Anonymous wrote:I fail to uinderstand why people think they are "Hardcore"
because they unhook.
I learnt to ride unhooked 3/4 years ago on a two string because I was too scared to be hooked into my haerness.
Does that make me a hardcore newby?
Years ago when this great sport was begining
unhooked riding was very common on two string kites
Unhooked is a nice compliment to any style of riding its not a religion
'Hardcore riding' is any technique that someone has just learned.
'Wuss-Bag riding' is any riding technique that you learned more than 6 months ago.
Wait 2 years and 'wuss-bag' becomes 'hardcore' again:
* Your example is a fine one.
* 2 years ago, directionals were becoming wuss-bag. Now the 'hardcore' riders are kiting while riding surfboards (directionals without straps). But don't worry, it will be wuss-bag again very soon.
* 2 years ago, wuss-bag, low AR kites were abandoned for hardcore, high AR kites. But now the hardcore riders love the low AR kites for 'wake style' tricks.
Don't worry, the 'hardcore' wake-style folk will fade into wuss-bagginess soon. Just pick up a wakeboarding magazine, it will make you puke - It is all about The Scene & The Redneck Bling. The general kiteboarding populous will grow weary of the wakeboarding 'tude & their incredibly unfounded (but horrendously overinflated) sense of self-worth. The wake-style tricks tend to be inelegant and non-graceful - To the uninitiated, a fun boardoff is a lot nicer to watch than the mostr complex handlepass.
It is just a matter of time.
Sid sends