Hi everyone, and to the ppl that can help.

I would love to learn to kiteloop this summer! Pretty simple really, but getting air and pulling on one side of the bar seems easy in my sleep but much harder when on the water.

Is there a progression that leads up to the final moment.

I am able to do medium jumps and can grease on the landings most times.

My typical ride is a REV2 11m in 17-20 knots?

Love to hear from people in the know

John

PS Apologies if this has been asked before!

I think you should start from the surface kite loops and then progress on to the jumping ones so you get used to the idea and the feeling of it. Then again you should go jumping small and kite looping and progress from there. Commitment is a must as kite loops hurt if you let go...

2nd rule: commit

etc etc

Ha, what would I know, haven't done em for ages due to bad knees, pea heart etc etc....

Release the bar as soon as the kite starts pulling after the loop to allow the kite to catch you.

Also wear a helmet. Impact vest helps too.

I'm not a kite looper but i was practicing loops yesterday. got abit of whip lash today. hehehe/.... and i wasn't even doing full blown manly kite loops... more of a transition loop and down loops.

i'm finding on one tack i'm doing a nice tight easy loop and on the other a big bad ass loop almost hitting the kite in the water.... WTF. then i discovered i was only pulling the bar in half way on that tack and not fish poling enough... it made for some speedy exits out of the transitions though.

then i decided to go a high speed 720 and chucked a kiteloop at the end for really silly crashing. that was probably the whiplash moment.


ahhhh. good times.

ps 10m c4 20 knots.

the way i learnt was pretty much a backloop transition but just loop the kite instead of changing direction - you're not so powered up but you still get a good pull from the kite and make sure you land with the board dead down wind or your knees will end up like mine

What i found useful was:

Once you are comfortable looping the kite without jumping (eg carve turn or just point board downwind and loop to get used to the pull).
Progress to trying the loop from a transition type jump.
This is where good jumping technique is important - ie carve up wind hard to pop - almost stalling your forward trajectory, so you go straight up rather than carry on forwards. Hopefully the kite is now at 12.Then when you have just reached the peak of your jump and started to drop, now pull hard with your back hand.
Pull your knees up to your chest and lean back against the pull from the chicken loop. (This is important as it will keep you steady and help your landing).
Spot your landing and point the board down wind
As you are coming into land a little quicker than normal it is important to make sure the front of the board is higher than the back to make sure you don't trip over the front. So keep your front leg more bent than the back leg so you land with slightly more weight on your backfoot
This is a good way to learn as you can pull the loop whenever and gradually increase your height as you get more comfortable. So initially you could pull it almost as you come into land, and then just get pulled downwind along the water. Just increase the height at which you pull the loop each time.

(Different kites loop at different speeds, my Torches loop quickly and don't need any help to climb back up to catch you, but my small Cult does - I need to let out the bar slightly as the kite comes round and starts to climb, otherwise it happens too slowly and i hit the water hard :)

Once you have gotten used to the pull of the kiteloop from a static/transition type jump, you can then start to pull the loop sooner ie not wait until the kite is at 12 before you crank your backhand. But again good jumping technique and good pop are important.

If you start in this fashion the stacks are quite acceptable and won't scare you into not trying it again.

I found out how to loop by hurting myself a few times.

Back roll kite loop.

Kite in hard, send that puppy to 12 and send one side of the bar to your chest.

Front roll kite loops.

Kite in hard, send to 12, whilst legs above head, pull one arm- spot your landing downwind.

Learn in 15 to 18 on a 11 or 12 I found best to learn. That said- small kites turn quicker.

For your own safety. jump as high as you can, then pull the trigger, you then have plenty of time to correct your f*ck up's on the way down.

TurtleHunter said...

first rule: COMMIT.

,,, second rule of commitment, is you don't talk about commitment, you just commit!