F-ONE | Kitipedia

Table of Contents

Overview

F-ONE is a long-established water sports brand based in France. In a kite industry marked by frequent acquisitions and integrations into massive conglomerates, F-ONE has secured a solid position as one of the last major independent, family-owned brands without relying on outside capital.

Brand History and Philosophy

The brand originated when founder Raphael Salles, originally a professional windsurfer, could not find his place in the windsurfing market and existing brands of the time, and began shaping his own boards. The brand name comes from “F1”, the sail number he used in windsurfing competitions.

When he encountered the unknown sport of kitesurfing around 1997-1998, he leveraged his windsurfing knowledge to quickly begin manufacturing and selling some of the earliest kiteboards (directional boards), becoming an industry pioneer.

The soul of F-ONE lies in Raphael’s almost abnormal obsession with testing. His thorough, hands-on approach of personally conducting grueling tests even past the age of 60 is the source of the product’s quality. Currently, his son Julien Salles, who achieved great success with the water sports accessory brand “Manera”, is preparing to eventually take over as CEO.

Flagship Products

Bandit: The flagship kite that has reigned as the synonym for F-ONE for many years, adhering to the philosophy of “covering everything from freeride to waves with a single model.” The “Bandit S”, a derivative model strictly dedicated to wave riding, is also available. Furthermore, the upcoming release of a Brainchild-spec Bandit has become a hot topic.

WTF (Win The Freestyle): A pure C-shape kite dedicated to freestyle competitions.

Bullit: A hardcore big air kite (available in 6-9m) strongly designed for extreme riding and megaloops in strong winds.

Breeze: The polar opposite of the Bullit. A single-strut kite reduced to the absolute minimum weight, highly specialized for light wind and hydrofoiling.

Trigger: A high-performance kite dedicated to big air, capable of handling high-altitude jumps and loops. In recent years, a partnership with Ralf Groesel, the former legendary designer of rival Duotone, and his cutting-edge factory “Brainchild” led to the creation of the “Trigger Brainchild” featuring state-of-the-art welding technology, sending shockwaves through the big air scene.

Twin Tip Boards: The lineup features the long-standing flagship “TRAX” series, a freeride/freestyle crossover known for its unique “HRD” (Helical Rail Design) that delivers an exceptional riding experience. For unhooked freestyle, F-ONE offers the “WTF?! (Win The Freestyle),” sharing its name with the pure C-kite. It is a true competition weapon designed to deliver massive pop and control.

Surfboards: F-ONE’s strapless wave boards have earned the highest reputation in the industry. The lineup is overwhelming, featuring Mitu Monteiro’s signature “Mitu Pro” model, the bestselling “Slice” which is highly resistant to landing impacts and excellent in both waves and flat water, the “Shadow” which is a round pin-tail for pure surf, and the innovative “Magnet” which utilizes cutting-edge technology to be extremely thin and lightweight.

Technical Features

The brand also leads the industry in foil/wing-foil development, producing numerous masterpieces centered around Naval Architect Charles Bertrand. Operating a dedicated workshop within their headquarters, they boast an astonishing development speed akin to a garage shaper despite being a large enterprise, operating under the motto “design a foil on Monday, test the prototype on the water by the weekend.”

On the other hand, they never compromise when developing new kites. Rather than forcing annual releases to follow market trends, they take a craftsman-like approach of maturing a product for years until they are completely satisfied.

Team Riders

Mitu Monteiro: A living legend from Cape Verde. Known as the “Godfather of Strapless,” he is the symbol of the brand, having walked alongside F-ONE for over 15 years and being deeply involved in the development of dedicated boards.

Moona Whyte: A GKA World Champion from Hawaii. She is the absolute queen reigning at the top of the scene with overwhelming wave-riding skills.

Keahi de Aboitiz: A living legend of wave riding and barrel (tube) riding holding multiple world titles. He recently joined the F-ONE team alongside Hawaii native Moona.

Maxime Chabloz: From Switzerland. A top athlete with an otherworldly talent, being both the 2022 GKA Freestyle World Champion and a Freeski World Champion.

Marcela Witt: From Brazil. A talented top rider who continues to push the limits at the forefront of the wave and strapless scene.

Charles Brodel: The absolute king with five world titles in hydrofoil big air competitions. He is also personally involved in the drafting and design of prototype kites.

Titouan Galea: A pioneer and world champion in wing-foil competitions. He drove the explosive boom in the wing industry using F-ONE’s “Swing” and “Strike”.

Mickaël Fernandez: The 2005 KPWT World Champion. He currently serves as the core test rider for F-ONE alongside Raphael, having single-handedly handled the development testing of flagship kites for many years.

Josh Gillitt: A top rider who pushes the limits in the recent big air scene gripping the Trigger kite.

Past Riders and Transfers

Camille Delannoy / Capucine Delannoy: A brother-sister duo who grew up receiving immense support from F-ONE and Manera since childhood, building an era where younger sister Capucine reigned as the women’s strapless world champion. Both have now transferred to NORTH.

Liam Whaley: Former Freestyle World Champion. After leading F-ONE’s competitive scene for many years, he transferred to DUOTONE.

Jamie Overbeek: A young genius big air rider from the Netherlands. He caused a stir in the industry by joining F-ONE, attracted by the potential of the Trigger, but subsequently left the team.

Search Aliases: F-ONE, F-One