Poll: King of the Air 2018: Straps vs Boots?

[Toby]

This questions pops up every year

Looking at last years winner and best trick...Nick used straps and had more variety...a variety a boots rider cannot have, because he can't do OneFooters and Boardoffs.

And looking at the very cool megaloop Boardoff from Aurelien in his video I wonder how many other boots riders will use straps?
Guys like Reno Romeu for example, who is an excellent boardoffer, but used boots the last years.
In his recent Cocos video from North he showed several boardoffs...so I do wonder what other people think who gonna win?

A straps or boots rider???

So I made a poll...choose what you think.

PS: maybe the riders will change boards during the heat? we didn't see that before, but might be possible.

[kas911]

Boots. It just looks more awesome

[edt]

Takes too long to get used to straps after riding boots for years you would botch too many landings

[plummet]

I assume you can go higher with boots? Hold more power, load and pop higher?

It also begs another question. C or SLE?

[Toby]

Don't know what Woo #1 was riding...anyone knows?

[Toby]

But, e.g. Kevin Langeree was always one of the highest at KOTA and he uses straps...

[edt]

I assume you can go higher with boots? Hold more power, load and pop higher?

It also begs another question. C or SLE?

My feeling is that you can usually go higher in straps the key point is that boards used by the pros with boots have too much rocker to go much above 20 knots board speed for instance the North Vegas really wallows in the water when you try to get it to go fast, and it just won't go much faster than 20 knots no matter how hard you push it, while the boards used with straps can go 30 knots or more because of less rocker, so the guys in straps have a higher takeoff speed but they won't have as much pop over all I give I think you can go bigger in straps but it's because of the rocker on the wakestyle boards. Of course with less rocker you are landing harder, but in straps it's not as dangerous to wipe out, while in boots if you catch an edge you can get knocked down pretty hard. For king of the air everyone will be on either a C kite or some sort of C-shaped kite, like a C4, the main reason is that you are safest on a C kite or C shaped kite when doing megaloops as the C kites are the most reliable for the catch when the kite climbs back up after the loop. In any case riders are not going to switch gear right before the gnarliest competition of the year. They will all ride whatever was their main gear the previous year. Changing gear right before a competition like this is sketch. Most of the riders will be in boots and some sort of true C kite, that's because it's what they ride in the kiteboarding competitions.

[Eckhardt]

What about boots on a 'normal' board. Would that give speed and pop?
And Nuck uses switchblades before that isnt anything near a C kite. Kevin uses the pivot more and nore after his injury I think. So your claims are not 100% true.

Anyway, Ill go straps for winner.

[edt]

What about boots on a 'normal' board. Would that give speed and pop?

That's how I ride. But there's a good chance you will break your board because it's not properly reinforced for boots. Nobody at the KOTA will ride this way. I wouldn't megaloop on a Pivot, seems dangerous because it doesn't climb back up as well after a megaloop like a torch does. Kevin does a lot of regular jumps and board offs, a pivot is great for that, more forgiving than a torch. I've never ridden a switchblade maybe it's good for kiteloops.

[LiquidXtasy]

What about boots on a 'normal' board. Would that give speed and pop?

That's how I ride. But there's a good chance you will break your board because it's not properly reinforced for boots. Nobody at the KOTA will ride this way. I wouldn't megaloop on a Pivot, seems dangerous because it doesn't climb back up as well after a megaloop like a torch does. Kevin does a lot of regular jumps and board offs, a pivot is great for that, more forgiving than a torch. I've never ridden a switchblade maybe it's good for kiteloops.

I'm sure most of these guys aren't going to land hard anyway, they already know how to soften their landings (I hope)

Some of the kites that are real slow turning and made for hangtime can actually pull more in a loop, even though they're slower. To me that would take more balls to pull off than riding a fast turning C kite. Cause C kites are more predictable and quick, you don't know what's going to happen when you try to loop a slow turning bow kite.

BTW I voted boots, I think Aaron Hadlow is going to come out with a surprise this year. But the megaloop board off is still pretty awesome, should be some good stuff this year no matter who wins.