Riding Strapless is illogical
Surfers are strapless because the water is glassy.
No chop and strapless makes sense!
But when the sea is choppy it is illogical to be strapless.
Even surfers when the sea is only mildly bumpy know it makes sense to wear straps.
An example of this is big wave tow in surfing - they wear straps for a reason!
Being strapless on a surfboard in choppy conditions only means more time spent body dragging because one comes off their board more often and less time carving the waves up.
Spending more time body dragging reaches a whole new level when individuals need to get their bliss more from others watching them rather than them enjoying what they are doing - nothing highlights this fact more than by doing strapless tricks/airs.
The only time strapless kitesurfing in terms of wave riding really makes a lot of sense is in perfectly glassy
conditions - which means offshore wind - very rare in most parts of the world. And it is amusing that all the great wave riding videos of people hitting lips is always in offshore wind.
The other time one would be practicing strapless kitesurfing is when there is no waves in that person's area - so in order to overcome the boredom of not having waves, they try to challenge themselves by doing strapless tricks on flat water lakes or river mouths. I've never seen anyone yet choosing to do strapless tricks/airs on flat water over actually getting out and riding monster waves with their kites?
The only logical reason for one to be strapless while kitesurfing is it is easier to have one's feet anywhere on the board without the straps getting in the way. Also, being strapped into your surfboard can cause damage to one's knees - if one comes off the board with straps on - sometimes one's foot gets stuck in the straps and the board twists around causing the knee joint to twist - most likely causing damage to the knee joint.
Kitesurfing has made it so that an individual no longer needs to rely on having the energy and strength to
paddle themselves onto a wave - therefore one can use a significantly smaller surfboard - which means one does not really need to adjust their feet as much as they would have had to riding a standard sized surfboard. That way the straps can be put exactly where they need to be without really getting in the way of the riders feet as the feet never move out of their original position - except if the rider needs to ride switch (heel side in both directions).
Any good wave rider on a kite knows the secret to riding waves is to be proficient at riding toe side - when
the Kitesurfing wave rider is so proficient at toe side they never really have to switch their feet to go heel
side in both directions.
Being strapped in on a small surfboard for kiting allows one to really attack the waves without fearing coming off their board - they can really commit and extend themselves - hence the bottom turns and top turns are more radical - which is what true surfers are looking for..."radical wave riding".
Not wanting to take advantage of the extra features of being powered up and strapped in while kitesurfing is really quite illogical as such features only extend the possibilities of wave riding. Those strapless
kitesurfers who say they want to ride the wave as if they are actually surfing the wave without a kite
should just do that...stick to regular surfing! Because riding the waves with a kite is always going to be
"riding the waves with a kite" - it's different, it can't be otherwise!
Strapless kitesurfing more often than not makes as much sense as a twin tipper saying they want to twin tip without straps - Why? Because it makes it more difficult to twin tip hence I can spend more time body dragging! Makes sense doesn't it?
To not want to be able to improve on surfing a wave by having straps on and to be powered up by the kite does not make any sense to the person who gets their bliss from just wanting to ride the wave for the sake of just riding the wave.
When all of the above is taken into consideration, one has to wonder whether strapless kitesurfers are not
victims of their own insecurity. Often persisting in doing something that is illogical is usually a sign of
misplaced ego.
Some have suggested the reason strapless surfboard riders persist in their illogical behaviour is more about what others think of them.
In other words, instead of just wanting to ride waves as efficiently and as radically as possible - and getting pleasure directly from that intimate relationship with the wave solely - they are getting more pleasure from thinking someone else on the beach is watching them.
Their happiness seems to be geared towards getting a picture of themselves in a magazine spread than the pure enjoyment of riding a wave.
On the internet, one comes across sites that have titles like "Lose the straps..dedicated to the progression
and evolution of strapless kitesurfing". If one were to replace "strapless kitesurfing" in the phrase above with "people who need other people's attention to make them feel good about themselves" things would make a lot more sense.
One never sees web sites encouraging people to wear straps i.e. "Get into straps...dedicated to the
progression and evolution of Kitesurfers who just want to extend the possibilities of what one can do on a
wave". This is because the strapped Kitesurfer does not need to overstate the obvious...it's simply more logical to be wearing straps.
Strapless kitesurfers are always the first to make derogatory comments towards individuals who are logically using straps on their surfboards. They seem to have this continual need to put others down in order to big themselves up...this behaviour on its own should give the game away about what their real motives are behind their illogical perseverance with strapless kitesurfing - a deep insecurity based on a profound lack of self love?
So now we have cut through the insecurities of strapless kitesurfing we can hopefully hear less insecure
comments about needing to become a strapless egotistical kitesurfer!
Peace and love!
Wow that was one big rant.
As long as you personally are having fun who gives a fark what others do?
If they enjoy strapless, strapped, tt, foil, skim, sb, mutant, foil kite, wave kite, C kite etc Then let them have their own personal enjoyment. I personally don't feel the love for strapless but I see others that do. They are grinning as am I.
Remember its he who grins the most wins!
Thanks plummet, I agree with your first comment.
I love the fact that everyone is having fun...their happiness is my happiness.
But the fun is tainted when strapless boys always feel the need to put other people down who choose to go with the logical decision to use straps while kitesurfing.
The purpose of the thread is to save people who use straps some time when confronted by insecure strapless kitesurfers that like to initiate conversation by being derogatory about people wearing straps -
Instead of having to go through the pros and cons again and again with each new derogatory strapless kitesufer all the strapped in boys have to do is refer them to this thread.
I hoped all the pros and cons to strapless kitesurfing were summarised in the initial thread comment in a balanced and fair way? - saves reading pages and pages of comments on a forum thread about the issues at hand.
Have you tried riding strapless?
I ride strapless because I don't like to feel locked in.
I'm able to move my feet slightly leading up to a wave or a big turn or change the position of my feet to ride up wind better.
When I see people riding a strapped board to me it's not taking full advantage of the board, it's just like riding a bigger twin tip.
Sure some conditions you might find it easier to ride with straps but what's the point?
It's like saying why do unhooked tricks on a twin tip when you can do it hooked in? It's because it looked better and it's harder to do.
When I see someone do a strapped in jump on a surfboard I don't look twice, if someone does one strapless I take more notice because it's harder.
I think it's a bit small minded to say riding strapless is illogical, when the decisions we make each day may seem illogical to some but makes perfect sense to you.
Sounds to me like you may be the one with insecurities?
Kudos to anyone that can shred a wave strapped or unstrapped though.
Well, as a life long surfer I couldn't get around the thought of kiting strapped in the waves. So I've had about a 1/2 season gaining kite control on the twin tip, and about 1/4 of a season strapless (flat water upwind toeside). The other day I went out at Scarborough strapless and I was totally useless. Had a huge reality check. Now I'm looking at kite specific surfboards that I can put a front strap on because in 1m chop, strapless is quite a challenge. The guys who make it look easy have had a lot of exposure in such conditions.
I'm going to do the rest of this season strapped in the waves, but improve my strapless skills on the flat when I can.
Brohan,
I stated the benefit of being strapless in regard to feet position - I have no disagreement with that and that is a pro to strapless kitesurfing.
I also spoke about the fact that strapless people get more happiness if they know someone on the beach is paying more attention them instead of the strapped in jump. I feel that is an insecurity, but of course is open to debate.
I agree there is more pleasure in continuing to learn new things and this is a reason I did not cover...thank you for raising it and including it in the discussion.
Most of the time it is illogical to ride strapless - which I felt I covered in the intial comment about conditions rarely being right for strapless wave riding.
I feel the insecurity lies with the strapless kitesurfer only because they are the ones who always initate the derogartory comments towards strapped kitesurfers.
In my experience I have never ever heard a strapped in kitesurfer initate a derogatory comment towards a strapless kitesurfer it's always the strapless kitesurfer that initiates the put down. I personally think that's insecurity.
Strapped in kitesurfers don't care about being strapped in or not...what they care about is the derogatory rhetoric started by strappless kitesurfers.
Underoath,
Yes, I believe I spoke about the pro of being strapless in regard to knee injuries due to being strapped in.
Name that strapless rider who has been teasing you!
Have a chat to Zebra, hes pretty good at handling criticism.
I am not your psych but hey, it is perfectly fine if you want to use straps. You should not be bullied or discriminated. Those screws will corrode though 
The whole thing sounds a bit like a metaphor for condom vs. careless. Plenty of reasons to always wear a condom. But you may end up being a lonely frustrated old man if you are too obsessed with it.
I ride strapless both sb and foil as I like the freedom, challenge, my ankles and knees. And yes I don't have proper swell around my local.
Just relax and enjoy whatever floats your boat.
Peace and love is a good start, as you said...
Select to expand quoterealitycorrodes said..
Any good wave rider on a kite knows the secret to riding waves is to be proficient at riding toe side
Select to expand quoterealitycorrodes said..
Brohan,
I stated the benefit of being strapless in regard to feet position - I have no disagreement with that and that is a pro to strapless kitesurfing.
I also spoke about the fact that strapless people get more happiness if they know someone on the beach is paying more attention them instead of the strapped in jump. I feel that is an insecurity, but of course is open to debate.
I agree there is more pleasure in continuing to learn new things and this is a reason I did not cover...thank you for raising it and including it in the discussion.
Most of the time it is illogical to ride strapless - which I felt I covered in the intial comment about conditions rarely being right for strapless wave riding.
I feel the insecurity lies with the strapless kitesurfer only because they are the ones who always initate the derogartory comments towards strapped kitesurfers.
In my experience I have never ever heard a strapped in kitesurfer initate a derogatory comment towards a strapless kitesurfer it's always the strapless kitesurfer that initiates the put down. I personally think that's insecurity.
Strapped in kitesurfers don't care about being strapped in or not...what they care about is the derogatory rhetoric started by strappless kitesurfers.
Aussies take the piss out of everyone, look at us and windsurfers, we call them pole dancers and they call us tea baggers - friendly banter.
I think you need to get over what other people think and just do what you wanna do out on the water.
MMM not a bad point strapless guys do tend to hang s*&t on strapped in surfing. I see you mention that boards are so small that you don't need to move your feet - i reckon there'd be a few stapless guys who would argue ones point :) Also wouldn't strapless just be the next level in degree of difficulty? Perhaps they get their stoke on to do a backroll with no straps - knowing it's hard to do. Like other forums say there are different types of riders and what gives each kiter their jollys.
Select to expand quoteBrohan said..
Have you tried riding strapless?
I ride strapless because I don't like to feel locked in.
I'm able to move my feet slightly leading up to a wave or a big turn or change the position of my feet to ride up wind better.
When I see people riding a strapped board to me it's not taking full advantage of the board, it's just like riding a bigger twin tip.
Sure some conditions you might find it easier to ride with straps but what's the point?
It's like saying why do unhooked tricks on a twin tip when you can do it hooked in? It's because it looked better and it's harder to do.
When I see someone do a strapped in jump on a surfboard I don't look twice, if someone does one strapless I take more notice because it's harder.
I think it's a bit small minded to say riding strapless is illogical, when the decisions we make each day may seem illogical to some but makes perfect sense to you.
Sounds to me like you may be the one with insecurities?
Kudos to anyone that can shred a wave strapped or unstrapped though.
I'm with Brohan on this. I don't wear straps because I prefer the feel especially riding toe side. I had a mate that snapped his leg cause he was strapped in on a surfboard.
Plus I get to hang ** on people that ride straps (even thought strapless has severely hampered my progress and I'm a husk of a kiter I could be (yes, husk)).
Select to expand quoterealitycorrodes said..
Riding Strapless is illogical
Surfers are strapless because the water is glassy.
No chop and strapless makes sense!
But when the sea is choppy it is illogical to be strapless.
Even surfers when the sea is only mildly bumpy know it makes sense to wear straps.
An example of this is big wave tow in surfing - they wear straps for a reason!
Being strapless on a surfboard in choppy conditions only means more time spent body dragging because one comes off their board more often and less time carving the waves up.
Spending more time body dragging reaches a whole new level when individuals need to get their bliss more from others watching them rather than them enjoying what they are doing - nothing highlights this fact more than by doing strapless tricks/airs.
The only time strapless kitesurfing in terms of wave riding really makes a lot of sense is in perfectly glassy
conditions - which means offshore wind - very rare in most parts of the world. And it is amusing that all the great wave riding videos of people hitting lips is always in offshore wind.
The other time one would be practicing strapless kitesurfing is when there is no waves in that person's area - so in order to overcome the boredom of not having waves, they try to challenge themselves by doing strapless tricks on flat water lakes or river mouths. I've never seen anyone yet choosing to do strapless tricks/airs on flat water over actually getting out and riding monster waves with their kites?
The only logical reason for one to be strapless while kitesurfing is it is easier to have one's feet anywhere on the board without the straps getting in the way. Also, being strapped into your surfboard can cause damage to one's knees - if one comes off the board with straps on - sometimes one's foot gets stuck in the straps and the board twists around causing the knee joint to twist - most likely causing damage to the knee joint.
Kitesurfing has made it so that an individual no longer needs to rely on having the energy and strength to
paddle themselves onto a wave - therefore one can use a significantly smaller surfboard - which means one does not really need to adjust their feet as much as they would have had to riding a standard sized surfboard. That way the straps can be put exactly where they need to be without really getting in the way of the riders feet as the feet never move out of their original position - except if the rider needs to ride switch (heel side in both directions).
Any good wave rider on a kite knows the secret to riding waves is to be proficient at riding toe side - when
the Kitesurfing wave rider is so proficient at toe side they never really have to switch their feet to go heel
side in both directions.
Being strapped in on a small surfboard for kiting allows one to really attack the waves without fearing coming off their board - they can really commit and extend themselves - hence the bottom turns and top turns are more radical - which is what true surfers are looking for..."radical wave riding".
Not wanting to take advantage of the extra features of being powered up and strapped in while kitesurfing is really quite illogical as such features only extend the possibilities of wave riding. Those strapless
kitesurfers who say they want to ride the wave as if they are actually surfing the wave without a kite
should just do that...stick to regular surfing! Because riding the waves with a kite is always going to be
"riding the waves with a kite" - it's different, it can't be otherwise!
Strapless kitesurfing more often than not makes as much sense as a twin tipper saying they want to twin tip without straps - Why? Because it makes it more difficult to twin tip hence I can spend more time body dragging! Makes sense doesn't it?
To not want to be able to improve on surfing a wave by having straps on and to be powered up by the kite does not make any sense to the person who gets their bliss from just wanting to ride the wave for the sake of just riding the wave.
When all of the above is taken into consideration, one has to wonder whether strapless kitesurfers are not
victims of their own insecurity. Often persisting in doing something that is illogical is usually a sign of
misplaced ego.
Some have suggested the reason strapless surfboard riders persist in their illogical behaviour is more about what others think of them.
In other words, instead of just wanting to ride waves as efficiently and as radically as possible - and getting pleasure directly from that intimate relationship with the wave solely - they are getting more pleasure from thinking someone else on the beach is watching them.
Their happiness seems to be geared towards getting a picture of themselves in a magazine spread than the pure enjoyment of riding a wave.
On the internet, one comes across sites that have titles like "Lose the straps..dedicated to the progression
and evolution of strapless kitesurfing". If one were to replace "strapless kitesurfing" in the phrase above with "people who need other people's attention to make them feel good about themselves" things would make a lot more sense.
One never sees web sites encouraging people to wear straps i.e. "Get into straps...dedicated to the
progression and evolution of Kitesurfers who just want to extend the possibilities of what one can do on a
wave". This is because the strapped Kitesurfer does not need to overstate the obvious...it's simply more logical to be wearing straps.
Strapless kitesurfers are always the first to make derogatory comments towards individuals who are logically using straps on their surfboards. They seem to have this continual need to put others down in order to big themselves up...this behaviour on its own should give the game away about what their real motives are behind their illogical perseverance with strapless kitesurfing - a deep insecurity based on a profound lack of self love?
So now we have cut through the insecurities of strapless kitesurfing we can hopefully hear less insecure
comments about needing to become a strapless egotistical kitesurfer!
Peace and love!
What happened? People used to agree if you posted something like this on SB...
p.s Wonder how long before the SB hordes understand why you'd want to un-hook.
Select to expand quoterealitycorrodes said..
Riding Strapless is illogical
Surfers are strapless because the water is glassy.
No chop and strapless makes sense!
But when the sea is choppy it is illogical to be strapless.
Even surfers when the sea is only mildly bumpy know it makes sense to wear straps.
An example of this is big wave tow in surfing - they wear straps for a reason!
Being strapless on a surfboard in choppy conditions only means more time spent body dragging because one comes off their board more often and less time carving the waves up.
Spending more time body dragging reaches a whole new level when individuals need to get their bliss more from others watching them rather than them enjoying what they are doing - nothing highlights this fact more than by doing strapless tricks/airs.
The only time strapless kitesurfing in terms of wave riding really makes a lot of sense is in perfectly glassy
conditions - which means offshore wind - very rare in most parts of the world. And it is amusing that all the great wave riding videos of people hitting lips is always in offshore wind.
The other time one would be practicing strapless kitesurfing is when there is no waves in that person's area - so in order to overcome the boredom of not having waves, they try to challenge themselves by doing strapless tricks on flat water lakes or river mouths. I've never seen anyone yet choosing to do strapless tricks/airs on flat water over actually getting out and riding monster waves with their kites?
The only logical reason for one to be strapless while kitesurfing is it is easier to have one's feet anywhere on the board without the straps getting in the way. Also, being strapped into your surfboard can cause damage to one's knees - if one comes off the board with straps on - sometimes one's foot gets stuck in the straps and the board twists around causing the knee joint to twist - most likely causing damage to the knee joint.
Kitesurfing has made it so that an individual no longer needs to rely on having the energy and strength to
paddle themselves onto a wave - therefore one can use a significantly smaller surfboard - which means one does not really need to adjust their feet as much as they would have had to riding a standard sized surfboard. That way the straps can be put exactly where they need to be without really getting in the way of the riders feet as the feet never move out of their original position - except if the rider needs to ride switch (heel side in both directions).
Any good wave rider on a kite knows the secret to riding waves is to be proficient at riding toe side - when
the Kitesurfing wave rider is so proficient at toe side they never really have to switch their feet to go heel
side in both directions.
Being strapped in on a small surfboard for kiting allows one to really attack the waves without fearing coming off their board - they can really commit and extend themselves - hence the bottom turns and top turns are more radical - which is what true surfers are looking for..."radical wave riding".
Not wanting to take advantage of the extra features of being powered up and strapped in while kitesurfing is really quite illogical as such features only extend the possibilities of wave riding. Those strapless
kitesurfers who say they want to ride the wave as if they are actually surfing the wave without a kite
should just do that...stick to regular surfing! Because riding the waves with a kite is always going to be
"riding the waves with a kite" - it's different, it can't be otherwise!
Strapless kitesurfing more often than not makes as much sense as a twin tipper saying they want to twin tip without straps - Why? Because it makes it more difficult to twin tip hence I can spend more time body dragging! Makes sense doesn't it?
To not want to be able to improve on surfing a wave by having straps on and to be powered up by the kite does not make any sense to the person who gets their bliss from just wanting to ride the wave for the sake of just riding the wave.
When all of the above is taken into consideration, one has to wonder whether strapless kitesurfers are not
victims of their own insecurity. Often persisting in doing something that is illogical is usually a sign of
misplaced ego.
Some have suggested the reason strapless surfboard riders persist in their illogical behaviour is more about what others think of them.
In other words, instead of just wanting to ride waves as efficiently and as radically as possible - and getting pleasure directly from that intimate relationship with the wave solely - they are getting more pleasure from thinking someone else on the beach is watching them.
Their happiness seems to be geared towards getting a picture of themselves in a magazine spread than the pure enjoyment of riding a wave.
On the internet, one comes across sites that have titles like "Lose the straps..dedicated to the progression
and evolution of strapless kitesurfing". If one were to replace "strapless kitesurfing" in the phrase above with "people who need other people's attention to make them feel good about themselves" things would make a lot more sense.
One never sees web sites encouraging people to wear straps i.e. "Get into straps...dedicated to the
progression and evolution of Kitesurfers who just want to extend the possibilities of what one can do on a
wave". This is because the strapped Kitesurfer does not need to overstate the obvious...it's simply more logical to be wearing straps.
Strapless kitesurfers are always the first to make derogatory comments towards individuals who are logically using straps on their surfboards. They seem to have this continual need to put others down in order to big themselves up...this behaviour on its own should give the game away about what their real motives are behind their illogical perseverance with strapless kitesurfing - a deep insecurity based on a profound lack of self love?
So now we have cut through the insecurities of strapless kitesurfing we can hopefully hear less insecure
comments about needing to become a strapless egotistical kitesurfer!
Peace and love!
I can't see the logic in most of these comments.
I haven't posted in this forum for some time but that post would have to be one of the biggest loads of BS i have ever read on this forum -
You truly sound like you know nothing about the sport
Too long a rant to even read but I got the gist in the first couple of lines and WHO CARES ??
I got up to 6th paragraph.....then I just counted them. There are 26! You should get a prize off Laurie.
Heres how it goes in list of coolness
Gardening
Bushwalking
Rock climbing
Suping
Boogerboarding
Surfing
Strap twintips
Strap surfboard
Strapless surfboard
Wakeskate
Boots twinnys
Gardenings the bomb ??
Select to expand quoteNutdip said..
Well, as a life long surfer I couldn't get around the thought of kiting strapped in the waves. So I've had about a 1/2 season gaining kite control on the twin tip, and about 1/4 of a season strapless (flat water upwind toeside). The other day I went out at Scarborough strapless and I was totally useless. Had a huge reality check. Now I'm looking at kite specific surfboards that I can put a front strap on because in 1m chop, strapless is quite a challenge. The guys who make it look easy have had a lot of exposure in such conditions.
I'm going to do the rest of this season strapped in the waves, but improve my strapless skills on the flat when I can.
Stick with the strapless if that's where you want to end up mate, it'll be like when you were learning to go upwind, one session it'll be like someone flicked a switch and all of a sudden you can do it. I found that you have to use your knees heeeeaps more than a twinny to help absorb the shock, (ie you can't just knife the board through it like a tt). Think of your knees as being the same as heavy duty shockies on a 4x4 going down a corrugated/washed out track.
Select to expand quoteDJMWA said..Nutdip said..
Well, as a life long surfer I couldn't get around the thought of kiting strapped in the waves. So I've had about a 1/2 season gaining kite control on the twin tip, and about 1/4 of a season strapless (flat water upwind toeside). The other day I went out at Scarborough strapless and I was totally useless. Had a huge reality check. Now I'm looking at kite specific surfboards that I can put a front strap on because in 1m chop, strapless is quite a challenge. The guys who make it look easy have had a lot of exposure in such conditions.
I'm going to do the rest of this season strapped in the waves, but improve my strapless skills on the flat when I can.
Stick with the strapless if that's where you want to end up mate, it'll be like when you were learning to go upwind, one session it'll be like someone flicked a switch and all of a sudden you can do it. I found that you have to use your knees heeeeaps more than a twinny to help absorb the shock, (ie you can't just knife the board through it like a tt). Think of your knees as being the same as heavy duty shockies on a 4x4 going down a corrugated/washed out track.
But why would anyone want to travel on a corrugated/washed out track when they have a perfectly good tarred road for their 4x4?
