Every time I try without straps I hate it.

for me there is much more control especially when carving

I've done both, learnt with straps, then when i was learning parawing I was strapless.
Strapless helped me "finish" the footswitchs, I had like 70% success with the straps, being strapless made it easier because it removed that moment where you fall because you want your foot in the strap and you end up knocking your toes on it. but otherwise the freedom is so nice. I thought I would be strapless forever because of the freedom, but I like to try and go fast sometimes and that was impossible to do without straps.
Also its easier woth straps to pump the board onto foil in light conditions, and easier to carve. Only downside to the straps imo is that you cant move really well your feet when downwinding.

With straps the board is part of me, without I'm just sort of on top of it.

For me, if I'm riding my hardest in waves, I have maybe 5 "get on foils" in me before I'm tired and my riding level steps down a notch. Sitting in the water, climbing onto the board, slogging, pumping onto foil. It's a lot of work compared to just staying on foil. The straps allow me to stay on foil when I would have come off and stay on the board when I would have fallen off. Even in some gnarly crashes I can almost always muscle the board back to the right direction to get back on foil. That means fewer times clawing my way back on foil and more of my session riding at my best.

I never switch feet ever. Even when I rode strapless years ago.

As far as jumping it's the same as strapless kitesurfing, I have to actively coach myself not to get bored and jump on flat days. I can't afford To destroy boards like that.

as far as injury I think board width is important. 24" wide is ok but any bigger I think is an issue. Modern skinny boards are great. It's just a matter of how Much leverage the board has.

I've gone both ways and for me when the conditions are "gnar" and I'm my smallest kit, I definitely crash less with straps. Predominately front strap only, I stand and push against the back strap and only lock into that if jumping - which is rare for me, but its good to have the option for stripping weed or clearing a weed bunch.

Front straps for me. I rely on them for my foot switches mainly, getting my feet in the right spot straight away, and it also helps with the pumping. Tried the rear straps a couple of times and didn't like them, they were in the way when not in them and they were harder than I thought they'd be to get into (20" w board). Crashing with straps doesn't worry me, I've had big crashes at 35+kts windsurfing and never hurt my feet/ankles

pacoz said..

Stretchy said.
Crashing with straps doesn't worry me, I've had big crashes at 35+kts windsurfing and never hurt my feet/ankles

Just that windsurf boards don't have a big anchor beneath them that causes a ton of leverage.

I think board width is a bigger problem. My wing board at 20" wide will still roll fairly easily despite the foil. Previously windfoiling with an 85cm wide board was a bigger risk, particularly if hooked in.

TooMuchEpoxy said..

Stumbleweed said..
Strapless rider checking in.

I've tried a front strap. When I had it dialed in I did experience an instant jump in control and pump up on foil ability.

That said, straps are horrible when poorly placed. The strap takes up a considerable amount board real estate. When I tinker with my foil or board setup (which perhaps I do too much), sometimes the strap will be in exactly the wrong place. Aargh!!!

And then there are the times I unintentionally hit a sand bar or ball of weed at speed and go ass over teakettle. Boy am I ever glad my foot wasn't in a strap.

Oho man, bad strap placement is the worst. I 100% buy strapless boards and add inserts EXACTLY where My feet go like I ride strapless and take a grease pencil out and mark my feet and add the straps in the right spot.

There is also the question of strap adjustability. New boards are now coming out with inserts for V-straps only, which are not very adjustable. Coming from windsurfing, I'm used to having high and narrow straps with the foot all the way in up to the ankle. Maybe that's "old-school", as I see pros on Instagram riding with flat, wide straps with only the toes sticking out past the strap, and V-straps are fine for this kind of setup.

I'll never use straps but I do care a lot about having a small deck pad. Easiest way to start to reference foot locations is to put a piece of masking tape with numbers 1-10 on the side of board. Then go for a rip and take out the action cam to snap a few selfies of your feet with the masking tape numbers in frame. After you've done it once you can use those measurements to reference off your mast position from there on out.

Stumbleweed said..

TooMuchEpoxy said..

Stumbleweed said..
Strapless rider checking in.

I've tried a front strap. When I had it dialed in I did experience an instant jump in control and pump up on foil ability.

That said, straps are horrible when poorly placed. The strap takes up a considerable amount board real estate. When I tinker with my foil or board setup (which perhaps I do too much), sometimes the strap will be in exactly the wrong place. Aargh!!!

And then there are the times I unintentionally hit a sand bar or ball of weed at speed and go ass over teakettle. Boy am I ever glad my foot wasn't in a strap.

Oho man, bad strap placement is the worst. I 100% buy strapless boards and add inserts EXACTLY where My feet go like I ride strapless and take a grease pencil out and mark my feet and add the straps in the right spot.

I don't know how I'd mark the positions.Do you remember where your feet were when riding? Neither of my boards has much in the way of visual landmarks.

Or maybe you're some kind of badass who can mark out foot position while riding. :)

I'm 90% prone and 10% wing so riding around without power and reaching down and fiddling with my feet isn't that big of a deal. Try it next time you're out you'll probably realize it's not that hard. The trick is the grease pencil. Getting the cap off and back on a marker is tricky!

My real tricky maneuver is picking up a lost hat without coming off foil. I can only pull it off like 30% of the time, but when I do, it feels pretty special!

I'm not jumping, but do come from lifetime of wavesailing, and I like having the strap option, esp parawinging 30L prone board in the rough stuff. Placement has to be spot-on tho, and both my straps are outboard of where factory rolled inserts would be.
Tis a bloody chore having to screw the buggers on and off tho

TooMuchEpoxy said..

Stumbleweed said..

TooMuchEpoxy said..

Stumbleweed said..
Strapless rider checking in.

I've tried a front strap. When I had it dialed in I did experience an instant jump in control and pump up on foil ability.

That said, straps are horrible when poorly placed. The strap takes up a considerable amount board real estate. When I tinker with my foil or board setup (which perhaps I do too much), sometimes the strap will be in exactly the wrong place. Aargh!!!

And then there are the times I unintentionally hit a sand bar or ball of weed at speed and go ass over teakettle. Boy am I ever glad my foot wasn't in a strap.

Oho man, bad strap placement is the worst. I 100% buy strapless boards and add inserts EXACTLY where My feet go like I ride strapless and take a grease pencil out and mark my feet and add the straps in the right spot.

I don't know how I'd mark the positions.Do you remember where your feet were when riding? Neither of my boards has much in the way of visual landmarks.

Or maybe you're some kind of badass who can mark out foot position while riding. :)

I'm 90% prone and 10% wing so riding around without power and reaching down and fiddling with my feet isn't that big of a deal. Try it next time you're out you'll probably realize it's not that hard. The trick is the grease pencil. Getting the cap off and back on a marker is tricky!

My real tricky maneuver is picking up a lost hat without coming off foil. I can only pull it off like 30% of the time, but when I do, it feels pretty special!

Whoa. Outlining your feet on the fly and picking up hats on foil??? I doff my cap to you, sir. Impressive.