D2 = DURABILITY x DYNAMIC

All 2011 North Kiteboarding Kites are now built using the highest quality Technoforce D² material. D² stands for Dynamic and Durability. Over the past years the North Kiteboarding R&D team has been experimenting with exclusive Technoforce D² material and developing it closely together with Teijin, the market leader in canopy materials. Multiple tests over the years have consistently produced the same results:
• Technoforce D² material offers a 40% higher breaking strength
• 70% higher tearing strength and also improved flying characteristics.
The main advantage of Technoforce D² is less broken kites due to way higher durability than other canopy materials – even after years of heavy use. One main reason for this is the unique coating system of the D² material. Each individual thread is first coated before being woven together and then completely coated again to produce the final material. This ensures that even if the outer coating is beginning to wear thin after years of heavy use and UV exposure, the individual threads are still protected and the material remains crisp and durable. Technoforce D² also features a unique double ripstop construction which significantly increases diagonal stiffness.
Because of the dynamic load transmissions placed on kites, stiffness has a massive influence on flying characteristics. Practical tests have shown better flying performance of kites with Technoforce D² compared to typical canopy cloth due to this higher diagonal stiffness. The stiffer structure of the entire kite geometry ensures that all kites feel more solid and crispy and react immediately on steering commands. Load transmissions working on 3 dimensional bodies are variable, besides warp and weft the stiffness has an massive influence on the flying characteristics. Due to the unique double ripstop construction, Technoforce D² offers a significant higher stiffness concerning diagonal stiffness then common clothing. This is the key to the stiffer structure of the whole kite geometry and this is the reason why all kites feels more solid, crispy and react immediately on steering commands.
From now on, all North Kiteboarding Kites are built with Technoforce D² material. There’s simply no better choice of canopy material.

Batten Pockets are built of sticky-back Insignia cloth lining the canopy surface where battens are located. This combines with heavy, abrasionresistant nylon fabric on surfaces that come between the batten and sources of abrasion damage, such as hard sand beaches. We’ve allowed a Rhino prototype to tumble in surf and white water for a time to test the construction. There was no damage to batten pockets or canopy.

A necessary quality standard are the Aramid Reinforcements, added in highly exposed areas such as the Micro Batten pockets and the leading edge scuff pads. These reinforcements reduce wear from everyday use and increase the durability and life of your kite.

Our revolutionary and patent-pending Cam Battens are made of flexible nylon and improve the stability of the canopy and reduce the drag of the kite. The Cam Battens allow us to achieve a deeper profile and make the kites more powerful. The deeper canopy combined with a round entry profile gives better stall resistance, which yields not only better low end power but also better hang-time. Cam Battens also give the kite much better upwind abilities and very good stability in the sky.

The combination of Re-launch Bungees and our new low profile batten pockets and thin strut ends helps prevent any lines from snagging anywhere on the kite during relaunch.
- Batten Pocket Construction
- Thin Rip Ends
- Relaunch Bungee

The fusion 10 is a completely new connection between the strut and leading edge. In contrast to normal connections, the forces are no longer supported by a webbing strap but by a flexible line. The line ensures a perfectly clean connection of strut to leading edge even with the smallest struts and offers our strongest strut connection ever. Just a little revolution in strut technology!

These connectors prevent the number one cause of kite accidents by ensuring that front lines cannot be attached to the back of the kite and back lines cannot be attached to the front.

These loops attached to the inside of the wingtips make it easier to hold the kite for bodydrag rescue.

One valve for inflating, one valve for deflating the whole kite.

In order to make the relaunch easier and to avoid any possible line tangling, we've added Relaunch Bungees at the kite tip. The bungees keep the lines lying slick against the inside of the leading edge, preventing any line from going over the top of the kite during the relaunch.

More powerful kite profiles means that the canopy has to carry higher loads resulting in a distorted profile and loss of efficiency. The Load Distribution Panels spread the load from the lines to a wider area keeping the profile smooth and distinct and allowing the kite to perform with maximum efficiency at all times.

At NKB we strive to make the most innovative, durable and user-friendly products on the market. It’s often the smallest details that make a difference and for 2011 we took a even closer look at all existing production details and continued to improve them one by one after a great quality advantage in 2010. The result of our extensive construction overhaul is what we call PROGRESSION 10: A very detailed catalogue of product features that are simple yet highly effective for quality and performance. By simplifying the production process and standardizing single parts of products throughout our range, the construction process and the number of parts needed has been greatly optimized. For the first time ever computer supported sewing machines have been implemented, guaranteeing a perfect stitch that is durable and of the highest quality. Cloth cutting processes have also been optimized, allowing us to use more expensive and higher quality materials that are lighter and more durable. Even the seam construction diagram has been changed from the classic zigzag stitch to a stronger triple zigzag. All top are now stitched and glued. The list of improvements is long and peppered with completely new innovations like the Fusion 10 and the new pigtails.
Before any product can leave the factory, it must pass all quality inspections and check points. Every production process is defined in the smallest detail and accurately logged, allowing us to achieve the highest level of quality control for every single product. With the sum of innovations, new materials, construction changes and quality control procedures, the standard of our products has risen to an entirely new level.

Dacron Leading Edges & Ribs: For all heavily stresses areas, North canopies are manufactured from top-quality 170g or 175g Dacron. This material is equipped with the best possible breaking strength characteristics with usual kite materials and, moreover, it will never delaminate.

The low-drag ribs require a high inflation pressure, thus all valves at the chambers of the Rhino06 are self-closing. Thanks to the worked-in drainage functionality, the air can be let out within a few seconds.