Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (TotK)

How to Shield Surf

Zelda TotK - How to Shield Surf
This guide will show you how to Shield Surf in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (TotK). Read on to learn tips to Shield Surf downhill or on railings and the best shields for Shield Surfing.

How to Shield Surf

Hold the ZL Button to Raise Your Shield

Zelda TotK - Hold the ZL Button to Raise Your Shield
Press and hold the ZL Button to raise your shield. Continue to hold the ZL Button as you proceed with the next step.

Press the X Button to Jump and Press the A Button to Activate Shield Surf

While raising your shield, press the X Button to jump and immediately press the A Button to begin shield surfing. If successful, Link will perform a flip and use the shield as a surfboard.

Tips for Shield Surfing








You Cannot Shield Surf on Most Fused Shields

Most fused shields cannot be used for shield surfing as the added bulk and texture will get in the way of surfing. An in-game warning appears when you attempt to do so.

You Can Use a Cart Shield to Shield Surf

The best fused shield to shield surf on is the Cart Shield. This fused shield has better mobility and acceleration than a regular shield as it has four wheels.

Fuse Guide

Shield Surf on Railings

You can shield surf on the railings that you normally use to create ziplines with Ultrahand. Stand on the railing and shield surf down to the next area.

This comes in handy if you do not want to spend time creating contraptions with Ultrahand and want to reach an area quickly.

Ultrahand Guide

Perform Tricks While Shield Surfing

You can press the Y Button to perform a spin and the X Button and the Left Thumbstick at the same time to perform various tricks.

Press the Y Button to Extend Shield Surf

You can extend your shield surf onto a flat surface when pressing the Y Button. This allows you to travel further and adjust your steering when coming down a hill or a slope.

Use a Bow to Attack While Shield Surfing

You can use a bow and arrow to attack while shield surfing. Pressing the Y Button also allows you to perform a spinning attack with your melee weapon.

Paraglide While Shield Surfing

If you jump and open up your paraglider, you can paraglide while still strapped to your shield. This is very useful for when you're about to go off the edge of a cliff or if you missed landing on a railing. Once you put away your paraglider, you'll land on your shield and immediately start shield surfing again.

Shield Surf on Certain Terrains

You should generally shield surf on sandy, snowy, and grassy areas only as these do not deal damage to your shield. Rocky areas will deal damage and slowly break your shield over time, so be sure to stay on course.

Shield Surf on Gloom-filled Terrains

Zelda TotK - Shield Surf Gloom
Shield Surfing is one of the best ways to bypass any gloom-filled terrains. You will not take any Gloom damages while shield surfing directly on gloom-filled surfaces, making this one of the ideal ways to explore the Depths safely.

Do the Material Duplication Glitch

Shield Surfing is also one of methods of the Material Duplication Glitch. Right before you land your shield, open your menu and select the items you want to duplicate. Press Y and B at the same time and after you exit the menu, all items you selected drops in the overworld as duplicates!

If you find this a little difficult to execute, you can try the paragliding method. It's a fairly similar method, but easier to execute as you only need your paraglider and an elevated area to trigger this glitch. All you have to do find a small slope to paraglide on and while mid-air, select all the items you want to duplicate and Press Y and B after.

List of Glitches and Exploits

Best Shields for Shield Surfing

Cart Shield

Zelda TotK - Cart Shield

How to Get Cart Shield
Fuse Cart Zonai Device + Any shield

The Cart Shield is the best shield you can use for shield surfing. The cart has four wheels which increases mobility when surfing downhill or on railings. You can use any shield and fuse it with the Cart Zonai Device to create this piece of equipment.

Use a High Durability Shield

Shield surfing can eat away at the durability of your shield, especially if you shield surf for long periods of time. If your shield breaks while in the middle of shield surfing, Link will trip and fall. You don't want that to happen when you're surfing down a steep slope.

Use a high durability shield like the Hylian Shield or a shield with a Durability Up modifier as your dedicated shield surfing equipment. Do not use shields that are about to break.

Note that using a fused shield does break both the shield and the fused device, so use a shield that you do not need to create your shield surfing equipment.

Sled Shield

Zelda TotK - Sled Shield

How to Get Sled Shield
Fuse Sled Zonai Device + Any shield

When surfing on either snow or sand, it may be preferable to use a Sled Shield instead of a Cart Shield. The Cart Zonai Decive incurs a movement penalty in sand. When traversing the Gerudo Desert, you can glide through the sand more easily with a Sled Shield.

List of All Zonai Devices

Icy-Meat Shield

Zelda TotK - Icy Meat Shield.jpeg

How to Get Icy-Meat Shield
Fuse Icy Meat + Any shield

If you don't want to use a Zonai Device, you can fuse Icy Meat to your shield instead. The Icy-Meat Shield is an effective way of surfing through any terrain. It has all the slipperiness of ice, but it has the benefit of not being able to melt.

When making your Icy-Meat Shield, make sure you don't pick up the Icy Meat after it's frozen. It will end up in your Food Inventory, and you will no longer be able to take it out. Simply fuse the meat directly to your shield once it is frozen.

List of Food and Dishes

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Related Guides

Zelda TOTK - Tips and Tricks

Tips and Tricks
A Beginner's Guide to Tears of the Kingdom

All Tips and Tricks Guides

New Features
How to Confuse Enemies How to Cure Gloom
How to Blind Enemies -
Combat Guides
Flurry Rush, Sneakstrike, and Deal Critical Damage Weapon Modifiers Explained
How to Raise Defense Passive Abilities for Weapons Explained
How to Upgrade Armor How to Defeat Shielded Enemies
How to Throw Items and Materials How to Repair Weapons
How to Get Earthwake Technique How to Increase Weapon Durability
How to Parry How to Sneakstrike
How to Perfect Dodge and Flurry Rush Stealth Mechanics Explained
Exploration Guides
How to Dive How to Shield Surf
How to Break Cracked Rocks How to Use Minecarts
How to Cross the Freezing Water Fast Travel Guide
How to Change the Weather How to Get Heat Resistance
How to Make an Axe How to Tame Wild Horses
How to Chop Down and Use Fallen Trees How to Pass Time
How to Light Up Dark Areas How to Get Epona
What to Do During a Thunderstorm How to Get Cold Resistance
How to Check Coordinates How to Climb Efficiently
How to Break Wooden Boxes How to Make a Fire
How to Make a Raft How to Make a Hover Bike
How to Use Rocket Shields -
General Tips and Tricks
Zonai Dispenser Guide How to Expand Inventory
Best Settings to Use Pony Points Guide
How to Increase Health and Stamina How to Swap Hearts for Stamina
How to Get the Paraglider and All Paraglider Designs amiibo Unlocks and List of Compatible amiibo
Blood Moon Explained Missables and One-Time Events Guide
Whistle Effects and How to Use How to Farm Crops
How to Heal Post Game Content Guide: Is There a New Game Plus?
Kochi Dye Shop Guide: How to Recolor Armor Ending Explained: How to Watch the True Ending
List of Unlockables How to Get Ganon's Horse
Farming Guides
How to Farm Arrows Bubbul Gem Guide
How to Get More Energy Cells and Increase Energy Early Game Rupee Farming
How to Farm Weapons Dragon Part Farming Guide
How to Get Pristine Weapons -
Notable Item Location Guides
How to Get the Travel Medallion How to Get the Champion's Leathers Early
How to Get the Hylian Shield Early How to Get the Master Sword
How to Get the Classic Green Tunic Where to Find Wild Greens
How to Get Ring Garland Misko's Treasure Locations
How to Get Monster Medals How to Get All Champion Weapons
Puzzle Solution Guides
How to Solve the Water Temple Spinning Tower Where to Find King Dorephan
How to Solve the Gerudo Light Puzzle Voe and You Class Solutions
Map Location Guides
All Stable Locations All Sage's Will Locations
How to Get to Hyrule Castle How to Get to Lost Woods and Enter Korok Forest
Great Fairy Locations and How to Unlock How to Find the Light Dragon: Location and Drops
How to Find Farosh: Location and Drops How to Find Naydra: Location and Drops
How to Find Dinraal: Location and Drops How to Reach Abandoned Hebra Mine
Satori Cherry Blossom Tree Locations and Guide How to Unlock Royal Hidden Passage
All Addison Sign Locations All Forge Construct Locations
How to Get into Gerudo Secret Club All Coliseum Locations and Rewards
Koltin Locations and List of Rewards Satori (King of the Mountain) Locations
Where to Find Dondons How to Get to Toto Lake
All Goddess Statue Locations -
Tier List Guides
Best Early Game Armor Best Armor Sets (Equipment)
Best Weapons and Shields Best Horses
Best Equipment for Exploration Best Fuse Materials and Weapon Combinations
Best Modes of Travel -
Glitches and Exploits
List of Glitches and Exploits How to Duplicate Weapons, Bows, and Shields
How to Duplicate Materials -
FAQs
Can You Pet the Dogs? Does Saved Data Carry Over?
Should You Play BotW First? What Happens When You Die?
How Does Autosave Work? What Happened to Link's House?
Do Materials Respawn? How to Lower and Raise Hylian Hood
How to Change the Difficulty When Do Shops Restock?
Is There a Master Mode? -

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