I have done a few by accident and can downloop when transitioning and kiteloop when standing on land in light wind...
What is the easiest and safest way to start the learning curve? Is the best way to get into it to do a normal jump or a back flip, should I be high off the water or close to the water?
I think I am going to have to save for a larger pair of agets before I try something that huge... 
I have been looking at a lot of vids and some land down wind really fast and others land soft... often though you cant see where the kite is, although there are a few instruction vids online none are that good... I may have to get the next progression dvd...
LK,
I haven't gone for one myself yet but am toying with the idea. Gay I know but my ageing body tells me not to be stupid. Anyway, I have a DVD that shows both types of loops, i.e. hard core and the slightly easier on the body type. The easier basically shows going into a normal jump with kite positioned over head. When at the peak of the jump and the kite at 12, pull in hard with the back hand. The kite loops but more overhead as opposed to out in front of you. It looks like you still land with quite a bit of speed down wind but not quite so full on as simply pulling hard with the back hand from go to woe. I can't get the footage onto here for you but the DVD is the Complete Kiteboarding Guide (Mark Shinn) Its a couple of years old and isn't a very good DVD to be honest but it does show the kite positioning as I have said. If you can find a way to see it or something. Hopes it helps a little and good luck.
Watch Lenton loop, and keep an eye on where his kite is, especially on landing.
Its all in the kite, ankles and knees.
I am with you fozzy - the body is a bit older and the buzz of kiting so high that the risk of not kiting due to an injury is a hard one to overcome...
But yes my thoughts were to do a softer kite loop at the peak or nearing the peak of a jump with the kite at 12... and looping as high as possible.
Im comfortable with back loops and doing a kiteloop with them makes a lot of sense - but the sensory overload is a little daunting...
still nothing ventured nothing gained... will see if I can still type after this weekend!
I'm sure that's the dude that runs Alibaba kebabs in Freo. He looks pretty good after a few pints......
Poor Relative, I'm sure I've seen her pushing weights at the local gym...bench pressing with that come hither look !!
I was trying my first loops at the end of last season, and I'm pretty keen to get back to it. The progression advanced DVD explains -over and over- how to learn loops as safely as possible.
Basically go out well underpowered and then try it in the gusts as fozzy described earlier.
I found it wasn't too hard in those conditions, landed a couple including a back roll. But I did have one where there kite didn't get back high enough and I basically fell like a stone from a board height of about 2m, had good forward speed but without the usual lift from the kite to smooth the landing. Board smacked down flat and it did give my 31yr old ankles/knees a bit of a wake up call. I read in a recent mag that lenten recommends landing the tail of the board first to take up the shock. . I'll try to remember that next time.
Pull the trigger, and learn the hard way. That the only way to do it.
Ive said this a few times, and it sound stupid, but looping isnt difficult, its the landings you need to nail. If you can land hard and fast dwonwind, kiteloops are easy, regardless iof what happens to the kite.
Start underpowered, teke the kite slowly over the top, when it get to 12 get SMALL pop and wang the kite round, then just concentrate on getting the board pointing downwind and ride it out.
Ironically, when you start looping with a bit more power, you need lots of hieght from you pop to give you planty of time to get thekite back over your head. Easy peasy, now go and do it.
On a C kite please.
ok going to take the vapor out this arvo and give it a bash - its my fastest moving kite and it will have me underpowered in these winds...
Im comfortable looping the kite - just not when Im jumping... so the way to start is just a plain up and down jump - correct - or is doing a back loop easier?
Oakie nailed my hesitation area - which is the landings... now fingers crossed 
ride 5th and do unhooked ones first that way if you ***** out your not locked in.. ride in with not too much speed but not riding at the kite so have a good edge take the kite to 11:30 unhook and the take the hand oposite to what your loooping and put it on the other side of the bar on the oposite side really close to the end of the bar so it will loop closer.. get an axe grip! that is important. and small kites are not better when learning you get more of a yank because they loop really quik take a 10 or 12 out i think.
you are going to get worked its a part of looping go out there and give it a crack
and if you have big testies ride really powered and really fast hard edge send the kite from 11 to 1 pause then lock the bar to your harnees loop when the kite is pointing up sheet all the way out and just before you land crank it down so it will catch you
Be prepared to take some hits.. my worst was last year at melville, the kite hit the water before me at full whack and I travelled half my line length before I hit the water. Its what you call a propa bo smashing.
Do you know the worse bit? Not one f***er saw it. Gutted.
start by looping after the apex of the jump, as your coming down from the jump. this way there is the least power to be generated and as long as u get the kite up to 12 again you wont have too much speed, keep it lower if u want speed.
as you get better at it just start looping earlier and earlier, try build up to where you loop as your still going up!! ( im up to here now) and man tht gets a bit exiting!
quote:
Originally posted by Oakie
Do you know the worse bit? Not one f***er saw it. Gutted.
if you want pain ***** out of it and then change your mind and do it anyway... looking down at a 13 is really fun until you land going faster than youve ever landed before.
ride at normal speed, not boosting speed and then edge hard as you bring the kite up above you, increase the tension on the back hand evenly as you do it so your on full lock by the time the kite is at its highest point and now heading straight down, then turn side on to the wind and prepare for the landing with you knees well bent. this is the easiest way to do a kiteloop.
not enough wind to try this arvo but you get that - so kitecrazzzy you are saying go to do a small jump as per normal - bring the kite back to 12 and instead of leaving it at 12 keep pulling till full lock - I understand its slow at first to give the kite and your jump at least a little height then line up downwind and wait for the landing...
Love how easy things sound and reality is much different - a mate and I have a mental block with front loops - which I find amazing as they look so easy!
lol front loops, some people say they are harder because you cant spot your landing as quickly as you can with backs, i find them easier and more controlable than back loops though.
i started doing these a while ago and I've pulled a few off quite good but also taken some poundings! not tried unhooked yet but I was told that when trying backroll loops they are way easier and safer unhooked, reason being is when you loop the kite you'll get stretched out flat, if you can't finish your rotation and get your feet back down you naturally stick your arm out and open up them ribs to a full force landing! it hurts.. anyway, if you do it unhooked and you get to the point where you think your screwed just let go of the bar and apparently you'll just fall and loose most your speed.
i started on my 12 link and yeah its easier in lighter wind but a gust can throw it all out. smaller kites are better as you'll get it round quicker, i find that my 7 tho can stall if you pull the bar too much, depower a bit so you can get it back up over your head might be good. commitment helps, don't mince about and bail half way
I've just gone to my first C kite (fuel) and its much different, a lot more consistent power but a F-load of it. i got scared so stopped when the wind got up!!!
also the first thing i did notice is that when you do it at the apex of a jump you will be pulled a LOT further in the opposite direction than you think you will, ie, if you jump going to the right, you'll go way more to the left than you thought you would.
Pnut
the coolest loop would have to a the unhooked frontroll downloop.
cant do it yet though
^^ i almost did one of those... by accident, its rediculusly fast and i had no idea when i was going to land so my ribs got a busting
if you want to loop get a 7m hypertype and do double loops, double loop with hypertype is less pull then doing a single loop with a 13 C
quote:
Originally posted by kitecrazzzy
if you want to loop get a 7m hypertype and do double loops, double loop with hypertype is less pull then doing a single loop with a 13 C
they may have worked for you but i'll stick to not getting upset when people state the obvious and not accusing them of homosexuality.
the hypertype is marketed as a fast turning and not so grunty kite. you would have to be over medicated not to see that ya douche.
how about you say something of mildly amusing quality's instead of trying to be a smart arse at your keyboard. the only reason i said anything was because its funny to see someone do an accidental loop when trying other stuff, it wasnt a claim as anything accidental and crashing is not something youd get cred for.
relli looks forward to meeting you, you appear to have something in common and its not kiting or seabreeze related.
