Tribal Feature
Tribal Review
Andy Preston Interview
Tribal Video
Discuss this Feature

kHiTe catches up with Andy Preston designer of the Stranger, the Psycho, the Matrix, the Stranger Level 7 and the new Tribal.

kHiTe: Andy, great to talk to you. What have you been up to these last few years?

Its been an interesting time for me since I left Flexi. It took a couple of years for people to realize I wasn't with them any more. I have been flying kitesurf kites of all descriptions over the last few years and it has now become my favorite pastime when the wind is right. If its too low for kitesurfing I spar up an old friend and throw a few 540s for a laugh. Its amazing how many days on the beach are windless for kitesurfing and perfect for deltas. I write stuff for the new Powerkite Magazine, mainly about my experiences and what I've learnt through trial and error over the last 12 years. I have done a range of intermediate Ram Air power kites for the Spanish company Eolo-Gayla as well as the new Tribal which is what started this chat. I also have started my own company called Stage Two Kiteboarding, which specializes in top of the range Bars, Quad handles and other stuff for power kites. Not cheap but people like them. Lastly, I organized a competition for kitesurfing in Senegal which finished in Febuary this year. So in all I have been very busy!

kHiTe: It's been a long time since you designed a freestyle sport kite? Why now?

Well the reason that I have made this kite now is the collaboration of Eolo and myself. I had numerous designs on the computer, but no time to make them, after they asked me to design the Radsail Pro it was only natural that some of the deltas would see the light of day too.

kHiTe: What were you trying to achieve with the Tribal?

The Tribal was something I wanted to do for a while, a nice 4 stand off kite in between the size of the Psycho and the Stranger, something which would fade and do most of the new school stuff without compromising the powered up feel which I try to get with all my kites. I think it came out ok, a little faster than I had predicted, but that's fine by me; I like a kite that keeps you on your toes.

kHiTe: How do you feel about the 'French Revolution' and the wrap up tricks people are flying today?

I love all the wrap up stuff, remember the Tricky Flickery video? The last section was on full Yo Yo's. They were a bit sketchy back then but we didn't have line stoppers on the leading edge, which incidentally I think are a good idea. Bring it on!

kHiTe: Is there more crossover between Power Kiting and Freestyle flying these days?

It's weird that you should mention that as I was talking to Chris Matheson about it the other day. In a word Yes ... But it takes a while and a lot of wipeouts before you can throw a loop with the kite whilst still being airborne. The feeling of control is almost the same, without the ability to throw a flat spin!

Like I was saying earlier, I have flown my deltas at various events when there has been no wind and every time some surfer comes over wondering "how the hell do you make a kite do that" which always amuses me. After a few goes they're on the way to the kite shop for a delta. So I think there will be more crossover with the kitesurfers in the future as they get a super light wind delta kit.

kHiTe: Thanks Andy for your time. Any last thoughts?

Fly safe as possible.
Look out for Level 8!