Duotone grew out of North Kiteboarding, and every shape is tested by the team riders before it goes into production. The shape sets a board's character. The construction then decides how much weight, stiffness, damping and feedback you get. That's why most Duotone boards come in more than one construction with the same shape. These are the technologies you'll find in the current range.

SLS (Strong Light Superior), twintips SLS combines Textreme Innegra fibres with upcycled carbon reinforcements on a 45-degree biax carbon base. Innegra damps vibration, so the board stays calm in chop, while the carbon gives you lively, controlled pop. You'll find SLS versions of the Select, Soleil, Jaime and Spike, and the TS Big Air is built in SLS only.

Concept Blue, twintips Concept Blue is Duotone's lower-impact construction: a flax top layer with basalt stringers and a basalt base. Shape and riding behaviour match the regular model, with a slightly more natural, damped flex. It's available on the Select, Soleil, Jaime and Spike. On top of that, the whole twintip range now uses bio-based rails.

D/LAB and SLS, surfboards and foilboards D/LAB is the top construction. On the surfboards it pairs a 45-degree carbon biax with a thin layer of Reflex Memory Foam laminated on top of the core, instead of cork. That foam springs back, so heel dents largely push themselves out, and the board is noticeably lighter. SLS surfboards use a glass biax with a cork shock absorber: roughly 15% heavier than D/LAB, at a friendlier price. The Whip, Volt and Blur come in both, with identical sizing.

Double Concave and Double Diffuser bottoms Duotone twintips run a Double Concave bottom: mellow on the freeride boards for a smooth ride, deeper on the TS Big Air for extra grip at take-off. The Jaime adds the Double Diffuser, channels in the tips that break the water surface on landing. That gives you grip and precise feedback, and lets Duotone use a stiffer flex for more pop without losing comfort. The latest version has straighter tail channels.

Previous generations Riding an older Duotone? Then you'll come across other names. Textreme carbon gave the Team Series and Gambler their stiff, direct feel. Carbon Beams, strips of unidirectional carbon replacing part of the glass fibre, sharpened the flex of earlier Premium boards. On the surfboards, the Light Team Construction used a visible cork shock absorber under the deck, and a Technora net helped protect boards against cracks from repeated heavy impacts. All proven tech, which is why a Duotone board from a few seasons back can still be a great buy.

Which Duotone board suits you depends on your level, your riding style and the spot you ride most often. The shape determines the board's character, while the construction determines how much performance and comfort you get out of it. Below we go through the range by type of rider.

You're still learning to kite. Then you want a board that forgives your mistakes rather than punishing them. The Gonzales is made for exactly that: a round outline, soft flex and flex tips that take the sting out of your landings. It gets up on the plane early and goes upwind easily, the two things most riders struggle with at the start. It comes in sizes from 130 to 151 cm, so there's always a size that matches your weight. Browse all Duotone beginner kiteboards.

You want one twintip that does it all. Then the Select is the logical choice. This is the all-rounder of the range: comfortable through chop, fast upwind and early to plane, with enough pop to keep jumping. The medium flex makes it sporty without wearing you out after two hours. It's available as the Select SLS and the Select Concept Blue, in sizes from 135 x 39 to 144 x 42 cm. Also browse our other twintips.

You want to jump as high as possible. Then you'll end up with the Jaime or the TS Big Air SLS. The Jaime is the classic of the line-up and combines lots of grip with hard pop, without becoming a handful on days when you just want to cruise. Going purely for height? Then the TS Big Air SLS is the board designed for exactly that, with a double rocker line for extra grip on take-off. It comes in 136 x 41 and 139 x 42 cm. Browse all Duotone big air kiteboards.

You're into unhooked freestyle and wakestyle. Then you want a stiffer board that doesn't give way on take-off. The Team Series Freestyle is the competition board from the team quiver, with a suspension flex cap that counters reverse flex and deep tip channels for grip when you load up. Riding mainly in boots, on kickers and obstacles? Then the Team Series Park or the Gambler is a better match. Browse all freestyle twintips.

You're looking for a board tuned to a smaller frame. The Soleil has the same freeride DNA as the Select, but with a narrower outline and a softer flex. That keeps the board light to steer, and you need less force to hold it on edge. Available as the Soleil SLS and the Soleil Concept Blue. Browse all women's twintips.

You're looking for a board for your child. The Shred is the youth model in the range, in 128 x 37 cm with a soft fibreglass construction. Small and light enough to really steer, but built on the same shape principles as the bigger boards, so moving up later comes naturally. Browse all kids' twintips.

You want to ride even when the wind lets you down. Then the Spike is your saviour. A large surface area, flat rocker and angled rails mean you're already planing and heading upwind while everyone else is still waiting on the beach. It's available as the Spike SLS and the Spike Concept Blue, in 151 x 43 and 153 x 46.5 cm. On inland lakes and other light wind spots, a board like this adds a good number of extra sessions to your season. Browse all Duotone light wind kiteboards.

You want to hit the waves. Duotone's directionals are shaped by Sky Solbach and grouped by wave size. The Whip is short, wide and compact: low swing weight, so it's quick from rail to rail in small to medium waves. When there's real swell, grab the Blur, with more rocker and a round tail for control on a steep face. The Wam and the Session are the predecessors the Blur grew out of, and still great boards if you come across one. Browse all surfboards.

You want to land strapless tricks. Then you're looking for a flat rocker and a wide tail that works like a springboard. The Voke SLS is the pure freestyle board for that, developed with Airton Cozzolino and ridden by James Carew, among others. In the current range, the Provoke is its successor. Want to combine freestyle with regular wave riding? Then the Whip and the Fish are more playful and more forgiving.

You want to ride a directional in light wind. Then a board with plenty of surface area works best. The Fish has a wide outline and extra volume, planes early and feels stable underfoot, even if you're just starting out with directional kiting. The Whip and the Volt also work well in weak, small waves and feel a bit looser in the turn. That way you don't have to skip a light wind day.

You ride a foil. Then it's all about volume and length. The Pace is the freeride board of the range, with a high nose rocker and enough volume to get going in light wind too. The Pace SLS is the same shape in prepreg carbon and ranges from 17.2 to 23.6 litres, so you feel exactly what the foil is doing beneath you. Going racing? Then the Indy D/LAB with its padless deck is the specialist. The Hybrid SLS is the crossover: a surfboard shape with foil inserts, so you can ride waves in the morning and bolt on your foil in the afternoon. Browse all hydrofoils.

What's the difference between SLS, D/LAB and Concept Blue? The shape stays the same, the construction changes. SLS stands for Strong Light Superior and combines Textreme Innegra with carbon: lighter, better damped in chop and with controlled pop. D/LAB is the top construction. On the surfboards it includes a Reflex Memory Foam shock absorber instead of cork, which saves weight and pushes heel dents back out over time. Concept Blue focuses on a more conscious choice of materials and production, with the same ride as the regular model.

What size do you need? That depends on your weight, your level and the wind at your local spot. As a rule of thumb, a longer board gets up on the plane earlier and goes upwind more easily, while a shorter board is looser and more direct in the air. Torn between two sizes or two models? Feel free to get in touch for no-obligation advice. We ship express worldwide. You're also welcome to drop by: in our megastore in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, we're happy to put the boards side by side for you.

The right size depends on your weight, your level and the wind at your home spot. As a rule of thumb, a longer and wider board gets up on the plane earlier and points upwind more easily, while a shorter board feels looser and more direct in the air and in choppy water. Beginners and riders at light wind spots usually go one size up, while advanced riders at windy spots often go one size down.

Twintips. As a general guideline: riders under 70 kg usually end up at around 133 to 136 cm, riders between 70 and 85 kg at around 136 to 140 cm, and heavier riders or those who mainly ride in light wind at 140 cm or bigger. Coming from an older Select? Since the 2023 update the outline is longer and narrower, so you can often go one size up. For days with really light wind, a dedicated light wind board such as the Spike is a better choice than simply taking your regular twintip one size up.

Surfboards and foilboards. On a directional, length and volume matter most. Lighter riders and strapless freestylers usually do well with 4'11" to 5'3", while heavier riders and big wave days call for 5'6" or bigger. On a foilboard, extra volume helps you get going in light wind and while you're learning. Once your board rarely touches the water anymore, a smaller board feels more manoeuvrable. Torn between two sizes? Get in touch and we'll gladly help you choose.