Magnetic bindings

[Aaron42]

How about some neodymium magnets? We have some in the office for people to use to post notes on metallic white boards but had to stop using them because people kept smashing their fingers and pinching their hands. Also, people had trouble pulling them off the wall so they mostly went unused. I have an above average grip strength and it's a challenge for me to get them off the wall.

[Laughingman]

How about some neodymium magnets?

Pretty sure that is what he used "rare earth magnet" which is also neodymium or samarium-cobalt magnets, same same

[Aaron42]

As someone who is perhaps a bit less flexible than he should be I think this is a pretty awesome idea. What do you think would be the appropriate pull force for this application? Just looking around on amazon I have seen magnets rated up to 120lbs. One on each foot would be 240lbs holding you to the board. That seems like it would be a bit much, but maybe not if you consider the leverage when digging your heels in to edge?

[C Johnson]

personally, if I'm going to land hard enough for a foot to eject I want both feet to eject. I think they need a system where the boots are somehow connected together so that if one releases it triggers the other one to release.

Snowboarding would be a better place to start too. I get the feeling magnets near sandy beaches would attract massive amounts of magnetic sand which might jam things up a bit and turn into a rusty mess.

[Laughingman]

Okay just for fun... what about bicycle pedal type clips...?

[C Johnson]

you mean the kind where you twist for them to lock/unlock?

we do a lot of twisting and rotating on a kiteboard that you might never see on a bike. seems like something you wouldn't want to have release mid rotating trick or right as you're doing a big heel to toe edge transfer.

[windfreak74]

check out speedplay pedals used in triathlon bikes its similar to what you propose but allows flotation .
great job trying something new!

[zact]

A few years ago, my physio was bouncing this sort of idea around with me for use in wakeboarding (his sport of choice.) I don't think he ever got to a prototype, but speedplay bike pedals were my suggestion.... I see I'm not alone with that.

But to contribute something new to the brainstorming.... Electromagnets?

I have no idea how much power is required and my first suspicion is that the batteries required would be far too large to be practical. But I don't know that. I do know that they can be incredibly strong.