPIRED BY NATURE · DRIVEN BY THE ELEMENTS
Reedin Kiteboarding: IMAGINE KITEBOARDING #BEYOND
Slingshot: THE ART OF POWER


All-round kites fall into the freeride category at Kitemana. Allround kites most often have three struts and are more versatile in their use. They tend to have lower bar pressures than other freeride kites and better drifting abilities, so you can enjoy twintip sessions on them as well as have fun on your directional kiteboard and play in the waves or use them in lightwind for foiling.

Freeride kites with five struts are often more bow shaped. These bow shape kites or SLE kites (supported leading edge) have a wider arc and a higher aspect ratio and a bridle line system that supports the profile of the kite. Three strut-freeride-kites often have a hybrid shape, where advantages a bow kites and c-shaped-kites are combined. These are also called Open-C or Dela-C-Shape. For more details on that, you can check our Blog on Kite Design Basics .

The ideal size for your freeride kite depends on your quiver size, as well as your own body weight and size, home spot and your riding style. Obviously, for lighter winds and heavy riders, a bigger kite size will get you going, but if you prefer oldschool tricks a bigger kite offers more stability and hang time. Smaller kites are more agile and a lot faster and tend to jump higher, especially in strong winds.

All-round kites are often more suitable for beginners, as they often fulfill the four important requirements every beginner kite should always meet:

Good upwind abilities

Forgiving flight characteristics

High versatility

Easy relaunch