I picked up my first surfboard (slingshot Dialer) and want to begin riding. My goal is to go strapless. I was wondering if I should just go for it or start with straps or even front strap only?
Thought please
Thanks
Straps or strapless
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matth
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Da Yoda
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Re: Straps or strapless
I'd say go strapless and never look back. When I got my first surfboard I started with strapless. Several years later I tried some straps and hated them. If your end goal is to ultimately ride strapless, then there's no reason to start with straps imo. Free your feet, free your mind! 
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piccio
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Re: Straps or strapless
do what you like!
35 knots ..choppy ..gusts ..waves ??????
20 knots with beautiful clean waves??????
I try to have fun anycase ....listen myself only.....
35 knots ..choppy ..gusts ..waves ??????
20 knots with beautiful clean waves??????
I try to have fun anycase ....listen myself only.....
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matth
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Re: Straps or strapless
This will for light wind riding . I bought the board to go with my 17m flite for those days when its less than 14mph and riding my big TT is not very exciting..
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SSK
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Re: Straps or strapless
Both.
There is this misconception that strapless is harder, not really. Different but not harder. I like strapless because I grew up a surfer and I like moving my feet around on the wave, but you can do stuff strapped you can not do strapless. I do not think either one is harder to learn. If you are comfortable on a twin tip it is not very hard to jump on a strapped or strapless directional. Do not believe any hype that says otherwise. Trust me if you can ride well strapped on a directional you can ride well strapless and vice a versa. sure there is some learning, but not a big deal as people make it out to be.
There is this misconception that strapless is harder, not really. Different but not harder. I like strapless because I grew up a surfer and I like moving my feet around on the wave, but you can do stuff strapped you can not do strapless. I do not think either one is harder to learn. If you are comfortable on a twin tip it is not very hard to jump on a strapped or strapless directional. Do not believe any hype that says otherwise. Trust me if you can ride well strapped on a directional you can ride well strapless and vice a versa. sure there is some learning, but not a big deal as people make it out to be.
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TomW
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Re: Straps or strapless
Strapless. It's easier, especially on a board like the dailer. Straps force you into a stance and it can be hard to find balance of kite forces thru body to board. With your feet free you can naturally move around to find a balance of forces.
Go out in light conditions.
Practice gibing first then switching feet and switching first then gibing. You'll find that it's easier to Switch first in one direction and after in the other. Nail that then practice on weak sides.
Then if you are out in nasty chop conditions, you may want to add straps. This takes some learning after being strapless, but is good fun. You'll feel like board is glued to you.
Go out in light conditions.
Practice gibing first then switching feet and switching first then gibing. You'll find that it's easier to Switch first in one direction and after in the other. Nail that then practice on weak sides.
Then if you are out in nasty chop conditions, you may want to add straps. This takes some learning after being strapless, but is good fun. You'll feel like board is glued to you.
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TomW
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Re: Straps or strapless
I'd like to point out that it is generally accepted that learning strapless is easiest. Search around, you'll find a majority telling you this.
I tried both ways when learning, strapless was easier, much easier.
I tried both ways when learning, strapless was easier, much easier.
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matth
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knotwindy
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Re: Straps or strapless
OK, slightly different take on it
the answers you got are from guys who have been riding for a while and probably do not remember just how difficult it was to water start in light wind strapless in the beginning.
Once you are up and riding there is not much difference, true
but the water start in light wind can be a bit frustrating at first,
so for some people using just the front strap set very wide and loose helps a lot for the first few sessions. then you can lose the front strap or add the other strap or whatever,
just sayin'
the answers you got are from guys who have been riding for a while and probably do not remember just how difficult it was to water start in light wind strapless in the beginning.
Once you are up and riding there is not much difference, true
but the water start in light wind can be a bit frustrating at first,
so for some people using just the front strap set very wide and loose helps a lot for the first few sessions. then you can lose the front strap or add the other strap or whatever,
just sayin'
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dyyylan
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Re: Straps or strapless
I think strapless riding is largely viewed as the only "legit" way to ride a surfboard. I kind of agree with this, but for the purposes of just general riding and having fun, it depends a lot on the conditions.
Strapless is fun because of the freedom you have to put your feet wherever you want, and the feeling of riding is just generally different because you don't have straps to help you control the board. But in some conditions, not having straps sucks...
When we get "real" conditions here (i.e. not 12-14 knots like 90% of our windy days) the waves kick up along with the chop and riding strapless really just makes me want to quit kiting and move to the mountains and never look back. But I'd imagine riding a strapped surfboard might be fun - I still want the volume to surf on the wave, but not have to worry about getting knocked around off the board every 10 seconds. I end up just surfing with my normal twintip (and a bigger kite) on these days.
Personally I would like to have a board that rides well strapless that has inserts for straps, so I can choose based on the conditions.
Strapless is fun because of the freedom you have to put your feet wherever you want, and the feeling of riding is just generally different because you don't have straps to help you control the board. But in some conditions, not having straps sucks...
When we get "real" conditions here (i.e. not 12-14 knots like 90% of our windy days) the waves kick up along with the chop and riding strapless really just makes me want to quit kiting and move to the mountains and never look back. But I'd imagine riding a strapped surfboard might be fun - I still want the volume to surf on the wave, but not have to worry about getting knocked around off the board every 10 seconds. I end up just surfing with my normal twintip (and a bigger kite) on these days.
Personally I would like to have a board that rides well strapless that has inserts for straps, so I can choose based on the conditions.