My understanding is a back loop is with the back hand, forward loop with the front hand. That's my def anyhow.

what is your definition of a down loop?

A downloop / frontloop / forward loop - is when the kite is looped "forward" in the travel direction through the air.

A backloop (uploop), also sometimes just called a loop - is when the kite is looped around "against" the travel direction.


Typically meaning, that when you pull the loop with your front hand according to the direction when you took off, it is a downloop / frontloop / forward loop.
And when using your back hand, it is a backloop or just a loop


Of course, when up high and you have no significant speed across the wind, it is the same whether you pull a front or backloop, but the terms are still fine as you WILL have had a direction of travel when you took off, so noone is in doubt what direction you mean

Peter

Down loop/front loop/front roll are different things where I come from

We have the same definition it seems but mine assures the direction of travel is implicit. Front hand tells you which way you are going right.

My usage: To do aerial jibes & tacks ( complete change in direction)....for a total of 6 fun moves

Either during forwards...backs....or table tops jumps

From heelside to toeside landing...or...toeside to heelside landing on strapped directional

Always using front hand to pull the bar and loop the kite downward....
....so that you exit the move going the other way smoothly planing with speed

....................... ........................................................................................

The best examples what do to while in the air with a kite too far forward or backward can be found in these videos, specially the ones showing the kite as well

http://www.kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2379223

Heres a good one.. Clearly shows the pilot setting himself up for the landings. He's moving the kite so he swings under it a little. The last one is a gust during the apex, it gave him a shot at 3 or 4 loops. Thats what Im trying to do. I just want to float around.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC-vEe_Ktn0

Digging this thread up again after some experimentation...

Any suggestions for what to do with bigger kites? Past few months I've been downlooping on big jumps which works ok but the big kites tend to make lazy circles and come right back into the wind window and then it's warp speed downwind... or a buckled LE

Kite-loops have much the same result - kite won't lift, but pulls almost horizontal.

Just need to use smaller kites? Or is there a nack to it?

What size are you referring too here? My biggest kite is 11m and I used it about 80% of my sessions over the last few months. Been loving the heli loop for huge jumps and use the down loop on smaller jumps. My mind still cannot comprehend how the down loop causes lift for a soft landing.

The only time I get the horizontal pull on the way down is when the kite loops too slowly and this is generally when I'm not pulling down hard enough or release the pull on the bar too early.