How to Darkslide Online kiteboarding lessons
How to Darkslide - Online Kiteboarding Lessons
If you’ve ever watched a kiteboarder hover just above the water, dragging their tail in a slow, stylish arc—you’ve witnessed the darkslide. It’s one of the smoothest tricks in kiteboarding, and it never gets old. But what most riders don’t see is how much technique, control, and timing go into making it look that effortless.
In this blog, we’re breaking the darkslide down—not with generic how-tos, but with coaching insights straight from Aaron at Elite Watersports, one of Florida’s most trusted instructors. Whether you’re just starting to explore style-based tricks or you're stuck trying to drag without crashing, this guide gives you everything you need to finally stick your first slide.
We’re not just teaching a trick—we’re walking through the real steps that get results. From hover control to nose grabs to tail drags, this progression builds confidence and control in every phase. You’ll learn how to train each part of the move individually, why most riders fail early, and how to create the feeling of flow on the water without needing huge wind or advanced unhooked skills.
If you ride in St. Pete, Treasure Island, or anywhere along Florida’s Gulf Coast, you’re sitting on some of the best possible terrain to master this trick. The shallow flats, warm water, and consistent wind give you the perfect learning environment—and with the right gear and mindset, the darkslide becomes far more accessible than you might think.
This blog also taps into a growing shift in kiteboarding: more riders are focused on style and control, not just height or risk. The darkslide is a perfect gateway to that mindset. It’s clean, technical, and fun to repeat—plus it builds the kind of body awareness that transfers into other tricks down the line.
Ready to learn one of the most satisfying tricks in kiteboarding—and look smooth doing it? Let’s get started with what a darkslide actually is, and why so many riders are chasing this iconic move.
What Is a Darkslide in Kiteboarding?
More Than Just a Trick—It’s a Statement on the Water
The darkslide isn’t just another move in your progression—it’s one of the most stylish tricks in modern kiteboarding. It blends technique, control, and creativity into one fluid motion. When done right, it looks effortless: your board tail drags through the water like a fin, your body hovers just above the surface, and your kite hangs steady overhead.
But don’t let the smoothness fool you—this trick demands a unique combination of lift, board control, and timing. It’s a progression move that signals you’ve moved beyond simply riding and jumping. You’re now exploring style, finesse, and flow.
How the Darkslide Works
At its core, the darkslide is a hover-trick. You initiate a small lift—not quite a jump, but enough to reduce friction—and begin to swing the tail of your board behind you. The goal is to let the tail skim the water while your body stays lifted and balanced by the kite. You’ll typically let go of your front hand, reach toward the nose of the board, and allow your body to follow the arc of motion, almost like the beginning of a raley.
According to Aaron at Elite Watersports:
“You’re not jumping and you’re definitely not sending the kite yet. You’re just lifting enough to take weight off the board so that tail can drag without catching. It’s like skipping a stone—just enough lift to let it glide.”
Why Riders Love It
For many riders, the darkslide marks a turning point in their riding style. It’s a trick that feels just as good as it looks. It doesn’t require insane height or risk, but it does require finesse and confidence. That’s why it’s often one of the first “flow tricks” intermediate riders pursue.
It’s also incredibly photogenic. Whether you're riding in the slicks of the Skyway Bridge, or down in Treasure Island, the smooth spray trail and unique body position make the darkslide a standout moment in any session.
But what makes this trick truly addicting? It’s repeatable. Once you learn to hover and drag consistently, the darkslide becomes your go-to for showing off style without needing strong wind or huge send.
What You Actually Need to Learn a Darkslide
Why it's not just about tricks—it's about timing, control, and mindset
A lot of riders watch a darkslide and think, “I just need more wind and commitment.” While that’s part of it, there’s a foundation that needs to be in place first. Before you even try dragging your tail through the water, you need to build the right habits—and those start with control, not speed.
The Right Mindset: Commitment Over Confidence
This is one of the most overlooked pieces. The darkslide doesn’t work if you’re hesitant. You need to trust your lift, your board control, and your decision to hold that position for a second longer than feels comfortable.
Aaron says it best:
“The most common reason someone fails their first darkslide isn’t skill—it’s hesitation. If you’re not fully committed to dragging that tail, it won’t stick. I’d rather see a rider overcommit and crash than hold back and never get it.”
Your Skill Checklist: Are You Ready?
If you’re checking off these boxes, you’re ready to start working on the darkslide:
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You can do controlled, low-altitude hover jumps without sending the kite
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You’re comfortable with one-handed riding, even briefly
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You’ve practiced light nose grabs or board touches without fully jumping
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You know how to control your board angle mid-air or during a raley-style motion
If you haven’t played with that “hover” feel yet—where your board skims the water but doesn’t quite lift—you’re not quite ready for a full darkslide. But you’re close.
Board Control Is Everything
Before tail-dragging even comes into the picture, you need to master the feel of keeping your board light on the water. Aaron has a unique coaching progression for this:
“I’ll have students do a small lift, just enough that their board skips across the water. Then I’ll tell them to let go of their front hand and grab the nose. We do that ten times. Once they’re comfortable, the back foot naturally starts to push behind them, and suddenly, it clicks—they’re darksliding without realizing it.”
That kind of muscle memory is what makes the darkslide repeatable and safe. You’re not yanking the kite or throwing yourself into the trick. You’re controlling the motion with balance, precision, and board feel.
You Don’t Need Big Air—You Need Controlled Lift
Here’s the surprise for most riders: a darkslide doesn’t require power. In fact, too much power will ruin the trick. You need just enough lift to take weight off the board, and the patience to let the board slide—not bounce—across the surface.
It’s a trick that rewards smooth control more than explosive energy. And that makes it one of the most satisfying transitions from beginner jumps into flow-based style.
Step-by-Step Breakdown: How to Learn the Darkslide with Control and Style
A lot of “how to darkslide” tutorials jump straight into dragging the tail—but if you skip the foundation, you’re going to crash, catch an edge, or lose power. What makes this trick work is progression. And for Aaron, that progression starts before you ever drag the board.
If you want to build consistency and avoid bad habits, break it down into these key steps:
Step 1: Master the Hover Jump
Before you even think about sliding, you need to be able to hover. Not jump. Hover.
That means small, controlled lift where your board just skips the surface. No height, no yank—just a smooth float that lets the board stay nearly flat.
“Most of my students are shocked by how low the hover actually is,” Aaron says. “If you're leaving the water, you're probably going too big. I want you to feel like you're skimming—not flying.”
To train this:
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Keep the kite at 12, steady
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Pop gently with your back leg, just enough to lighten your board
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Stay flat—don’t edge aggressively
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Land soft, ride out clean
Once that starts to feel natural, you’re ready to start adding motion.
Step 2: Let Go of Your Front Hand and Reach for the Nose
Now that you're hovering, practice releasing your front hand. It sounds simple, but most riders tense up and pull back in midair. Instead, let that hand drop and extend your arm toward the nose of your board.
This helps with:
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Body alignment
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Nose-down control
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Setting the arc of the darkslide
Try doing this in 3-5 short hover sessions. Don’t drag yet—just build the reflex of letting go and reaching.
Aaron’s tip:
“The darkslide starts when you reach for the nose—not when you drag the tail. That body position is what sets up the whole move.”
Step 3: Initiate the Tail Sweep (Not a Raley, But Close)
Here’s where the trick starts to feel like a raley—but it’s not. You’re not powering off the water; you’re sweeping the tail of the board behind you in a slow, controlled arc.
Visualize dragging the back of your board like a fin through the water. Not a skid, not a whip—more like tracing a clean line.
Technique pointers:
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Keep the front knee bent
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Let your back leg extend slowly
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Don’t twist your hips too far—stay aligned with your kite
The board should trail behind your core, not across your body. If you’re doing it right, it’ll feel like you're being pulled into position, not forcing it.
Step 4: Drag the Tail Through the Water
This is the moment riders think of when they picture the darkslide. The tail of your board starts skimming the water as your body hovers above. It looks slick—but only works when everything else is already in place.
Aaron explains it like this:
“You want to dig in just enough to make that spray, but not so deep that you trip. Think of it like a surfboard fin—it’s slicing, not plowing.”
Keep your weight slightly forward. Stay soft on your knees. And above all, let the kite support your body while the board skims.
Step 5: Spot the Landing and Ride Out
As the tail drag starts to slow, begin bringing your board back under you. Keep your eyes forward and gently sheet in to maintain lift as you land. If the kite is steady and you’ve controlled the tail sweep, you’ll feel the board catch and ride out clean.
Don’t rush this part—it’s what makes the whole trick feel buttery smooth.
Aaron’s Coaching Fixes: Why Your Darkslide Isn’t Working (Yet)
You’ve practiced your hover. You’ve let go of the front hand. Maybe you’ve even felt the tail drag for a second—but then everything falls apart. Sound familiar?
That’s because most darkslide attempts fail for just a few key reasons. Let’s break them down.
Mistake #1: You’re Sending the Kite Too Early
One of the biggest misconceptions is that the darkslide is about power. It’s not. If you’re looping or redirecting the kite too soon, you’re throwing yourself off balance before the trick has a chance to form.
“Keep the kite at 12,” Aaron says. “Don’t backloop, don’t dive—just hold it steady. Let the kite support your weight while the board does the work.”
You’ll be surprised how long you can hover when you keep the kite neutral and ride the tension in your lines.
Mistake #2: You’re Trying to Drag Before You Can Hover
If you haven’t mastered the hover jump, the rest of the trick won’t stick. You’ll either catch your edge, bounce off the water, or spin out of control.
Aaron’s fix is simple: go back to the hover and get 100% comfortable with the “skip.”
“I see it all the time—people rush into the darkslide because it looks cool. But without that first lift and float, you’ll fight the water every time.”
Slow it down. Own the float. Then build into the drag.
Mistake #3: You’re Dragging the Tail Too Deep
The goal is to skim the tail—not carve it. Riders who dig the tail too hard end up catching their back edge and getting slammed.
Instead, think of the tail like a fin—just enough contact to make spray, but not so much that it slows you down.
Technique tip:
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Shift weight slightly forward
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Let the back leg extend, but stay soft in your knees
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Use the front arm (reaching to the nose) to help guide your balance
This small adjustment changes everything.
Mistake #4: You’re Fighting the Flow
Tension kills this trick. If you’re locked up, pulling too hard on the bar, or trying to muscle your way through the move, the timing breaks down.
Aaron sees this all the time, especially in high-wind sessions:
“The darkslide is about flow. If you’re stiff or gripping the bar with both hands the whole time, you won’t get the extension you need. Let go. Literally.”
Try this progression:
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One-handed hover
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Nose reach
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Tail drift
Each layer builds comfort and rhythm into the move.
Mistake #5: You’re Using the Wrong Conditions
The darkslide doesn’t need nuking wind. In fact, medium to light conditions are better for learning. Look for:
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Flat water (slicks, bays, or light chop)
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Consistent wind in the 14–20 knot range
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Enough space to ride out after the trick
This is why the St. Pete area—especially the Skyway slicks—is a perfect spot to learn. Butter-flat water, long tacks, and a mellow community vibe make it easy to focus on flow.
Best Conditions for Learning the Darkslide (and Where to Practice Around St. Pete)
Not all kiteboarding tricks are sensitive to conditions, but the darkslide definitely is. If you’re practicing in the wrong spot or at the wrong time, you’ll either catch an edge, lose power mid-trick, or fail to build muscle memory. Choosing the right setup makes the learning curve way shorter.
Wind Strength: Medium Is Perfect
While many tricks require solid wind, the darkslide is best learned in 15–20 knots—just enough lift to hover, but not so much that your kite yanks you out of position. Gusty or overpowered days will only make the timing harder.
Steady, moderate wind gives you more control and space to hold the hover without rushing the motion.
Water Type: The Flatter, the Better
Flat water is your best friend here. Chop breaks up your board’s contact with the surface and makes the tail drag unpredictable. You want a clean sheet of water where your hover and slide can connect seamlessly.
If you’re riding near St. Petersburg, you’ve got some of the best darkslide training grounds in Florida. Here’s where to go:
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Skyway Bridge (East Side Slicks): The go-to for flat water. Consistent wind, easy access, and long tacks make it ideal for progression sessions.
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Treasure Island (North of Caddy’s): Great on NE or ENE winds. Shallow areas with space to work on hover technique.
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Fort De Soto: When tides and wind line up, the inside flats offer buttery water and wide open space.
Best Board & Kite Setup for the Darkslide
You don’t need specialized gear, but a few choices can help:
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Twin tip with medium rocker – Too much rocker reduces tail contact. A balanced freestyle board gives you the slide while maintaining lift.
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Moderate-size kite (9–12m depending on rider weight) – Smaller kites loop too fast; larger kites provide better lift and float for the hover phase.
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Shorter lines (20m–22m) – If you’re struggling with timing, consider shorter lines for tighter kite response.
Aaron’s advice:
“The biggest issue I see is people using a high-wind setup on a light day—or vice versa. Match your gear to the wind, not just the trick. You want control, not power.”
Why the Darkslide Is the Perfect Progression Trick for Florida Riders
Florida’s Gulf Coast isn’t just good for kiteboarding—it’s ideal for style-focused tricks like the darkslide. With year-round wind, forgiving water temps, and consistent flatwater locations, it’s no surprise that riders in the St. Pete and Tampa area often progress faster than those in more extreme climates.
Warm Water, Year-Round
In colder kite spots, darkslide progression can be tough—cold water kills your session length, and thick wetsuits limit your range of motion. In St. Pete, you can ride almost year-round in a shorty or boardshorts.
That comfort leads to confidence. And confidence is everything when you’re learning tricks that require balance, float, and finesse.
“I always say it: warm water equals more reps,” Aaron says. “You’re not rushing out because you’re cold—you’re staying out, trying again, refining the feel.”
Shallow Flats = Safer Learning Environment
If you’re dragging the tail of your board across the water, the last thing you want is overhead chop. St. Pete’s shallow flats—like those at Skyway and the backside of Fort De Soto—give you forgiving terrain and consistent water conditions. That means fewer crashes and faster muscle memory.
Bonus: shallow water makes it easier to reset and try again. No deep-water body drags. Just reset, relaunch, and go.
Consistency Builds Progression
Unlike places where you’re waiting weeks between sessions, the Gulf Coast offers consistent thermal and frontal wind windows—especially in the spring and fall. That consistency lets you lock into practice loops faster and make meaningful gains.
Plus, riding with a tight local crew—whether at Elite clinics or weekend meetups—gives you feedback, encouragement, and accountability.
“It’s wild how quickly you improve when the conditions are right and you’ve got people pushing you. The darkslide is one of those tricks that clicks when you’re in the right environment—and St. Pete has that every week.”
Florida Is Built for Flow Tricks
Not every trick is suited for Gulf Coast riding. Big wave kiting? Not really. Massive loops in gusty 35 knots? Rare. But when it comes to style-based, low-altitude, high-flow tricks—the kind that turn heads and make you feel dialed in—Florida is the perfect playground.
The darkslide fits into that category perfectly. It’s stylish. It’s low impact. And it makes use of the clean, steady water you’ll find on any given day in St. Petersburg or Sarasota.
FAQ: Darkslide Kiteboarding Questions Answered
How hard is the darkslide to learn?
The darkslide is easier than it looks—but only if you build the right foundation. You don’t need to be an advanced rider, but you should already be comfortable with small hover jumps, one-handed control, and basic board awareness.
Most riders can start attempting the progression steps within their first year, especially in flatwater spots like St. Pete.
Do you need to unhook to do a darkslide?
No. The darkslide is a hooked-in trick. You don’t need unhooked skills to learn it.
In fact, trying to unhook can throw off your balance and make the trick harder to control. Focus on kite positioning, board control, and smooth lift—not handle passes or unhooked landings.
What size kite is best for learning the darkslide?
Use a kite that matches the wind and gives you enough lift without overpowering. Typically:
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9–12m kites work well for most riders
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Avoid looping or diving the kite
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Keep it steady at 12 to allow controlled hovering
A kite that drifts well and responds smoothly to small inputs will make this trick much easier to learn.
Can beginners learn the darkslide?
If you’re a brand-new rider still working on upwind riding and basic jumps, it’s a bit early. But once you’re confident with hover-style pops, one-handed riding, and directional control, the darkslide is a great next-level trick.
It’s a great early progression move because it’s stylish, low-risk, and teaches key body control and board awareness.
What are the most common mistakes with the darkslide?
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Trying to drag before you can hover
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Sending the kite instead of holding it steady
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Digging the tail too deep
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Being too tense or gripping the bar too tight
These are all fixable with the right coaching and the right conditions—especially when practicing in flatwater with medium wind.
Can I do a darkslide on a foil board or surfboard?
The darkslide is best learned on a twin tip. Surfboards and foils don’t allow for the same controlled tail drag or balanced hover. Once you’ve mastered it on a twin tip, you can explore variations—but start with the right tool for the job.
Want to Land Your First Darkslide? Here’s Where to Go Next
If you’re excited to try the darkslide—but not quite sure where to start—don’t stress. Like any great trick, it’s all about building the foundation first, step by step. Whether you’re working on hover control, one-handed grabs, or just starting to dial in your style, we’ve got the tools to help you level up.
Elite Watersports offers online and in-person coaching that’s built for riders just like you—intermediate kiters looking for that next unlock.
If the darkslide feels just out of reach, these blogs will guide you through the progression in order:
And if you want personalized feedback or 1-on-1 tips from Aaron or the Elite coaching team, check out our online lesson programs or stop by the shop. We’re always happy to get riders progressing faster, safer, and with a lot more style.
You don’t have to be advanced to start looking stylish on the water. You just need the right approach—and a little help along the way.
Ryan "Rygo" Goloversic
Rygo is a globally recognized kiteboarder, Airush team rider and an advocate for wakestyle kiteboarding. When he's not writing articles or producing kite videos you can catch him competing on the KPLxGKA world tour or grinding it out in the gym.