Not sure how I do them is the right way or best way but it works and feels good, on a twin tip I pop to toeside just before turning around then halfway through the turn when the board is pointing straight downwind I pull the kite around for the down loop, and I only have to pull it round from the position I had it parked in around 10.30-11 no need to go back to 12 first

Kahuna said..
Hi All

I was out on my 10m in about 15-18 knot winds and thought that would be good conditions to try a downloop transition after watching many youtube clips.

i sent the kite to 12 o'clock slowly and left the bar out and turned the kite hard for the downloop and got launched horizontally at speed even with my board pointing downwind. Next time i think i'll practice them body dragging first.

Any advice on making these? Anyone that i've seen doing them make it look easy.

Cheers

Slow down more and point higher toeside before the loop. Without watching you I can guess your travelling still a little too fast in the opposite direction, you send the kite and faceplant.

There are many ways to do downloop transitions, some involving jumps, tricks and going heel side or toe side etc. I think the best way to learn them is to the toe side version with a wide carving turn, since you'll get a lot of power from the loop and riding toe side and making a wide carve makes it very easy to go downwind and absorb most of the power.

-Ride with medium speed and make sure that there's no kiter or obstacles down wind or behind you. Also don't do this close to the beach if riding towards the beach
-Slide or pop to toe side. If you have a preference over going left foot or right foot forward, start going with your weaker foot forward so you get your preferred foot forward when going toe side.
-Bring the kite up a bit. Not necessarily to 12, but high enough for your kite to be able to loop downwards without crashing in to the water (I usually do it from 10 or 11)
-Ease your toe side edge and start going down wind. You should feel less power (pull) from the kite.
-Keep your front hand towards the edge of the bar and pull it hard. Keep it pulled hard until the kite has performed a loop and is going in the other direction (this is the crucial thing with all loops, if you don't pull hard enough or stop pulling to early your kite will crash face first in to the water, so pull it hard and keep pulling until you see that the kite has finished the loop)
-At the same time, angle the board to go straight down wind and start doing a big wide carving turn towards the way you came from
-When the kite has looped (and started to travel in the other direction) stop pulling the bar to stabilize the kite and regain your heel side edge to ride away normally in the other direction.
-Your lines will be twisted, just like when doing a front roll or back roll. Spin the bar to untwist them when safe to do so (no rush, the kite and bar still works the same even with the twist).