A downloop is essentially a weaker form of kite looping. You typically start a downloop with the kite ''down low'' i.e. 10' O'clock or 2 O'clock and turn the kite hard downwards instead of upwards which redirects the kite in the opposite direction by going down through the power zone instead of going back up through 12 O'clock. Downloops are mostly useful for transitions or landing big jumps when you have lots of forward momentum and the kite needs to be down looped simply to keep you moving and to keep your lines from going slack. Downloops are often done with slacker lines and by going downwind at speed which can make them fairly weak and harmless. To replicate a downlooop with your trainer kite you would have to run downwind, which will decrease the power of the loop significantly.

A kiteloop is a ''full loop'' designed to generate as much power as possible. In other words it's a powered up move that is mostly used during jumps with advanced/expert kiters and better done with ''C'' shape kites. A kite loop typically starts by bringing the kite up instead of down. Kite loops use a wider arc of rotation and will generate more power from additional momentum, tighter lines and by driving the kite deeper in the power zone. To replicate a kiteloop with your trainer kite you would need to walk/run upwind which will increase tension in your lines and make your kite turn fast with more power (don't try this in strong winds on the land!).

With a trainer kite you can easily feel what kind of loop generates the most pull. Interestingly, the faster and the tighter you loop, the less power the kite will generate. This is simply because by steering the kite very fast you are stalling the kite a bit and rotating it on a very tight axis which doesn't allow the kite to generate momentum or go deep in the power zone. Slower loops make the kite take a larger arcs of rotation, which typically give the most power.

I hope this makes sense.

Edit:

Watch between 3:29 and 3:32. You'll have to Pause it because it goes very fast. The first loop would be a kiteloop and the second one a downloop (in the same jump).





Christian

James, I don't think you can use ''learning to kiteloop'' and Len10 in the same sentence

Ruben is performing the most extreme from of kitelooping i.e. megalooping which is essentially a slowed down massive kite loop with a very wide arc, which can only be done with lots of height in your jump.

Kiteloops are dangerous and it's an easy way to get hurt. Learning to downloop is the first step, by going downwind in a transition in low/moderate winds.

The single most important tip with any loops is commitment. As I mentioned before, the faster you loop (the more you commit) the less aggressive the loop will be and the less pull it will generate. Kiters learning to loop often don't commit enough which makes the kite go on a wider arc of rotation and develop heaps more power.

Small kites (less than 9m) and C-Shape kites are best to learn to loop as well as they turn very fast. I find kiteloops on Bow kites and Delta kites to be difficult and somewhat pointless/dangerous, especially on larger sizes.

IMO to learn proper kiteloops you need to be on a C-shape kite.

Downloop: pull with front hand
kiteloop: pull with back hand generates more power

Not a hard thing to learn, go out with a 10m or so kite, enough wind so you can just boost.
Take your kite to twelve and boost, then keep pulling with your back hand, you will get pulled a lot faster and more downwind.
if you stop your kite at 12 first then loop, it will turn a lot faster through the loop, which is better to learn.
Also make sure you spot your landing!

Here is a video with a downloop transition...

Trim strap, hahaha

Loftywinds said..

cbulota said..

The single most important tip with any loops is commitment. As I mentioned before, the faster you loop (the more you commit) the less aggressive the loop will be and the less pull it will generate. Kiters learning to loop often don't commit enough which makes the kite go on a wider arc of rotation and develop heaps more power.

Small kites (less than 9m) and C-Shape kites are best to learn to loop as well as they turn very fast. I find kiteloops on Bow kites and Delta kites to be difficult and somewhat pointless/dangerous, especially on larger sizes.

IMO to learn proper kiteloops you need to be on a C-shape kite.

I agree with commitment, but I don't agree with different kite styles not been able to do a good kite loop. I've managed to kite loop eveyrthing from trainer kites, flysurfers, ozone catalysts, fluid atvs, and slingshots. Even Cabrinha Switch and Contras do good kite looping. But like you said, it's commitment or else suffer the consequences.

Tosh. Flying a circle in the sky is not a kite loop.

junglejim1971 said...
Hi all can some please tell me what the difference is between a kite loop and a down loop, I was flying my trainer the other day and was doing loops and when I looped to the right the kite seemed to dive right into the power zone for the loop but when I looped to the left it just seemed to turn 360 with no dive and little power. is the difference in loops determined by the direction of the loop or what as I have no idea

Hey Jim
kiteclub.ro/
There is a lot of info out there..
kites4surf on YouTube...
Progression apps...
So on...
Do your research.

Be safe.

These are great instructional vids

Loftywinds said..
Ok. I get it. Down loop vs Kite loop.

But kite surfing is not tennis FFS!

In terms of the kite itself, it's looping and wind-wise nothing cares whether it's turning left or right. Control, control, control is key. LIKE IT!

Depends which tack you're on, and that's the key point.

kemp90 said..
What's the difference between a megaloop and a kite loop, when I loop it's almost as soon as i get pulled of the water, I don't get huge hight but the pull is immense! Is that a mega loop

I don't think anyone agrees, but criteria include:
Wind above a certain speed
Jump above a certain height
Rider actually free-falls until the kite catches them...