PROGRESSION

Today we’re breaking down the unhooked heelside back roll — one of the most popular and stylish tricks in kiteboarding, and often easier than the Raley. It’s your first rotation and opens the door to moves like Back to Revert, Back to Blind, and the KGB. The back roll isn’t a flip — it’s more of an off-axis 360. We’ll cover: Trick Overview Body Position Variations Common Mistakes Start with good speed, keep your kite at 11 or 1 o’clock, unhook, carve, and lean back. Pop with tension and look over your back shoulder to initiate the roll. Keep your bar close, knees tucked, and follow your head for rotation. Spot your landing, pull the bar to your lead knee, and land flat, riding downwind. Letting go with your back hand helps make it smoother. Once this feels natural, start experimenting with style, inversion, and different roll axes.