Hi
I have been surfing most of my life and a competent surfer but only kiting at a low level. I can go upwind, ride toeside and do basic jumps on my twin tip. I feel I am ready now to finally kite a surfboard in small waves which is why I initially got into kiting in the first place, to be able to surf using a kite when the surf is onshore and crappy for surfing.

I have just restored a tuflite surfboard I bought cheap which is gonna be good to use and really really strong, much stronger than the firewires. Anyway, need some advice. I have just put some front foot inserts in the board and finishing glassing them in so I can put a strap in for my front foot which I intend to only use when going out the back but take the foot out when riding waves (thats the plan anyway, not sure if thats going to work well in the real world). I intend to make the strap out of seat belt material or carpet and have it fairly loose.

My question is, as a fairly low intermediate rider on a kite (but very proficient surfing) am I silly only using one strap? My concern is saftey as well as how easy it will be to take the front foot out and still have my foot on top of part of the strap while riding? Note, I have put the front strap a bit further up (say 10-15 cm)than what I would have my front foot when actually surfing a wave. If I have the front foot strap fairly loose how much of a risk is this and do many people just use the front foot strap for kiting waves on a surfboard?

Thanks guys.
Dan

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WaveRipper said..
Hi
I have been surfing most of my life and a competent surfer but only kiting at a low level. I can go upwind, ride toeside and do basic jumps on my twin tip. I feel I am ready now to finally kite a surfboard in small waves which is why I initially got into kiting in the first place, to be able to surf using a kite when the surf is onshore and crappy for surfing.

I have just restored a tuflite surfboard I bought cheap which is gonna be good to use and really really strong, much stronger than the firewires. Anyway, need some advice. I have just put some front foot inserts in the board and finishing glassing them in so I can put a strap in for my front foot which I intend to only use when going out the back but take the foot out when riding waves (thats the plan anyway, not sure if thats going to work well in the real world). I intend to make the strap out of seat belt material or carpet and have it fairly loose.

My question is, as a fairly low intermediate rider on a kite (but very proficient surfing) am I silly only using one strap? My concern is saftey as well as how easy it will be to take the front foot out and still have my foot on top of part of the strap while riding? Note, I have put the front strap a bit further up (say 10-15 cm)than what I would have my front foot when actually surfing a wave. If I have the front foot strap fairly loose how much of a risk is this and do many people just use the front foot strap for kiting waves on a surfboard?

Thanks guys.
Dan

Hey Dan, if you are good at surfing you will have good board positioning and balance, so you don't need any straps

The first few times going out through the white water and break you might come off but you'll get the hang of it quickly

Combination of keeping the speed low as you go over the wave and keeping the knees bent with the kite high.

You'll enjoy riding the waves a lot more strapless, as you can move your feet around

Just my 2 cents

Thanks for that advice swinginginthewind. What you suggested in saying that while I am getting used to getting out the back without straps I should be "keeping the speed low as you go over the wave and keeping the knees bent with the kite high" is good advice. Also thanks to the member who PM'ed me also suggesting with my surfing background I will be preffering to go strapless and that I should also practice in flat water to "learn your transitions gybing and persevere with learning the switch feet". Oh well, I shall finish off what I have done with the inserts and not worry about straps after all. All very good advice, thanks guys. And as suggested to me, I shall check the website: www.straplesskitesurfing.com/category/videochannel/?page=1
Cheers
Dan

Hey Dan. You'll be totally fine strapless from the get go. I have never surfed in the true sense and worked the basics out pretty quickly. In fact, the experience you've gained surfing will put you well in front of the curve in terms of reading the swell and positioning on the wave. At least you won't be doing your bottom turns way out in front of the face like me :)

Hey Dan, Definitely go strapless from the get go. The use of one strap on the front is a recipe for injuring your knee. I still use my straps sometimes when the surf is super crapped out or the wind is super sonic. If you have the inserts you always have options, so your work is not wasted.

Just practice your water starts strapless be for you go to far out because if your1km offshore and you have to do a water start strapless and you have not got your practice in .It will be a pain in the ass learning it out there.

Dan I went through the same learning curve about 18 months ago. I opted to go strapless straight away.

What worked for me was spending a few weeks on flat water getting my stransitions nailed. Check out all the vids on YouTube on gybing. I'm goofy and will usually turn both ways in a goofy stance. When I'm tacking I'll switch to natural stance (easier upwind) but then switch back to goofy when I get on a wave.

Despite a preference for gybes in my goofy stance, what I worked hard on was being able to switch before or after gybing as well as being able to gybe in a natural stance. Some will think this is overkill but pays off when you get caught inside and need to turn around fast and get back to the beach to avoid a set too big to climb over. A gybe under pressure on your non favorite side is worse than getting caught inside paddle surfing - you get seriously punished Practicing your gybes on flat water will also get your water starts sorted as you'll be doing heaps of them Don't dispair on the gybes as it will take lots of practice to get comfortable but It will eventually click.

Also practice your Ollie's on flat water as this is the best way to climb over whitewater.

I agree, strapless straight up.

One strap could lead to serious knee injury if your back foot slips off

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WillyO said..
I agree, strapless straight up.

One strap could lead to serious knee injury if your back foot slips off

Sorry I just read your post right through and don't think the seat belt is a wise idea. You should seriously just try going strapless with lots of wax and see how well you go. You may just be surprised. Just take it easy when you are going over a wave and make sure you keep downward pressure on the board.

put the tufflite in the bin.
kite your normal surfboards.

Dan,

Go strapless straight up , pick your days to start with the SB , you will fine strapless if you have surfed before ,just start using the SB in good conditions birth wind and waves

As the lads have said strapless is the go. My first couple of years on the surfboard was spent just using the front strap.I can understand why U do this.but it was pointed out to me how serious the danger of doing a knee injure was. hence I'm ride strapless.If U do just use one strap then don't put your whole foot under.just your toes.,

Ditto and Ditto

I come from a surfing background too and other than the initial learning curve of getting up and plaining and going upwind learning strapless is actually very very easy. I've been kiting for under a year (admittedly I have become completely obsessed and spent almost every singly windy moment i'm not working with a kite in the air) but i am now confidently riding strapless on waves, gybing and getting out through the whitewater without losing my board too often!

Plus as a surfer you will quickly find that you will not enjoy the feeling of your feet being strapped to the board once on the wave face. You make far more micro adjustments with your feet than you realise. I also went through a phase of riding strapped and tore my hammy of my front leg when my back foot ripped the DIY inserted footstrap out the tail and I did the splits on my board.

Simple thing I learned the hard way:

1) Don't try in really gusty conditions to start off with
2) you need to be less aggressive with your kite otherwise you just get pulled off your board and use your kit to lift you up over oncoming waves
3) make sure you initiate all turns and moves with your kite before you turn your board
4) be confident with your footwork and commit to the turn (I must admit I do still get stuck halfway in that awkward feet together stance)
5) No matter how tempting it seems to use one, NEVER use a board leash. I did because I thought it would save me time body dragging to get my board and sure enough in one session alone I got pinged by my board and on a separate occasion it went between my lines resulting in a very dangerous situation while i struggled to release the leash from my foot. Also it completely messes up your footwork.
6) Get yourself and dedicated kitesurfing surfboard - I trashed several of my conventional surfboards before buying a F-One Mitu pro which is not only 10x easier to ride with a kite but it doesn't get a massive hole in it every time you fall onto it spreader bar first

Enjoy the strapless freedom

One strap can be quite interesting specially in strong winds and will make the learning process a little easier.

Maybe start with a strap for a few months, then go strapless for sure.

If you want to use straps, use straps. If your goal is to go strapless, go strapless. The sooner you start kiteing without the straps, the sooner you'll feel comfortable doing it, and get it all figured out. It's not hard. You just have to do it.

20 year surfer, 3 year kiter. I have used strapped surfboard, strapless, and one strap.

Strapped: feels great in high winds or really messed up crazy conditions. It is fun to boost airs strapped, but especially when facing a wall of white water. Having to switch feet sucks though. Especially if you get in a situation that you need to do it in a hurry.

Strapless: very free feeling, ultimate for surfing. But uncomfortable if over powered or very choppy. And strapless airs are way harder than they look…especially frontside. With straps, you can be the wave air god even if pretty kooky.

One-strap: I used a windsurfing type strap, kept it very loose, really only feel the strap if you get airborne accidentally jumping over a wave. I figured it was loose enough that my foot would come out well before any injury danger. Didn’t have any injuries, but took it off to be safe.

The Hook: an option before strapless become popular was a front hook…just a little something to give you some grab in the air. NSI made the Klingon. Predator was an Aus brand. A buddy of mine is making one out of a yoga block (high density foam is the ticket). While trying to learn strapless airs, I used an approximation of this….a partially stiff windsurfing type strap, but only attached with front screw, so it could flap open. Gave just a tiny bit of friction, to help avoid losing board so much.

There’s my experiences. Have fun!

Me: Lame surfer, 3 year kite surfer. Had one season of kiting with SB.

I found one loose strap at the back to be the best setup for me. It makes starting easy as I can lock my back foot in and keep my front foot either down on the sand or kicking the board around in the chop to keep it straight when it's otherwise flapping around all over the shop. Then once I'm up I can either use it or not, it doesn't bother me by being there.

Hey WR,

That's why I started kiting, too many sloppy onshore days. Strapless 100% bro. Can switch stance easier, move around, doing duck tacks are way easier. Yep strapless all the way bro!

Strapless all the way mate but I've for the issue that I find it very hard to jybe I'm not a surfer but love the freedom I do go threw stages of the front strap I don't get to go out as much as I want so atm the front strap is king but I'm sure this season I will be strapless trying to master the art of jybing cause toe side strapless long distance really suck
Ps anyone got some tips on making the jybe made easy I am a goofy footer maybe that's my problem

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upsidedowner said..
Ps anyone got some tips on making the jybe made easy I am a goofy footer maybe that's my problem

www.seabreeze.com.au/Articles/Kitesurfing/How-to-gybe-a-surfboard_2165971.aspx

Mount a sky hook instead of a front strap and no strap on the back.
It allows to put your toes under the skyhook when you have to cross steep waves breaking (shore break) or when going very fast on choppy parts. Still it allows to move around freely on your board.
Material: strong / stiff foam - fixed with 2 screws in your board instead of the front strap.

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Wave ripper .... Definitely agree with all the info above however remember using a single front strap can have big knee injury implications. An experienced friend advised me against it and stubborn ol me did it anyhow and I got slammed and really did damage to my knee. So no straps is best in big surf.....
<div>Or there is an open ended strap - the predator strap made in WA. I could never find where to buy one ...... So I just persevered with strapless

<div>So, consider your knees - health is wealth

This may help...........




Strapless is just soooooooooo much smoother

I got a couple of extra large cup hooks and screw them into my board then just slip my big toes into them, sorry watching wallabies (bumblebees)and its sending me crazy

I would advise against one strap... snapping your MCL is not fun. Straps in general as you progress encourage you to put stress on your joints rather than use your body weight to make turns and something will give somewhere

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ezza said..
I would advise against one strap... snapping your MCL is not fun. Straps in general as you progress encourage you to put stress on your joints rather than use your body weight to make turns and something will give somewhere

This.

If you are going to use a strap I reckon you are better to use 2, IMO you are more likely to damge knees, ankles etc with one foot locked in and the other free.
I will join the chorus and say just go strapless though.

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tightlines said..

ezza said..
I would advise against one strap... snapping your MCL is not fun. Straps in general as you progress encourage you to put stress on your joints rather than use your body weight to make turns and something will give somewhere

This.

If you are going to use a strap I reckon you are better to use 2, IMO you are more likely to damge knees, ankles etc with one foot locked in and the other free.
I will join the chorus and say just go strapless though.

broke my leg in feb from an (accidental) one strap situation on twintip, now ridding strapless and im a kook! just be patient, also a surfboard can be great for lighter/gusty wind with the extra floatation- or so ive found

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upsidedowner said..
Ps anyone got some tips on making the jybe made easy I am a goofy footer maybe that's my problem

Dont jybe! haha, get better at riding upwind on your toe side and do down winders and vuala you can hack n slash your way on your prefered side all the way! :D I only jybe when i do long runs in and out to really get upwind.

Never, Never one strap if you have any respect for your ligaments. Besides it does not really buy you anything. If you want to ride directional you have to learn to jibe - immediately, and tack -eventually. Way easier to learn these manoeuvres when strapless.