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One vs two front straps on board

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Peter_Frank
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Re: One vs two front straps on board

Postby Peter_Frank » Sun Sep 29, 2019 6:25 pm

It will come pretty fast, toeside, just use two straps in front, and one in the rear quite far rear.

The first years when hydrofoiling escalated, it was around 2013-2014 here, the obvious thought was to use a center strap to get the surf feeling when carving around.

But we quickly found out it made no sense, as you dont have any advantages having your front foot over the center at all.

On a surfboard yes, it is needed like that, a center strap quite wide so you can have your front foot over the center pushing the leeward rail in lean over bottom turns.

But hydrofoils dont work nor turn this way, so here you can stand with both feet on your heelward edge when using straps, and still carve tight lean over turns.
If not having a rear strap, or strapless, the best balance is when either both feet are at the center, OR, quite often even better IMO, the front foot towards the heel edge, and then the rear foot towards the toe edge.

This is most likely how you would ride with two front straps also, and having no rear strap or your foot in front of the rear strap - standing with the rear foot a bit more inside.

It will give you a perfect balance standing on line with the mast.
But more importantly, it will be easier to ride toeside because your body is opened up more so you dont have to twist your body like a circus contortionist, and when riding normal heelside you have a much better open body position for riding upwind.

Sometimes it feels good to stand front foot on the center too when carving strapless, simply personal taste but even more simply a great way of mixing it up.

Two front straps, not in doubt.
When you have to learn to rolltack, two frontstraps makes it 100 times easier as you can almost just slip around from one to the other.

8) Peter

Just visualisation, and strapless, but show how perfect 2 frontstraps will work.
Here the classic hydrofoil stance front foot more to heel edge rear foot to toe edge:
OffCenter9.jpg
.
.
.
And also a bit more on the leeside works no problem, so even with 2 frontstraps and one rear strap you can carve tight and ride toeside:
OffCenter1.jpg

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Re: One vs two front straps on board

Postby Don Lester » Sun Sep 29, 2019 6:42 pm

In the beginning of Foil-boarding there was a huge misconception that if you used straps they should be adjusted very loosely for your foot. That couldn't be more wrong.......because that's how your foot can get jammed tight when you fall therefore twisting your ankle or worse. Your foot straps should be adjusted as small as possible so you barely get your toes sticking out, that way when you fall your foot can't get jammed in tight.......
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Re: One vs two front straps on board

Postby Peter_Frank » Mon Sep 30, 2019 8:18 am

Don Lester wrote:
Sun Sep 29, 2019 6:42 pm
In the beginning of Foil-boarding there was a huge misconception that if you used straps they should be adjusted very loosely for your foot. That couldn't be more wrong.......because that's how your foot can get jammed tight when you fall therefore twisting your ankle or worse. Your foot straps should be adjusted as small as possible so you barely get your toes sticking out, that way when you fall your foot can't get jammed in tight.......

I think this is debatable.

There are two ways, really loose/long or really tight.

Both seems to work regarding "getting out" easy.

Whereas a good fit like many twintippers like, is a no-go, too risky to get jammed.

8) PF

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Re: One vs two front straps on board

Postby cglazier » Wed Oct 02, 2019 12:09 am

Don Lester wrote:
Sun Sep 29, 2019 6:42 pm
In the beginning of Foil-boarding there was a huge misconception that if you used straps they should be adjusted very loosely for your foot. That couldn't be more wrong.......because that's how your foot can get jammed tight when you fall therefore twisting your ankle or worse. Your foot straps should be adjusted as small as possible so you barely get your toes sticking out, that way when you fall your foot can't get jammed in tight.......
Wow, I strongly disagree. Your footstraps should be loose! That's the way we all ride around here.
I have enjoyed hundreds of sessions with my loose footstraps and not had any foot problem since my very early beginner days.
I also advise using two front footstraps so your front foot goes straight in and out. With one footstrap your foot is angled and more likely to not move freely. (It is also much easier to jibe and tack with two front footstraps rather than one)

:wink: CG

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Re: One vs two front straps on board

Postby cglazier » Wed Oct 02, 2019 5:14 am

Here is a picture showing relativley loose footstraps that all racers use.. and everyone else I know too.
The rider is in the middle of a tack.

:wink:
image033.jpg

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Re: One vs two front straps on board

Postby Sgallian » Wed Oct 02, 2019 8:09 am

AndersP wrote:
Sun Sep 29, 2019 2:33 pm
The "unibrow" strap, same as grigorib described is really good. Perfect for starting and you can choose where to have your foot sideways. Toeside riding just as strapless. Very easy to twist your foot out of it to ride pure strapless. If you have it low, just your toes goes in it, there is no chanche to get stuck.
For me it is much better than straps and hooks.
So THAT's what I saw on the video from this post: viewtopic.php?f=196&t=2404515 (BTW from this post, looks like it is not that safe either...)
I have a problem with my front straps not being positioned forward enough on the board, and also prefering to have my foot on the middle.
This "unibrow" ( :lol: love the name, even thoug I suppose this is not its official designation) strap would solve both the issues, as I still need the front strap for the waterstart (or maybe I should try strapless waterstart, anyway no back foot strap for me, no no boosting...)
Where can you get it?

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Re: One vs two front straps on board

Postby Foil » Wed Oct 02, 2019 10:49 am

[/quote]
anyway no back foot strap for me, no no boosting...)
[/quote]

so funny :D
that's exactly what I used to think and say.

even after 2 years in, I was still claiming I would never jump a foilboard,
but then when no one was looking I tried my first little 6inch jump with two feet in straps, mistake!
that was me hooked.

After that first tiny boost I was completely addicted to boosting, it's harder than boosting a Ttip, and I was pretty dam good at that,
landing a flying foilboard is way more technical to get right, but for some weird reason is much more engaging and fun,
I know it can look lame at times but being able to fly high in next to no wind is an awesome buzz.

don't lock yourself out of what i believe is the best sensation in the foilboarding experience. :thumb:
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Re: One vs two front straps on board

Postby revhed » Wed Oct 09, 2019 8:46 am

Don Lester wrote:
Sun Sep 29, 2019 6:42 pm
That couldn't be more wrong.......because that's how your foot can get jammed tight when you fall therefore twisting your ankle or worse. Your foot straps should be adjusted as small as possible so you barely get your toes sticking out, that way when you fall your foot can't get jammed in tight.......
I can not disagree more! :nono:
Adjusted so your toes just stick out the toe side end is just asking for trouble!
As posted, see MANY racer and other foot straps on KBHFs, NONE tight as best as I can find!
R H


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