Learning to kitefoil

[Kamikuza]

I respectfully disagree on the foot-hook. With a foot-hook you have almost zero chance of having your foot trapped which can cause devasting injuries if your foot does not release. Begginers are going to crash often and are not going to have the presence of mind to get the front foot out, even a loose strap can trap your foot. I have heard the argument about the lines getting caught on the hook, and of course that is possible but it has never happened to me and I don't think it would be a big deal to an experinced kiter in light wind.

It was only ever the rear strap that trapped my foot (seriously). And only once -- I ditched it immediately after. Tried the sideways front strap but that mildly trapped my foot once too so I ditched that as well.

Super light wind starting is really the only downside.

[junebug]

Others have already said it all, but I will add another vote for a front foot hook or hooks. They allow you to keep the board on your feet easily in choppy water so you don't waste so much time on the water start and they aren't going to break your ankle in a bad fall like straps. The downside is they can rip out the inserts from your board on a bad fall, which happened to me. They can also theoretically catch a kiteline if the kite is in the water and the board drifts into the lines, but I rode with front foot hooks for a year while learning and this never happened to me. Just swim to your board first after a fall and then get the kite sorted.

[Flyboy]

To repeat myself: there is nothing problematic about having REGULAR straps ( I use Dakine windsurfing straps). If they are adjusted correctly your feet will never, EVER get trapped in the strap when you fall, no matter how you fall. The strap needs to be tight so that only the part of the foot in front of the wide spot can fit into the strap. Tightened correctly, it is IMPOSSIBLE for any more of the foot to fit into the strap, no matter how you fall.

Through the various stages of learning to foil you will fall a lot - water starting, riding the foil, learning to gybe, learning to switch feet, learning to ride waves etc. On many of those falls you may fall away safely, but it's GUARANTEED, every now and then you will fall in a way that drives your foot deeper into the strap and as you fall the foil may exert a twisting force on your foot that will, at the very least, bruise & may sprain or even break your foot/ankle. I had many falls while learning that caused severe twisting to my ankles - loose straps, very loose, quite tight, made no difference. Once I learned to cinch the straps down correctly, I have NEVER had that problem again - if I fall, my foot automatically pulls away from the strap.