Ten Questions: Reed Brady

Reed Brady has grown up around the ocean, and his talents on the water know no bounds, he’s the subject of our Ten Questions feature this issue!

Reed Brady is a jack-of-all-trades, master of all! Reed grew up in southern Oregon and has been kiteboarding and surfing since the age of eleven. He is involved in Slingshot Sports Research and Development, and an absolute shredder on the water whether it's on a twintip, surfboard or a foil. We had the pleasure to get to know Reed a little better this issue by asking him 10 questions! 

Reed, tell us a little bit about yourself. Where did you grow up, what activities did you enjoy as a kid and how did you get into kiteboarding?

I learned to kiteboard at the ripe age of 12 on a windblown lake in Southern Oregon. The lake borders the Pacific Ocean and our family owns a kiting school, as well as a B&B there. I was a feral little child growing up, and my brother and I would get involved in any activity involving the water. Most of our childhood consisted of “shore poundings” in the ocean, hunting for golf balls, and making homemade weapons to hurt each other with!

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You're currently in Michigan for the 'King of the Great Lakes’, could you tell us a little about the event?

King of the Great Lakes, or KOGL, is an expo/demo hosted by Mac Kiteboarding every year, at a beautiful spot on Lake Michigan. It’s a fantastic event that brings many top riders and companies to the area.

How long have you been a Slingshot Team rider and what is your favourite set up? What changes in the 2019 gear have you mainly noticed?

I have been with Slingshot since day one, minus a three-year hiatus with a different company. My go-to gear is the SST for waves and foiling, and the RPM for freestyle. The main difference I feel in the 2019 gear, is the lighter construction in the boards and durability of the components. The new RPM is coming out soon with some exciting changes.

You are involved in Research and Development at Slingshot, how did you get into that and what are your plans for the future?

Slingshot is like family to me, and in recent years they have been giving me gear to try out and provide feedback. In the future, I’d like to implement some of my ideas into their equipment.

If you weren't involved in kiteboarding at all and let's hypothetically say, you could turn back time and start over, what would you be doing instead?

Surfing...100%! I grew up doing surfing all the time, but if I could go back and make it my sole passion, I undoubtedly would. I would love to be a John John Florence!

We've seen you ride in a variety of different disciplines, which do you prefer most, why and where?

I aspire to be a well-rounded waterman, and any aspect of the sport that allows for more water time is fine by me! I grew up riding twin tip boards, then moved on to strapless surfing, and eventually hopped on the foil train. Lately, I’ve been finding myself foiling a lot more often, primarily because it’s a new and exciting challenge for me. The main discipline I prefer would have to be in the waves; it’s an ever-changing playground!

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Who is your ultimate inspiration in the kiteboarding industry and why?

Richard Branson, just because he’s Richard Branson! A lot of my inspiration comes from the innovators of the sport like Tony Lagoz, Cory Roeseler, Lou Wainman, and more. Anyone that can keep the fire stoked with new innovative ideas!

Can you talk us through a typical windy day in the life of Reed Brady?

A typical windy day for me consists of eating an unhealthy amount of food and panicking about the wind. Once the wind picks up, there is even more panicking as I try to decide what to ride for the session; the struggle is real! One and a half to two and a half hours on the water, and then preferably a large burrito waiting for me for a post-shred treat!

We've all experienced sessions on the water where everything goes wrong! Can you tell us about your most memorable worst day?

My most memorable worst day would have to be when I blew out my ACL, MCL, and meniscus in one shot while riding boots; it's not fun being out of the water for eight months. However, my most recent incident was when I began a five or six-mile downwinder, and at the very beginning of the run, my harness rope slider snapped, which isn’t unusual, but I managed to remedy the situation by wearing my harness backwards and hooking straight into the leash rope. My back wasn’t feeling too good after the session!

Last question! We all know Hood River is one of the top kiteboarding destinations; where else would you recommend in the USA for kiteboarding?

Floras Lake in Oregon and the beautiful Sherman Island in California have to be my favourite kiteboarding destinations!

Thank you Reed, it’s been a pleasure!