Fit your kiteboard to your physique
24.02.2023
Imagine, kitesurfing is your passion for which everything gives way and one good session is all you need to forget about your troubles of the day. Wait, you don’t have to imagine that, that’s a given reality. But now imagine having one frustrating session after another because your gear is not doing what it should. A not so pretty picture, but reality for some…
Where it once all began
As you may know, Appletree started in 2006 in a small shed on an apple orchard in the Netherlands. The first kitesurf boards made by the brother team Wieger and Jorrit were mainly for themselves and their friends.
The frequent breaking of a surfboard during their kite sessions caused a lot of frustration. Jorrit and Wieger challenged themselves to make more durable kite surfboards that would last longer and could not only withstand the forces of kitesurfing, but also the forces of often large Dutch blokes.
In 2014, after much testing and failed constructions, they could say with certainty that they had developed a technology that was completely unique in the surfing world. Resulting in extremely strong and durable boards.
All kinds of riders
Whereas in Appletree’s early days the focus may have been on shapes suitable for Jorrit and Wieger themselves, their friends and Dutch kite conditions, that focus soon broadened.
What Jorrit and Wieger find most important is making boards that bring out the best in a rider, ensuring someone can enjoy one ultimate session after another. Besides wanting to produce durable boards, a lot of time and effort is devoted to developing the best shapes for all types of riders.
Something was missing in our lineup
Over the years, Appletree has managed to create a great line-up of boards. For all kinds of conditions and all kinds of riders. Board models are scaled to suit both large riders and lighter and petite riders. That means not only offering small or big sizes, but also adjusting all the ratios.
Feedback from team rider Catharina and others showed how frustrating the search for a proper kite surfboard for lighter or petite riders could be. Catharina reflected that her riding improved a lot when she started riding Appletree boards.
For the first time, the boards felt much more tailored to her physique and riding style. Her interest in board design also started to grow as a result.
Lightweight and petite riders
Together with Catharina, the idea sparked to design a board specifically for lightweight riders from the ground up.
After trying all our board models and testing numerous prototypes, we ended up with the Apelviken model! Named after the bay in Sweden where Catharina learned to kitesurf. A board packed with features that will bring out the best in a lightweight rider!
