HARLEM THRIVE
Step up your game, with the Game Changing Evolution
The Harlem Thrive is a three-strut masterpiece performs in all conditions and across all disciplines. With the 9-meter coming at an impressive 2.300 kg, it is an ultra light, versatile, accessible and easy to ride kite, suitable for beginners and pro riders alike.
The Harlem Thrive features, New PROWELD technology and a seven point bridle system, ensuring rigid kite profile and delivering exceptional riding characteristics for an unmatched kite surfing experience.
- New school big air inspired 3-strut designÂ
- 7 point leading edge bridle connection for extreme stability
- 20% lighter frame and a 30% increase in torsional stiffness versus other performance kites
- Fast handling and fast flying with super reliable catch after a kite loop
- Programmed for first kite loops to biggest doubles
- Lightweight design and easy bar pressure
Innovation
Combining over 25 years of experience in creating best-selling high-performance kites with the latest groundbreaking innovations, the Harlem Thrive is the pinnacle of Ralf Groesel’s design work. The Harlem Thrive is simply the lightest, most sustainably made, high-performance, all-round kite on the market.Â
Designed by Ralf Groesel and 5 x times World Champion Aaron Hadlow, and crafted at Brainchild Production, the Harlem Thrive is a 3-stut masterpiece that performs in all conditions across all disciplines.Â
Available sizes:Â 5 / 6 / 7Â / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 15 / 17
Weight of the Harlem Thrive
7m – 1.910 kg
9m – 2.300 kg
12m – 2.745 kg
15m –Â 3.240 kg
Ralf Groesel
Aaron Hadlow
PROWELD
Unlike all the other kites out there that are put together by sewing and stitching, The Harlem Thrive is a game changer. See, sewing and stitching makes holes that can make the kite weaker. Then, to fix that, they add more material, and that makes it heavier. With The Thrive, things are different. It takes away those weaknesses and makes every welded part super strong. What’s cooler is that each weld adds more stiffness, letting you handle the wind like a pro.
Digital Printing
All kite designs these days use screen printing, but Harlem are not fans of that. You see, whatever you put on one side, you have to balance out on the other. It’s like adding unnecessary weight that disconnects you from the wind as you ride. Enter Digital Printing – the solution for the next generation of kites. With this, Harlem can create the lightest kite possible while giving you top-notch control. Oh, and guess what? It opens up a whole world of design options. So, you can rock a style that’s as slick as you want it to be.
twin cross flylight
further enhancing the kite’s durability, strength, rigdity and flying performance, and opening a new door to unlimited design opportunities. And all of that with only 42 grams per square meter.
Laminated Mila Struts
Made in Europe, the Harlem Thrive’s laminated Mila Struts enhance the airframe’s strength and lightweight abilities.
SEVEN POINT BRIDLE
The seven point direct bridle on the Harlem Thrive offers a more dynamic and direct feel to the kite. Ensuring a rigid kite profile and delivering exceptional riding characteristics for an unmatched kite surfing experience. Predictable boost, fast kite loops, unique catching capabilities, and gentle  descent in all conditions.
Future Trailing Edge Construction
- Exclusive to Harlem Kitesurfing, this feature reduces weight and eliminates flutter with enhanced durability and resistance to tear and wear.Â
HI FLOW RATE
The Harlem Thrive’s new inflation system offers the highest flow rate on the market, The -Pump Inflation System makes set up and packing quick and easy and it’s fully recycle ready.
three bar pressure settings
The Harlem Thrive comes with three bar pressure settings. From extreme light to intermediate bar pressure, for a different feel in the bar.
BOOMTAG
Lost. Scan. Found. The NFC tag to stay in touch with your precious gear via BOOOMTAG platform.
HARLEM THRIVE BAG
The Harlem Thrive comes in a functional and super stylish kite bag, made of 95% recycled materials. A treat for the eyes and for our planet.
Roland Parry –
I managed to demo the new harlem thrive and absolutely loved it . I’ve now ordered a new quiver from Karl at unity watersports
Alastair P (verified owner) –
I spent quite a bit of time debating my latest quiver – I wanted something that I could jump high with, loop without a crazy yank to help with progression, and wouldn’t fall out of the sky every time I did a bad gybe when foiling. I was looking at a few 5 strut options as well as some 3 strut Aluula’s – I won’t name brands here but I did a fair bit of research.
In the end I took the plunge on this kite, and boy am I happy with my decision. Some thoughts on performance:
Jumping – this isn’t a sheet an go kite – you need to move it around to get going, but once you do it comes alive. I thought it would lack a bit in jumping capability with this but if you get your timing right it really rewards you with immediate pull off the water and catches all the little gusts on the way up. It is not as floaty as a 5 strutter on the way down so need to time your helis right. Haven’t beaten my PB on this yet, but got my 2nd highest jump on my first session out, so looking positive
Looping – high, tight loops with a constant pull, not a huge yank, and super quick recovery – in summary awesome for progression and confidence building. Beat my PB for loop height on 3rd session out, and the 10m whips around really fast so minimal worries about not getting caught on the lower jumps
Big winds – it feels like there’s a huge amount of depower on these so you can ride comfortably on the big wind days – gives you confidence to go for bigger jumps when I’d otherwise feel a bit overpowered on my old 8m 5 strut
Bar pressure – very light bar pressure and responsive steering. Yet to try anything bigger than a 10
Foiling – yet to try this but given speed of turning and the drift I’ve seen on the kite when I’ve crashed, I’m pretty sure it will work well. No Hindenburgs just yet
Stiffness and weight – definitely stiffer than a normal Dacron LE, but I can’t comment in comparison to some of the newer Aluula kites. Weight is a big selling point – these are super light, and lighter than most Aluula kites on the market – worth checking the technical specs
For context, I’m coming from 2022/23 kites – 8m 5 strut (big air but slow loop), and 10&12m 3 strut all-rounders.