I have a Naish haze 08 board and have only be riding properly for the last 3 weeks and am finding i am having trouble keeping my feet in the straps.
I am constanly adjusting the straps but just cant get it right!
I dont think it is the strap, i think it is the shape of the pad.
Has any one else had the same problem with this strap/pad combo or is it just me?

Any one suggest any other ones i could try?

Thanks will have to give that a try. Hopefully there will be plenty of wind again this weekend.

I would think carefully about securing your board to your feet as that can pose a number of safety issues, for example if you accidentally go for a fly you can't just kick your board away, also if you stack and end up being dragged through the water you have a big drag on your legs which could force you to drink half the ocean, or worse, inhale it. Twisted knees and ankles could also result.

You just have to get the "grip the footpad with your feet" technique going. You sort of spread and curl your toes. As you get better you find you don't have to grip so hard, as the pressure through the footpad from edging the board keeps it on your feet. Its kind of like the technique you have to adopt to wear those leather Birkenstock sandals with the cork footbed.

Hey, I also have a naish board and I also could not keep my feet in them so I got a pair of ankle straps for about the $30 mark and have not lookt back since I have been using them now for about twelve months and could not imagine kiting without them. As far as the board getting stuck to your feet and causing injury this has never happened to me not to say it cant happen. It does take a little longer to put the board on your feet but once you get use to it you will be fine, my opinion is to give them a go and they are cheaper then replacing the hole pad and strap. I do think that Naish do make a poor strap and pad as a lot of people who do have them seem to have the same problem of not being able to keep there feet in them.

go have a look at those liquid force comp lace straps and pads u just hop in them and pull them tight like a wakeboard boot and i think ur feet mold into those pads

Found that softer pads dont give as much grip as harder pads, could be the problem.
Bit of a trade off I guess.
I can set my straps fairly loose and grip the end of the CORONATION ( pro) foot pad with my toes, unfortunatly they are not on offer on thier own as an accessorie.
and as I said, quite hard.
Ive found a few other pads similar in effect though, but every one just wants those big squishy pads now.

The best thing I found was to try to get the straps screwed to the narrowest fixing points (thats between the end of the straps), so the pads grip round the side of you feet as well as the top. This make a rediculous amount of difference.

Most pads are too wide to allow this and any with plates or bolting points are just way too wide, so I take a stanly knife to them. The last Dakine contour pads I fitted, I had to cut a section of the side out so they were about 30-40 narrower were the strap contacts to board.

I tried everything i could think of yesterday but still didnt have much luck. I have only started trying to jump and it has made it very frustrating. Its not just jumping though it is when ever the board leaves the water.
Might try some foot straps first, alot cheaper than new pads and straps.
Im no where near doing any board off tricks yet so hopefully by then i will be up for a new set and i will be able to hunt around to what best suits my foot.

time to start riding bindings! load harder and land faster never with that dodgy boards coming off feeling.

you want to be able to ride any conditions and stay up wind with no problems before going to bindings, will make life easier. there easy to get on, just sit your kite at neutral and put then on while sitting at the waters edge, or in the water. Ive never worn a vest not to say it wont help, but you dont need it.
bindings change the way you ride thou. theres alittle more weight off your feet so you sometimes have to throw move abit harder. and you generally need alittle more wind too.
but the good side is you can ride powered, throw powered moves with confidence, land hard and fast with no worries. if you into kiteloops or any passes or tech tricks it makes life easier cause you never have to think about your board at all. and if your coming in for a hard landing its fine your board is going to stay on your feet.
but that also leads to broken boards. most kite boards are weak as $#@% so you have to ride boards made for bindings. ie Liquid Force element..cab custom..sic boards.

hope that helps

yer thanks when i get real good at staying upwind i will go to bindings for sure liquid force ones they sic so when u crash at real deep and dont where a jacket im a pretty good swimming but do u have to skull water or u float but with boots u cant use ur legs and u will be using ur arms to get the kite back up

I just bought a set of liquid force luxuary foot pad/strap kit.
sooooooooooooooo comfy.
expensive but worth the overtime to pay them off for that soft but sercure feel.love em.
now all I need is some f**ken wind

Make them from old bike tyre inner tubes (the thicker ones). Easy.

I agree with lostinlondon, don't nail your feet to the board....causes severe injuries, ankles, knees, feet..you name it.

You must think of a board more like snowboarders and skateboarders. By learning to ride "loose" you will become a better kiteboarder IMO. Having your feet "feel" the pressures properly balanced is different, but keeps you on the water longer

But I guess at the end of the day, it is each to their own....for me it is about proper balance.

I had the same problem, but now I use the dakine raptor heel straps: http://www.kitepower.com.au/catalog/product_17258_Dakine_Raptor_Heelstraps_cat_355.html

They work perfectly, I've used them on liquid force pads & now on my cardboard pads. Wouldn't bother with the tyre tube when these are only $25.

I find I can ride a lot better by locking my feet in solidly. If you've ever ridden in a good set of wakeboard bindings you will know the difference it makes.

I also think you have less chance of injury by keeping your feet locked in. Having one foot slip out in the air while the other one stays in can spell trouble. And on a heavy fall the board will still come off my feet with the heelstraps.

Had the same problem with my naish pads and straps. My feet were coming out often and they never felt sercured. I bought myself a set of nobile pads and straps and they work fantastically. Cost me $120.00, and was they work very well. I wasn't big on the idea of not being able to get my feet out if needs be either. These pads have an arch in the pad so the arch of your foot has something to mould to. They are the best option I've found, and I'm sure you can see them online or on the current nobile boards too.