Overview and Structure
The Half Cab originally refers to any trick approached riding Switch-Stance (fakie), spinning 180 degrees frontside, and landing in a Regular-Stance. If spun a full 360 degrees from switch, it is called a “Caballerial” or “Full Cab”.
The term originates from skateboarding legend Steve Caballero, who invented the fakie 360 ollie on a halfpipe in 1980. Because this trick only spins half of that rotation (180 degrees), it was dubbed the “Half Cab”.
In kitesurfing and wakeboarding, it is frequently used not just as a flat spin, but as an invert known as the “Half Cab Roll”. This trick consists of a heelside backroll initiated from a Switch-Stance, combined with a frontside 180-degree spin before landing.
Mechanics and Tips (Half Cab Roll)
It can be thought of as the switch-stance version of a “Roll to Revert”.
- Approach: Edge on your heelside while riding Switch-Stance and keep the kite stable.
- Pop and Backroll: Kick off the water and throw your head over your front shoulder to initiate a switch backroll.
- 180-Degree Spin (Revert): After passing the apex of the flip, pull the bar toward your front hip and twist 180 degrees frontside.
- Landing (Important): Return to your Natural-Stance in the air to land. In kitesurfing, if you maintain your original direction of travel while spinning 180 degrees, you will land on your toeside edge. Alternatively, if you redirect the kite in the air to reverse your direction of travel and land heelside, the trick becomes a transition.
Variations
- Double Half Cab Roll: A massive trick where the rider performs two full backrolls (a double) from a Switch-Stance, completing the 180-degree spin right before landing. It is known for pushing the limits of Big Air in kitesurfing.
- Half Cab Mobe: A highly difficult variation where the rider adds an aerial handle pass while completing the 180-degree spin.
Notable Riders
Top competitors like Jesse Richman and Christophe Tack have utilized Half Cabs and Double Half Cab Rolls as formidable weapons in their freestyle and Big Air heats, showcasing world-class performance and technical mastery.
Important Note: Defining “Switch” and Common Misconceptions
Difference between “Switch” and “Toeside”
Beginners often confuse the two, but “Switch” refers to riding with your non-dominant foot forward (stance), which is entirely different from “Toeside” (weighting the toe edge of the board). A Half Cab is strictly executed from a “Switch Heelside” edge.
Difference from Roll to Revert
Riders sometimes mistakenly call a standard-stance “Heelside Backroll + 180” a Half Cab. The absolute prerequisite for calling a trick a Half Cab is that it must be initiated from a Switch-Stance.