A Homecoming for North: New 2024 Kite and Foil Collections Launch
Mon 24th Jul, 2023 @ 8:10 am
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We ride free. We push against constraint, limitation, and anything that fences us in. There is only one North. #RunFlyBe – Embracing its North Sails heritage, North unveils a new brand identity and logo with the launch of its 2024 range. Each new design in the collection proudly displays the shared North Sails horizon icon. Dive into this exciting news right here!
“The horizon icon depicts the elements of wind over water. North lives at the intersection of these two fundamental and defining elements,” says Brand Director Mike Raper. “But the new North Sails logo on our 2024 kite and foil collections symbolises much more than wind over water. It also signifies a defining moment for North – a homecoming. Our history of innovation and passion for the water drive us forward. At North, we don’t follow currents. Instead, we lead with the latest technologies and brightest minds to make our own. We look to the horizon to find our way home,” says Mike.
North leverages the expertise of the world’s leading sailmaker, North Sails, to bring the latest revolutionary technologies and innovations to kiteboarding and foiling. The company was established in 1957 when Olympic gold medallist and aerospace engineer, Lowell North, sought to change the world of sailing through precision technology and the development of advanced materials.
“The North Kiteboarding brand was licensed to a competitor for almost twenty years. It came home in 2018, allowing us to recalibrate the brand, the equipment and the technology. We are now entering our fifth season since recalibration. People love the North brand and what we represent. Lowell’s purpose, creativity and competitive spirit continue to inspire our designs today. We are determined to drive our sports forward through unprecedented technical development,” says Mike.
Introducing the all-new Pro-Series
The North Pro-Series is a system to champion a new generation of the highest-performance products. With these, North continues to advance material technology, so riders can be confident to push harder, higher, and faster than ever in both extreme conditions and lighter winds.
“We are always asking “Where can there be more power, greater performance, more intuitive intelligence?”. And then, always: “How can it be simpler?”. The 2024 Pro-Series Performance Tier was driven by a desire to reconcile the excellence in the extremes,” says Mike.
The Atmos Pro Carbon, Charge Pro Futurelite, and Comp Pro Dynalite boards are in the Pro Series. There are also new Flex Pro TwinTip bindings, Loft Pro and Mode Pro wings.
North Advanced Textiles Material Innovation
N-Weave45, a new high-tensile strength woven fiber with x-ply reinforcement, is used in the new Loft Pro and Mode Pro. N-Weave45 creates a stiffer, lighter rig that holds its shape when under load and has a highly efficient power delivery. The biaxial 45-degree laminate helps to control the torsional stiffness of the airframe. An exclusive material by and for North.
- 3x stiffer on the 0deg warp direction
- 2x stiffer on the 45deg bias direction
- 30% lighter
*Compared to a traditional Dacron (176gsm)
Further in-house research and development has led to the introduction of two more high-performance materials in our wings and kites: Matrix N-HTRS Canopy and N-Max.
Matrix, a stretch-resistant canopy material designed specifically to handle the tension of the N-Weave45 airframe, further increases the wind range of the Mode Pro and maintains its shape in all conditions.
- specifically designed to handle higher loads of N-Weave45 airframe
- 2.5x stiffer in the 0/90deg warp/weft direction
- 5x stiffer in the 45deg bias direction
*Compared to a traditional canopy material.
N-Max Dacron in our Reach and Code Zero kites ensures the airframe meets structural demands without adding unnecessary weight or compromising strength and durability. With its lighter weight and more symmetrical weave, you’ll feel a crisper response, more direct steering and more dynamic recovery.
- 12 % lighter
- 21 % less elongation
*Compared to a standard Dacron (156gsm).
New 2024 Riderstyle Collections
Innovations outside the Pro Series range include the new ultra-minimalist Flex bindings and a new Short Throw Navigator Control System, designed especially for riders with a shorter reach.
The homecoming campaign comes ahead of the new season collection campaign launches, where each family of products will have its moment in the spotlight.
Join North as they journey through their different rider-style collections and meet the personalities who feature in each campaign: Jesse Richman, Nick Jacobsen, Graham Howes, Karlie Thoma, Capucine Delannoy, Camille Delannoy, Luca Ceruti, Jett Bradshaw, Cohan van Dijk, Marc Jacobs, Chucho Nonnot, Fabi Muhmenthaler, Marley Franco and Bowien van der Linden.
“We may have a new logo,but the brand hasn’t changed. We stand firm in our core design principles. We are engineered, refined and intuitive. We are North.” – Mike.
“You make history by looking ahead.”–Lowell North, Founder of North Sails
To find out more about North products, please click here.
