Problem with Ratchet Straps Tightening

[KiterDon]

Hi all

I have a Nobile board with ratchet-style footstraps. The straps work fine when riding barefoot or with a light bootie on but they are problematic when wearing heavy cold water booties.

With heavy booties the straps are set near the outermost ratchet settings and slowly tighter themselves while riding. After a wipeout it is impossible to get the board properly on unless the straps are loosened. Loosening the straps is very difficult when wearing gloves, especially in surf. I generally have to go to shore to readjust the straps.

Does anyone have suggestions on how to lock down the straps when extended to near-maximum?

[slim_charles]

Hi all

I have a Nobile board with ratchet-style footstraps. The straps work fine when riding barefoot or with a light bootie on but they are problematic when wearing heavy cold water booties.

With heavy booties the straps are set near the outermost ratchet settings and slowly tighter themselves while riding. After a wipeout it is impossible to get the board properly on unless the straps are loosened. Loosening the straps is very difficult when wearing gloves, especially in surf. I generally have to go to shore to readjust the straps.

Does anyone have suggestions on how to lock down the straps when extended to near-maximum?

Ratchet footstraps ... never heard of that, sounds like a recipe for wrecked ankles!

[Obe_1]

Hi all

I have a Nobile board with ratchet-style footstraps. The straps work fine when riding barefoot or with a light bootie on but they are problematic when wearing heavy cold water booties.

With heavy booties the straps are set near the outermost ratchet settings and slowly tighter themselves while riding. After a wipeout it is impossible to get the board properly on unless the straps are loosened. Loosening the straps is very difficult when wearing gloves, especially in surf. I generally have to go to shore to readjust the straps.

Does anyone have suggestions on how to lock down the straps when extended to near-maximum?

I have some of the same problem on the Shinn ratchet straps with heavy booties. They are not exactly the same, but similar i believe.
I think the problem is with the flat elastic or bungee band on the foot strap side opposite of the ratchet. Its just above the attachment point of the foot strap.
This applies tension to the foot strap as you extend the ratchet strap towards the limit. When fully extended without your foot in, it draws the ratchet strap back in a few notches.
The elastic strap is held in place with a small 1 x 30 mm stainless steel pin on the inside of the foot strap. It goes through a flat loop sewn in the elastic strap. If you remove the pin, it will allow the elastic strap to loosen, which should help. Just remember to replace it when you go back. I don't see where this would compromise the ratchet or foot strap in any way, but could be wrong. It appears to just be a tensioning mechanism.


https://shop.nobilesports.com/nobile-cl ... -2018.html

[iriejohn]

^^^ Had the same problem, Shinn straps are made by SP Boarding as I guess the above Nobile straps are.

Link: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2395058&start=10

[POACHER]

KiterDon,

Yeah that was an issue I had with very thick 7mm booties and size 11 feet. (US). This was a problem riding in the spring when the water was nearly freezing. Then I bought NP Elite 3mm boots as someone here said they were super warm. The thinner boots work much better and my feet have never been cold in them. This is kiting when half the lake is still frozen over. Not sure how these boots are so warm but they solved the strap problem for me.

The best part is I scored them for $20.

* they run a FULL size small!

[Jukka]

I had the same issue with Shinn ratchets and 7 mm booties.
These pics show the parts pulling the straps tighter, especially when the ratchet is almost all the way open. The non-stretching flappy thing pulls the inside and the elastic bungee band with metal pin pulls the outside.
They are on both sides of a strap (4 bungees with pins and 4 flaps in total).





I took the pins out and tucked the inner flappy things inside the strap.
Here's before -->> after with same ratchet tightness.



I don't think I'll be putting those back even for summer barefoot riding.

[Obe_1]

Thanks for the pics.
They show what I was referring to earlier. I only eased up the bungee on my big toe side as it needs the most room. I kept some tension on the small toe side, which worked OK for me. Still like having them fully tensioned when going barefoot.

[iriejohn]

Forgot to say, another problem I found with the "ratchet straps" was that if I crashed and then knocked the top of the straps while getting my feet back in they 'clicked' and closed up a few 'notches' under the pressure on the top making them too small to get feet back in. The only way to re-open them being to open them up again by hand.

[alford]

Jukka, any downside to your mod? Love the rachet straps too but size 12 boots are difficult to get into unless on land.

[Jukka]

I've had only one session after the mod. But it happened to be one where I had the board on and off my feet all the time for other reasons.
Makes putting feet in little easier & faster and less need to wiggle them further in during riding.
Not a huge difference, but to me, certainly worth it.

Once feet are in and riding, I didn't notice any difference.
I can't think of any downsides.