The ability to shield surf in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available from the beginning of the game, but you may not hear anything about it until you visit a place called Selmie’s Spot in the Hebra Mountains. Here you’ll meet Selmie (aka the Duchess of Downhill) in a small lodge, and from this spot you’ll have a great opportunity to experiment with shield surfing for the first time. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about how to do it on this page!

How Does Shield Surfing Work in Tears of the Kingdom?¶

If you want to know the basics of how to shield surf on any suitable surface, the main things you need to know are the following basic controls. First, you need to take out a shield by pressing and holding , then jump by pressing , and press while you’re still mid-air. This should see you fall down onto the shield and begin surfing, but the surf won’t last long unless you’re on a slope!

If you want to learn more about the best places to practice shield surfing, and how to shield surf on railings in the Sky Islands, read on below.

Speak with the Duchess of Downhill at Selmie’s Spot¶

If you haven’t discovered shield surfing already, you’re most likely to encounter the first mention of it when you venture to the Hebra Mountains, in the northwest part of the surface map. Here you can find Selmie’s Spot Map Marker, and inside the lodge you’ll have a brief conversation during which Selmie mentions that she and her students usually practice shield surfing in the area, but haven’t been able to in recent times due to the blizzard conditions. Although it might be too rough out there for them, Link is clearly built different and you don’t have to worry so long as you’re wearing enough cold resistant clothing to keep you warm.

The Duchess Who Disappeared Quest - Selmie’s Location¶

It’s useful to keep in mind that this is the same Selmie that you will need to find for The Duchess Who Disappeared Quest. We’ll be updating this page with more information about where to start the quest and how to complete it soon.

Where to Shield Surf in the Snowy Hebra Mountains¶

Once you’ve made sure that you can stay warm enough using clothing or food buffs, you can look for a good place to practice shield surfing. After visiting the nearby Rutafa-um Shrine Map Marker, which can be found by exploring the Hebra Mountains Northwest Cave Map Marker, the entrance to which is just northwest of Selmie’s Spot, you’ll have a convenient fast travel point from which you can reach the tops of the mountains here. You’ll need to stand on top of the shrine and use Ascend to quickly get to the surface again after traveling there, though.

As you’re standing outside of the lodge at Selmie’s Spot, look northwest for two large wooden poles with banners attached to them. This marks a point from which Selmie and her students would normally start their shield surfing, and it’s an excellent place for you to start your practicing from too. As mentioned above, you need to press and hold , then jump by pressing , and press while you’re still mid-air to land on your shield and begin surfing. You can then use the controls to speed up or slow down at your own leisure, and you can even try some jumps on the way down.

Shield Surfing with Zonai Carts, Springs, and Rockets¶

Aside from shield surfing on snowy surfaces, which is generally the best place to do it since the snow is more kind to your shield’s durability, you can actually surf down pretty much any surface that you encounter. However, note that surfing down rocky mountains will wear down your shield much more quickly than snowy surfaces will! You can increase the duration of the time that you can surf without breaking the shield by using shields with increased durability.

In addition to surfing with any regular shield, you can also use the Fuse ability to fuse specific items onto your shields for different kinds of shield surfing. This includes fusing a shield with a Zonai Cart to create a kind of skateboard, or to a Spring for a pogo stick. You can also fuse your shield to a Rocket which will allow you to surf through the air for a brief period, but note that the durability of your shield will be greatly affected when surfing with these fusions.

How to Shield Surf on Railings in the Sky Islands¶

One of the most fun ways to shield surf in Tears of the Kingdom is by surfing along railings, which you first and primarily encounter in the Sky Islands. The principle here is exactly the same as with normal surfing: you need to take out your shield, jump in the air, and press interact to land on the shield. So long as you’re above or immediately next to a railing as you jump, you should attach to it and stay on it for the duration of the trip. Just make sure your shield doesn’t have low durability, or you may soon find yourself falling through the sky!

If you want to see some shield surfing in action, you can check the video below: