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Big Air · Advanced

Kiteloop

Also called: kite loop · loop

See it in the Trick Tree

In a kiteloop the kite flies a full loop through the power zone mid-jump, pulled with the back hand — the defining big-air move, learned low before it is ever taken high.

Prerequisites

Boosting higher

Unlocks

Late backroll

Ideal conditions

Start with small 'baby loops' at 2–3 meters of height, where a missed catch still lands soft — the source calls 3–6 m the dangerous zone where you freefall but the kite can't catch you yet.

How to do it

  1. 1Set the jump up

    • Boost a normal jump off a strong edge and pop, with the kite at 12 o'clock or slightly before it — a centered kite keeps the loop centered.

  2. 2Pull the loop

    • At roughly 80% of your jump height — not at the peak — pull hard on the back hand and keep pulling until the kite has flown the full loop.
    • Pulling with the back hand is what makes it a kiteloop; the same pull on the front hand would be a downloop.

  3. 3Let the kite climb and land

    • Sheet out after the loop so the kite can climb back above you — how much depends on your kite model.
    • On bigger loops, finish with a heli-loop to untwist the lines and land clean.

Common mistakes and fixes

Mistake

Pulling the loop at the very peak of the jump

Fix

Pull at ~80% of the height while the lines still carry tension — a loop pulled at the peak turns slow and mushy.

Mistake

Sending the kite past 12 before the pull

Fix

Keep the kite at 12 or slightly before it so the loop stays centered over you.

Mistake

Not sheeting out after the loop

Fix

Ease the bar out so the kite can climb back overhead before touchdown — the amount is kite-specific, so learn your kite's climb.

Bailing out safely

  • Respect the height bands from the source: 2–3 m loops land soft even when mistimed; 3–6 m is the freefall zone where the kite cannot catch you — do not learn there. From 6 m+ a properly flown kite swings through and catches you.

Questions riders ask

What's the difference between a kiteloop and a downloop?

The hand: a kiteloop is pulled with the back hand through the power zone; the same committed pull on the front hand flies a downloop.

At what height should I learn kiteloops?

Low: the source teaches baby loops at 2–3 meters, warns that 3–6 meters is the dangerous middle band, and reserves 6 m+ for when the technique is already reliable.

Sources

Every step on this page traces to the sources below. Where they disagree or stay silent, the page says so instead of guessing.