Id consider my self an intermediate kiter in some discliplines - kite looping aint one of them but Im thinking about pulling the pin!!!
How high do I need to be to pull the pin and fishpole the kite to do my first lite loop ?? Im kind of getting jumps that are 'boost and count to 5' and back on the water - they seem 'high' too me but in thinking Im making 3 to 4 m ? How high do I need to be to loop the kite and land it without getting smashed ??
I gather I pull on the back hand to loop the kite!!
and I think there's some good tips near the end of this thread
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/First-megaloop-videos?page=1
Are you comfortable with looping the kite in general? E.g. surface loops, downloop transitions, landing loops. These are all fun/easy things to try first so you are comfortable before going for a powered kiteloop (plus chance of pain/injury is super low).
If you are comfortable with these then what are you waiting for? Just take the woo off first so every jump is at least 10m and no one knows any wiser
Bigges thing i found which helps is to twist your body into the kite so when it pulls you, you arent thrown off balance and kick out half way through.
I agree with weebitbreezy, start with surface downloops, then go to downloop transitions in the air (pull front hand) and then work to doing kiteloops.
Maybe try kiteloop backrolls too, somepeople find them easier to learn.
Hi Lambie,
Agreed with weetbitbreezy.
Few things before you pull the pin.
If you look at most video online, they loop the kite at the apex of the jump (late kiteloop), this requires height but also a kite that loop fast and comes back up fast if you dont want to smash yourself.
I suggest to loop on the way up. Initiate your jump but dont overshoot to the other side of the wind window, more like a classic gentle jump so the kite ends up at 1pm.
When you are about 3m high, start looping the kite during the ascent, this will give you an extra boost to the apex of the jump. When you feel that the kite has finished the loop and it's going up, then push slightly the bar away (give an extra 5/10cm), this will help the kite to come back quickly above your head for landing. Make sure you keep pressure on the bar at all time before landing and start initiate the downloop. If you dont do a down loop, most likely the kite will pass over your head and fall out of the sky while you land full speed downwind!
When you get better at it you can go higher
Good luck mate - kiteloops are fun
Takes some videos of the first attempts and share the stoke!
Ben
Thanks guys - Im so ready to pull the pin but one last question ! I havent ridden a TT in ages .. my Fav board is an Axis new wave which I boost on but to be honest are on about my 3rd ( bottom stress cracks - I think Adrian could add a strip of carbon along each rail - Ive found it makes them last a lot longer) - Is this the board to be attempting my first of many kite loops ? OK answered my own question - just keep repairing them LOL
Mate just when you think youve reached peak height, pull the bar backhand and commit!! You can thank me later.
if you have a kite that flys deep in the window, you will need to loop on the way up. if you loop at the top it will stall in the loop and you will drop, and pray it catches you. if you want a stall and drop then go for it, but if you want pull and catch, you will need to loop on the way up.
if you have a soft kite that has a small weak loop, you can loop at the top no worries.
be warned, if you have a scary kite that flys deep (slingshot fuel), the loops are propper crazy.