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Throw two great design minds together in the form of Reedin’s Damien Girardin and Brainchild Production’s Ralf Groesel, and you know you’re going to get outstanding products. We chatted to Damien about the creative process behind their latest HyperModel, the first of Reedin’s kites designed and manufactured in collaboration with Brainchild Production.
Photos Loan Folliet
Damien, Tell us how the collaboration with Brainchild came about.
Ralf and I had both heard of each other and of course I heard of him starting his manufacturing company, but we’d never met which is pretty crazy when you think about how small the industry is. Being the only designer for Reedin I was really busy, so when Ralf sent me a message I didn’t get round to replying. He then reached out to Kevin and they talked on the phone, after which Kevin told me I had to give him a call. We finally scheduled a video call and spent a good three hours talking! We talked about the first stuff he ever designed – he actually designed a ram-air kite all by himself at the age of 15 or 16 without the aid of computers – I was really impressed with this, and then we talked about our vision for designing kites. It felt like we had a parallel life and vision but living on opposite sides of the world. Like him I have also spent a lot of time in Asia over the years.
Presumably trying to improve production techniques at the factories?
Yes. Manufacturing is key – it’s all very well having a great design idea but you then have to put it into production – so working with the factories is important. Even though other brands then benefit from this involvement because factories produce for multiple brands, I feel like I’m helping the whole industry anyway. Ralf was doing very similar, spending months at a time at the factories, and I think we were somewhat unique in the industry for doing this. I realized how smart he is and how passionate about designing and manufacturing products which I think sets him apart from other designers. We discussed his concept for Brainchild and because I’m also so involved with the manufacturing side, everything that he was telling me was making so much sense. I even had goosebump moments on that video call. We became friends through that discussion, and when we hung up and I told my family about him, they could sense my excitement. It was pretty clear we were going to start working together. I sent him a design file and a few weeks later we had our first prototype.
Ralf, what attracted you about Reedin as a brand to work with?
There are a few key aspects worth highlighting. First and foremost, the unique synergy between pro-rider legend Kevin and the highly experienced, successful designer Damien is unparalleled. Both are true watermen with a deeply competitive spirit, bringing authenticity and passion to everything they do. But what sets Reedin apart is its family-driven ethos, which significantly influences decision-making. This sense of connection and purpose aligns closely with the goals we strive for at Brainchild. Challenging and reimagining every aspect of a well-established product is no small feat, but having the unwavering support of Kevin and Damien was pivotal to our collaboration. Moreover, Damien and I share many of the same design philosophies, which further strengthened our partnership and ensured a seamless creative process.
Damien, how did it feel working alongside another designer?
It was a little weird at first because I’ve never shared files with anyone. I’ve talked to a few designers before but ultimately we were competitors. For 20 years I’ve been working on my own so it was definitely strange sending the first design file to Ralf, but I knew I could trust him. We started sharing screens and looking at files together and he also shared his files with me, so it was a two-way thing. When we tested kites on the beach we would both be thinking about how to improve the kite. I would describe certain things a particular way and he would describe the same thing, but in a different way. For example, to me bridles are a good 50 to 70 percent of the kite’s performance and we shared our 20 years of coming up with bridle solutions. It turned out that we’d been doing bridles very similarly. It was awesome working with Ralf, as it was the first time ever in my life that I was not having to come up with all the solutions. It was refreshing sharing ideas. Our first prototype didn’t work as well as we’d hoped, which is usually normal in the design process. But after a few samples, we were definitely on the right path. The two of us together was opening up a different vision of what was working on the kite, and that was really cool, such an awesome process for me.
And now you’re one of only three brands working with Brainchild. Excited?!
When we decided to work with Brainchild, Ralf said that whichever brands he works with and makes kites for, he wants their kites to be as good as possible because he wants Brainchild to be successful. He wants to bring something unique to the market that’s a better kite for the average consumer and that they will benefit from. I like Ralf’s approach because he is always focusing on what the normal consumer is going to think, not just the pros. I think the brands working with Brainchild will do very well and I’m very excited about it. I feel lucky that we’re one of the three brands and I’m happy to be sharing our knowledge.
Ralf, how did you find the process of working with Damien and his team?
The process felt relatively straightforward. The main challenge, however, was adapting to the difference in feel between a low-Y and high-Y bar system. Having worked exclusively with high-Y bar systems throughout my career, it required some rethinking and adjustment on my part. To refine our understanding, we conducted several test sessions together, focusing on how to articulate specific flight and handling characteristics. Fortunately, this part of the process went smoothly. We quickly pinpointed key aspects to target, which made the experience both productive and encouraging.
So… You’ve just released the first kite you’ve collaborated on together, HyperModel, which is very different to Reedin’s previous HyperModel constructed with Aluula. Why the radical change Damien?
When we first tested the latest HyperModel in South Africa with Kevin and our team rider Parker Sage, Kevin didn’t really know the kite and I didn’t even tell Parker it was a Reedin kite – there was no logo on it and being a Brainchild construction it looked different to the rest of our range – so he had no idea what it was. It is always my goal when testing that I don’t tell people what to expect from a kite. So it was funny that straight away they could feel that it was a different kite to HyperModel made with Aluula. They both felt the performance had really improved. I knew then that the collaboration with Brainchild really pushed the level compared to what we could have achieved individually.
So it was yourself, Ralf, Kevin and Parker involved in testing HyperModel?
Yes Kevin of course, and Parker had a lot of involvement. Over the past few years I’ve worked a lot with Parker on designing kites as he’s on Oahu while I’m on Maui and we meet up in Hood River as well. Parker is a good rider to have involved as HyperModel will be our competition kite and he will use it in King of the Air and that makes him that more motivated to have the absolute best kite possible. Marius Sanchez was also involved in helping test the early prototypes. It was really a collaborative process, all of us working on it together.
And what is it about the new HyperModel that makes it such a special kite?
The main feature to note is that it is made with PROWELD construction. This means the leading edge segments are welded together instead of being stitched together. Welding saves a lot of weight at every segment because you don’t need the surplus material and reinforcement where the stitching would normally be. And with there being a number of segments in the kite, accumulatively quite a bit of weight is saved. I’ve been trying to make kites lighter for several years and there’s a limitation to how light you can make a kite. Then PROWELD goes and breaks that barrier and you save 300 to 400 grams on a kite, just like that – that’s really amazing! You can feel that weight saving as soon as you launch the kite – it flies in less wind and has less inertia in the turns, making it respond faster to bar input to change direction instantly.
PROWELD construction also allows you to remove the stiff connection between two segments, which means the kite actually twists better. It’s almost like having one piece of material the whole way along the leading edge. All the turning of a kite starts with the twist of the kite and PROWELD makes this so much better. Another thing to note is that the canopy material we’re using, Hardflyte, is a stiffer canopy and helps hold the profile better, so the kite flies further forward into the wind window and when you do a kiteloop it goes behind you better and goes through the air faster.
We got to test HyperModel in Tarifa at your annual dealer meeting so would agree! It also looks very different graphically to the previous model.
Yes visually you’ll notice that HyperModel is digitally printed instead of silkscreened like we usually do. Digital printing is a more sustainable approach because it requires a lot less solvent and a lot less water, about five times less water than normal. It also allows for more graphic options which in a way can make design choices harder as there are no rules!
You proudly call SuperModel your do-it-all kite suitable for all riders for all disciplines. What about the new HyperModel – what riding style is this aimed at?
The target of HyperModel is the same, to have a kite that does it all, but at a higher performance. It will help you jump high and it turns fast which is good for kiteloops, but that is also an advantage for foiling in light wind and for wave riding. Being on the faster side, I would not say this is a kite for everybody, especially in the smaller sizes when you need to be precise with your technique. So it’s not a kite for beginners but will suit those who are looking to improve their skill level as it naturally pushes your level.
Ralf, you must have been proud to see HyperModel launch. Do you think it will do well for Reedin?
Every product is shaped by the sum of its variables, and HyperModel brings together all the right elements to appeal to a broad spectrum of riders aiming to elevate their skills. In my opinion, this kite has the potential to not only satisfy loyal Reedin customers but also attract riders from other brands. HyperModel stands out for its incredibly playful feel, encouraging riders to push their limits, just as Damien aptly described. It’s a kite designed to inspire confidence and progression.
Damien, the rest of your new range comes out in a few months. Have you been collaborating with Brainchild on any of the new kites?
Ralf was less involved with our new SuperModel that will come out, I was leading on it. But I couldn’t unlearn what I’d learned once we started working together! So of course I’ve put some of what I learned from designing HyperModel into our new SuperModel, and Ralf did have some input because ultimately he wants Reedin to succeed and wants to help make better products and push the sport. The jump from Supermodel HTF to HTF 2 was a big step forward so I wasn’t sure where I would go to improve on that. But implementing the things that Ralf and I worked on, and also with the input from Parker and other team riders, our new SuperModel is another major leap forward, but more on that in a few months. We’ve also collaborated on a brand-new kite that we’re all very excited about, so stay tuned!
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