Everything looks shitty when you're learning it. Remember doing 2m under-powered darkslides without a loop? That's what a 5m kiteloop is to a megaloop. It just takes a lot longer to learn how to megaloop than to do a darkslide. And any trick looks average without style/flair/smoothness. Darkslides look absolute pants without long length, fully laid out, board grab from start to finish, and a good powered pop at the end. (although, I am partial to vertical 'just the tip' slides as well).vannibombonato wrote: ↑Wed Oct 06, 2021 7:47 amI'm 100% with Toby on this.Toby wrote: ↑Wed Oct 06, 2021 2:24 amHow important is a kiteloop for you ?
If you don't megaloops they look shitty anyway...instead do a Darkslide, boardoff etc. Way less risk of getting injured!
If you need inspiration for tricks, I have over 6000 for you...without having high risks: www.StrictlyHooked.com
1) The "coolness" factor of kiteloops is reached at the megaloop level, which is something that carries a high level of risk for anybody doing it, pro riders included. There's nothing wrong in trying to learn those, and kudos to anybody to has the balls to challenge themselves in order to learn them, but be aware of what you are getting into and be honest with your level of skill and fitness. And remember that virtually anybody able to properly do megaloops is able to do old school tricks blinded.
2) If you are after the fun and coolness factor, PERSONALLY i think old school hooked in tricks are the way to go. Maybe it's because i'm getting older, but i get way more satisfaction today from a smooth kitelooped transition (darkslides, hand drags, etc), and the be all-end all of tricks in Kiting for me has and always will be the Jesus Walk. But that's just me.
All in all, if i had to choose i'd much prefer to be Toby than Lenten. Maybe Toby with Lenten age
There's always a point in which a sport becomes more technical than watchable. Unhooked freestyle was that point originally for me - I actually got this point from one of Toby's comments in an older video of his about freestyle vs airstyle. It's amazingly difficult and takes years to be able to do, but it's not fun to watch as a layperson. Airstyle was more watchable when I first started kiting, although I feel it's just become more and more technical and less stylish by cramming more things into jumps. For example, it's pretty awesome Toby can do a tic-tac double front roll rodeo with a triple board flip finish. Godly level of skill and I'm insanely jealous, but a bit too frantic to watch. Big Air is currently that perfect combination of technicality (megaloop) and simple 'air'style at the moment. It's evolving very quickly into the more frenetic realm. Sometimes less is more.
Basically, I'm old, whingey, and can't tell if Janek's tornado was 8 spins or 22 spins.
