How the catalog works

Kitedex is an open catalog of kite and control-bar specifications. This page explains how we decide what gets an entry, how we handle model years, which images we use, and where the data comes from, in plain language.

What gets an entry

We keep one entry for every verified product version we can identify from manufacturer evidence and suitable images. Distinct models, variants, and redesigns get separate entries.

Carryover years

Manufacturers often re-release a model for a new season without changing its design. We call this a carryover. In general, we keep carryovers under the year in which the design first appeared.

When the manufacturer documents a later season and introduces new colors or graphics, we keep that season as a separate entry with its own images. This makes each version easier to identify. The entry links back to the original design, and both share specifications and compatibility reports.

Coverage

The goal is exhaustive coverage: every verified design and colorway model year across brands. If you spot something missing, tell us with the report a missing entry form. A later year may be missing because we still need manufacturer evidence or identifiable images for that season.

The images

We favor clean studio renders over lifestyle or action photos, so you can actually see the product. When no studio render exists, we fall back to the best available image instead.

When two entries share one image

Occasionally, a manufacturer releases a genuinely new version but reuses the previous product image for it. When that happens, both entries point at the same image on purpose.

For example, Slingshot's Sentry V1.1 (2022) added coated center lines and a redesigned quick release over the Sentry V1 (2021), but Slingshot kept the V1 render, so both share it.

Where the data comes from

Specifications are mostly taken from each manufacturer's own product pages, and where a page has gone offline, from archived copies or retailer mirrors. Every field records where it came from.

Open and free

The catalog data is free for the community to use under the CC-BY-4.0 license. Product images remain © their respective brands and are shown for identification and reference only.