MACkite Wind Sports

About MACkite Wind Sports

Welcome to MACkite Wind Sports, your podcast destination for fun and interesting conversations about kiteboarding and the new sport of wing foiling! Join us as we explore your favorite wind sports from all angles, from kiteboarding and kitesurfing to kitefoiling, snowkiting, and wing foiling. Whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or expert, we'll do our best to keep things fresh and relevant for you. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, featuring over 1000 helpful and informative videos → https://www.youtube.com/@MACkiteboarding

Publisher

MACkiteboarding

Category

sports

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

10 Jan 2023

Latest episode

27 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

38 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   27 Aug 2026

   Ep. 38 | Parawinging Beyond the Swells | Cruising, Racing, and More

   Parawinging has exploded in the wind sports world over the past year and a half, and it's still often pigeonholed as a wave-riding toy: something you stash in one hand while riding swell, then pack away. In this episode, MACkite hosts Jeff and Tucker push past that narrow view and dig into everything parawinging has become. They start with the origin story, tracing how parawinging grew out of the same early excitement that shaped wing foiling: the appeal of riding waves without worrying about kite lines or a bulky wing blocking your view. But just as winging expanded from a wave-focused niche into freestyle, freeride, light wind, and jumping, parawinging is following a similar arc. Jeff and Tucker walk through the discipline-by-discipline breakdown, including: Wave riding, still one of the most incredible applications, with the freedom of one-handed or hands-free riding on a hydrofoil Light wind cruising, where a parawing can feel like kite foiling on short lines: playful, lifted, and easy to jet upwind Freeride handling, practicing tacks, jibes, and small tricks in flat water sessions Downwind foiling and touring, where quick setup and easy size-swapping make parawings ideal for changing conditions Race parawing, a developing category where kite-inspired construction and double-pole setups could turn parawinging into a legitimate speed sport They also get honest about the trade-offs. Unlike a wing, a parawing won't let you cheat marginal wind: it tells you exactly what's happening on the water. That means gear choice and conditions matter, and Jeff and Tucker lay out what "ideal" actually looks like (hint: 15 to 22 knots and as flat as you can find). A big chunk of the conversation is about low maintenance. No pump-up, no bladder to puncture, no Dacron frame to tear, and a wing that folds down small enough to carry two or three in a backpack. After a combined years of winging (with the torn wings and broken bladders to prove it), both hosts have logged zero equipment failures on their parawings so far. For anyone wondering if they should try parawinging, Jeff and Tucker offer real talk: if you're coming from a winging background, it's a fast, natural progression. If you're an experienced kite foiler comfortable switching feet and riding both directions, you can likely shorten your lines and pick it up quickly too. But if you're new to foiling altogether, don't expect the parawing to be a shortcut. Time on a foil board, standing balance, and general foiling comfort matter more than the wing itself. This episode is a great listen for kiteboarders and wingers curious about parawinging, riders trying to decide between a parawing vs. winging vs. kiting setup, or anyone chasing new ways to harness the wind on a hydrofoil. Jeff and Tucker cover gear sizing, beginner tips, foil progression, and where they see parawing gear heading next, from bigger light-wind sizes to dedicated race wings. Whether you're a longtime MACkite rider or just getting curious about wind sports, this conversation will change how you think about what a parawing session can be. Have questions about getting into parawinging, wing foiling, or kite foiling? Want help picking the right gear for your local conditions? Reach out to the MACkite team: Kiteboarder@MACkite.com (mailto:Kiteboarder@MACkite.com)

2. 

   26 Aug 2026

   Ep. 37 | From Kite to Wing | Why Kiteboarders Are Making the Switch

   Kiteboarding built a generation of wind sport addicts, but a new discipline is pulling riders off the beach launch and onto anything with a puddle and a breeze. In this episode, the MACkite crew sits down to unpack the biggest wind sport growth story of the last five years: winging (a.k.a. wing foiling). Hosts Jeff and Tucker, both longtime kiteboarders with roots stretching back to the sport's earliest days in the late '90s, get into a candid, occasionally spicy conversation about why so many experienced kiteboarders are adding wing foils to their quiver, or ditching the kite lines altogether. If you've noticed more of those little "butterfly" sails popping up on lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and even landlocked bayous that never used to see wind sports, this episode explains exactly why. Topics covered include: Accessibility. Why winging removes the biggest barrier to entry in kiteboarding: needing a wide-open beach, a clean wind window, and a safe self-launch/self-land setup. Winging works on small lakes, crowded beaches, and marginal wind spots where kiting simply isn't practical. The foil factor. Tucker's firsthand account of testing early prototype wings from brands like Slingshot, Duotone, and Naish before the sport was public, and how the transition from big, draggy kite foils to fast, efficient wing setups changed everything. Progression without the impact. An honest discussion about aging in action sports, how years of kiteboarding tricks and handle passes take a toll on shoulders, knees, and backs, and why winging offers a way to keep progressing at a high level without the same physical wear. The feeling of flow. Comparing the endorphin rush of a kiteboarding jump (a few seconds of air) to the sustained, surf-like glide of riding a foil on a wave for minutes at a time, the kind of flow state surfers, snowboarders, and paragliders chase. Lower intimidation, safer learning curve. No relaunching, no line tension, no getting yanked downwind. Just paddle out, get up, and if things go wrong, paddle back in. The hosts break down why winging feels more approachable for newer riders and why the consequences of a mistake are generally lower than in kiteboarding. Wind range and versatility. How wing foiling opens up ridable conditions from roughly 5 to 50 knots, making it possible to get out far more often than traditional kiteboarding allows. Whether you're a die-hard kiteboarder who's been eyeing the wing foilers out on the water, a rider looking for a new challenge that's easier on the body, or someone who's never tried either sport and wants to understand the current wind sport landscape, this conversation lays out the real reasons behind winging's explosive growth and why it might be worth adding to your own quiver. MACkite has been on the front edge of wind sports since the late 1990s, teaching kiteboarding lessons since 1999 and selling gear even earlier. This episode continues that tradition of hands-on, rider-to-rider knowledge sharing for anyone curious about where wind sports are headed next. Got questions about getting started in winging or want to talk gear? Reach out anytime, we're happy to help you get set up. Get in touch: Kiteboarder@MACkite.com (mailto:Kiteboarder@MACkite.com)

3. 

   24 Oct 2025

   From World Champion to Innovator | Aaron Hadlow with the Brazilian Brothers

   In this episode, the Brazilian Brothers sit down with one of kiteboarding’s all-time greats—Aaron Hadlow. From learning to ride with his dad in the late ‘90s to becoming a five-time World Champion and King of the Air winner, Aaron shares how his lifelong pursuit of progression shaped both his riding and the sport itself. The conversation dives deep into Aaron’s evolution from freestyle to big air, the physical and creative challenges along the way, and what it’s been like to help design next-generation kites with Harlem Kitesurfing alongside Ralf Groesel. Aaron opens up about why he left Duotone, the breakthrough technology behind Harlem’s Thrive and Peak kites, and how his mindset toward innovation continues to push kiteboarding forward. Whether you’re a diehard fan or just discovering the sport, this episode captures the passion, humility, and technical insight of one of kiteboarding’s most respected riders. Stick around until the end for talk of Aaron’s upcoming freestyle project and his mission to mentor the next generation of riders. Listen now and hear what keeps a true legend inspired after two decades at the top.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

9,726,792

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 78 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

89

Social presence

94

YouTube

93

Engagement

27

Contact MACkite Wind Sports

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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