riding without foostraps

I haven't tried it yet, but this guy makes it look easy. Anybody have any tips?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhxikB6C5uo

Hello Chris,

Welcome on this forum.

There is some discussion about it on the french side !
I have tried but have put back my straps.

Just have a try and you will see what you prefer.

There is a guy in France (Marco) that foils faster than everything and this without straps !

Perhaps this is the same guy. I am told he placed second in the race ..an excellent finish for a foilboard around a full course.

CG

Chris Glazier a écrit:

Perhaps this is the same guy. I am told he placed second in the race ..an excellent finish for a foilboard around a full course.

CG

Yes exactly he is !!

Well I tried it today with great success. It is not difficult to ride strapless. Eventually I was riding both heelside and toeside and doing transitions with ease. It actually doesn't feel much different from riding with straps once you are going (which means to me that we really don't use the straps much when just riding).

I did find getting started (the waterstart) rather difficult. Even after two hours of effort, I still had try try several times in a row before I would get a successful waterstart and stand up on the board. This will take more practice.

I have not yet tried the jump transistion where you switch feet from heelside to toeside stance while foiling. It seems scary to me. I would appreciate any tips.


CG

Hi Chris, I've only tried it briefly and like you felt somewhat uncertain in getting started without something to put my feet into - hence to say I did not persist for long... So as I am sitting here with Laurent we'll try and grab some further info from the French side as we're both keen to know more about riding strapless too.

Congrats on your strappless riding sounds like you've almost got it dialed. Once we know more either Laurent or I will post more info.

I have had three sessions without straps now and it is a great way to ride. I am getting better at the waterstarts which are the most difficult part. I lay the foilboard sideways on the water with the foil resting at the surface. I hold the upper board edge with my back hand and place both my feet on the board. Then I agressively dive the kite forward with my front hand. It usually works.

Without straps I fall off the board more often, but it forces me to be a more balanced rider. Of course I cannot do jumps strapless. But otherwise it is a wonderful way to ride. I plan to work on the heelside to toeside jump which I have not even attempted. I do not plan to put straps back on my board, unless I am teaching a beginner. It would be impossible to learn without straps.



CG

Excellent, it looks you have more fun. Cool!

This is how I learnt strapless foil.
Hope it might help to anybody:
https://vimeo.com/61415904