Ok so I am keen to learn how to do kite loops! I can jump well, front roll, back roll, raileys and do transitions and such. Anyone have any advice about timing and things like that. It would seem that there is no such thing as a small loop so I am curious about timing. Cheers
there is such thing as a small kiteloop. You don' want to be going for a len10 kiteloop on your first attempt, start by doing some little air transitions with a down loop thrown in as you start to descend. Then do little jumps (1-2m) and loop the kite really quickly up above your head as you descend.
The aim is to start to understand how fast the kite turns, how much it pulls with the bar at different trim points and how to land with speed straight downwind without falling forward or backward.
Once you are confident you will be wanting to go out in flat water with a kite smaller than 9m and preferably short lines, going for a really big air and 'pull the trigger' just before you stop going upwards. Everything from that point onwards will be instinct 
Above all, the biggest tip for a learning to loop is turn that bar like hell and dont back off halfway!
That is how I taught myself and so far no injuries.
what sandman said. i tried to green thumb him but got a message saying no more than 10 votes per however long. hahahha I've been reading the climate change thread.....djdojo is onto it but the conspiracy theorists are running the thread.
As Sandman said ^^^^^
Main tip is: COMMIT! No matter what happens, do not back out halfway, always complete the loop.
Next tip, keep the bar sheeted in. If you sheet out mid loop, your kite accelerates, creates more speed = More power = harder downwind pull and larger radius turn meaning you'll get above your kite (which is way cool by the way 
) and you'll likely face plant at mach 1 before the kite starts heading back to 12 for your parachute effect soft but fast landing. This will hurt 
(but will be spectacular to the beach crew who will blow up in hoots and then fall over themselves laughing).
Kite looping is awesome in big wind so try in little wind first and work your way up to Len10 loops.
Have fun,
KH
the biggest mistake i made when i tryed my first kite loop was that i though ya needed heaps of speed and heaps of air so thats wat i did (BIG MISTAKE FOR FIRST TIME) 
go slow first time and then work your way up bigger
I found it easiest to learn to loop by doing a down loop whilst descending from a boost, then a kite loop whilst descending from a boost, then a kite loop as a transition in light winds, then a transition loop in stronger winds, then finally a proper kite loop in high winds.
I find it far more critical to get the position of the loop in the wind window right rather than the timing. With timing, the later in the boost you do them the softer they'll be but the less chance of the kite catching you for the soft landing.
If you want to try looping it as a transition then as your travelling left, just initiate the loop once you've redirected the kite back to about 12:30/1 o'clock... then just dial it in to be closer and closer to the middle of the wind window.
another good way to first try it and how i learnt is by fish poling so grabbing one end of bar with two hands this way your less intent to let go half way through and will actually probly hurt more, kinda of like a unhooked kiteloop but hooked in.
Thanks guys. Now I guess its just a point of trying. I have seen the result of someone changing their mind/ not being committed and it looked and sounded like it hurt!
I've only tried a few on the water but using the trainer kite on land gave me some idea of when the pull kicks in and also helped get my head around the steering. Don't forget, your other hand automatically pulls in when your kite is heading down! You'll need to reverse this instinct!!
Dude - adding to it all
Get yourself a wake Pdf or impact vest - when you get spanked hard from goin large, it makes the beating more enjoyable 
When youve got it down - dont wear it & tell everyone else to HTFU lol 
Merry Christmas and a Happy Carnage New Year
Cheers Clay
I have a new concept for learning kiteloops called a russian roulette kiteloop. You try spin the bar mid way through your jump. Depending which way you catch the bar, when you try send the kite forward, it could go forward like a normal jump or backwards into a kiteloop, but either way you're too committed to change your mind anyway. At this stage, I think it could be best tried in 25 knots with a 9m to provide maximum spectator value.
Disclaimer - The author of this post takes no responsibility for darwin candidates who may attempt to try this method. If you're the type of person that would put a nail through your nipple for fun, then this is probably perfectly suited to you. If on the other hand you get an adrenalin rush from driving 65 in a 60 zone, you may want to try one of the earlier suggestions.
Tried my first kiteloop a couple of weeks ago and it was unsuccessful. I was under the impression that you weren't supposed to start initiating the loop until you were at the peak of your jump.
So I tried this, but given that I had slowed the kite momentum at about 12 or just past (back) overhead, when I pulled hard for the loop the lines were slightly slack and the kite was not very responsive! The consequence was the kite not making it through the loop and crashing staight down into the water (by the time the lines got enough tension on them). No injuries but a pretty heavy smack on the water!
Would it be fair to say a better approach is to yank hard for the loop as soon as you're off the water (on the way up in a jump) and just deal with the power in the loop, rather than risking slack lines and an unresponsive kite?
when learning it is best to .....
slow down your board speed
bring kite above your head to about 12
begin to pop and go into a backroll at the same time pull down on your back hand ( will happen quite naturally if you are ging into the backroll anyway,
the kite will loop with only moderate speed and power
land heading down wind or transition
The above style loop is best for transitions, jesus walk attempts etc.......are great fun and the repercussions are usually minor.....
Then there are the punishing ones and the reasons for many knee recos
build heaps of board speed
boost large
just before or at the apex of the jump pull down hard on your back hand sending the kite into a loop
this will send you rocketing down wind
then ....... hope you have the timing right and that the kite catches you as you land
and remember to turn the kite forward again or you will overshoot your lines.
both methods can be quite hard on the knees the first method really depends on how much downwind pull you get ie : more pull means a less abrupt landing angle ( not straight down ) the second method destroys knees if you get it wrong.
I like the unhooked method, ridding fast fish poling the kite and adding some pop. But the landings can be hard on the knees. One thing i found is that to much power and you stall the kite in the loop so i normaly depower a fair bit and then just build up untill it feels good allso you can drive the kite to far to the edge of the window if you edge to hard and the kite wont give you much lift. Its a good way to start an unhooked trick, kite loop raily, F16, L3 etc. I allways try to catch the loop as it comes out of the power zone and park it in the normal ridding position but you do take a bit of a hard drop or you can fly it to 12 for a softer landing a lot of people continue with a second loop as they land either way you are normaly going fast when you land. if all goes horibly wrong you just let go of the bar. but the crashes still hurt a bit.
All of the above.
I have spent quite a while learning to loop the kite in high winds 25knts+
No matter how much of a skilled pilot you become you will still take the hits and you are more likely to get bruised ribs and ligament strains when starting out.
Pussy Loops in light winds are for sure a great starting point to get your bearings and timing dialed.
I would heartily recommend an impact vest because i had 6 weeks off last season due to bruised ribs.
Moving forward into high winds lets say 25 - 40knts you enter a completely new domain where everything is amplified ten fold.
This is where the big hits come and they will. Its also important to be aware of your surrounding and make sure there is nobody downwind of you because you are going to travel.
I cannot stress the commit comment any further this will make or BREAK you!!!!
I have still heaps to learn in terms of timing and kite tuning but 7M is best and ensuring your lead jump before cranking the bar is HUGE, CONTROLLED & FULLY COMMITED.
When you get it right you should rocket downwind the kite will catch you and if your lucky the landing should be smooth as powder.
Good luck on your Loop Journey
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