Quite a few have been asking about Slingshot half-straps.

I've been playing around with multiple configurations of footstraps and stoked now with 4 half-straps in this set up on my W114 - I have to use a single rear on my Freestyle 87 which is not quite as good as I have less room to move my foot downwind.

Half-straps have about only 3/4 the grip on my foot compared to regular footstraps and they take a little getting used to, also quite hard and uncomfortable. But the pros are I can wear shoes (lots of walking out over sharp limestone rocks with a 103cm mast) and it's easy to shuffle my feet into and out of the straps while gybing - which is also why I have the rear straps facing forward. I'd like to have Mr Smooth's perfect footwork

I'd prefer to use regular straps and keep my back foot locked in the strap downwind - it works better especially in big winds and seas. But I feel half-straps slightly reduce the risk of re-injury to my knee so I'm happy to stick with them for the future.




I don't think I've foiled through a full breach before - probably says a lot for the control from the super-stiff wide carbon mast and epic 730 wing.

I set up my Slingshot foild board with the same brand halfstraps you are using and quite happy with it. However, when I tried to install on my Starboard freeride board, I noticed the screws for the original Starboard footstraps are bigger than the holes on the metal plate of the Slingshot half-straps. I will try to enlarge the hole using a drill in order to use Starboard screws that are bigger and longer than the Slingshot screws. The slingshot screws are holding now but becoming loose following few days of run.

Used them until both broke while I was stuffing the board....Formula 162, into the van alongside 6 other boards 12 sails, 12 masts, 6 booms, and 2 foils.

I am thinking about trying half straps, maybe only for the back straps, but for different reasons. I started foiling on a large slalom board with backstaps on. But after a while I took the back straps off because I found it much easier to find the right trim when I could freely move my back foot around. Maybe the half traps could be good compromise giving more freedom of back foot movement while giving some foot strap support when needed? But actually I'm not really sure if and when the back straps are needed at all - I haven't missed them when they where not on. Maybe half straps as front straps would make it easier to do strap-to-strap jibes?

I can't get over the water clarity, absolutely beautiful

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CoreAS said..
I can't get over the water clarity, absolutely beautiful

Me too always jealous when I see that!

Was going to start foiling without back foot straps. Felt naked without the back straps. Decided on these half-straps. 1.5 seasons later. Still on the board. I like them except for the lack of comfort vs. trad full straps. So smooth an easy to move rear feet in and out. Probably should replace the front fulls with halves. My front footwork needs to be cleaner. Doesn't Nicolas Goyard race with no rear straps?