Kite Designer Pepijn Smit joins North

Studying Human Kinetic Technology helped Pepijn form advanced thinking methodologies and find functional solutions when analysing problems. He has now spent almost 20 years building and designing foil and tube kites.

North Kite Designer Pepijn Smit's daily life is dedicated to the wind: "I can spend hours and hours analysing kites, making bridle adjustments and validating the theory behind it. I enjoy thinking outside of the box, devising alternative shapes to improve a specific aspect of the kite and give it unique flying characteristics."

His passion for kite designing started when he was ten years old, building single line kites. This passion later evolved into stunt kites, power kites and traction kites (for on-water), unknowingly shaping his future profession.

Studying Human Kinetic Technology helped Pepijn form advanced thinking methodologies and find functional solutions when analysing problems. He has now spent almost 20 years building and designing foil and tube kites.

Recently Pepijn took a small excursion into AWES (Airborne Wind Energy Systems), designing 60sqm kites to produce green energy. See his current project for Kitepower Netherlands here.

With his in-depth knowledge of the market, interest in (new) materials, eye for detail and a life-long passion for kite design, Pep's amping to embark on this new challenge with the team at North. He has been working in the background on a project for North over the last year, and goes full time at the end of August 2021.

Brand Director Mike Raper says; "New designs, new materials, and the addition of an exciting new windwing range, has meant we needed more horsepower, investment in R&D and investment in the right people. People with open minds, who are able to think outside the box, real innovators." 

Over the past three years the North Brand has undergone exceptional growth, and as a response, have strengthened our kick-ass team of designers with the addition of four new faces: Pepijn Smit (Kite Design), Dano See (Wing & Kite Design) Steve Calder (Wing & Kite R&D) and Dave Little (Materials Innovation). 

“At North, we’re on a mission to become market leaders in all categories, and we have aspirations to change the way we ride," says Mike. 

“In bringing this team together, we diversify our experience and increase our collective knowledge. When the design knowledge is shared, ideas are transplanted – and that’s what creates the magic. As Ryunosuke Satoro put it: “Individually we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.”