Reality corrodes launches a polemic that demands an adherence to logic.

Personally I profess to preferring strapped wave riding, mainly because it allows a lots of speed and a whole aerial component to downwind wave riding which is hard strapless , especially as you have to use both hands to control the kite, at least if you want to be in position with the kite to link the next turn. I feel I need a third hand or maybe I should train my extra appendage to grab, but then they ban nudity at my local! I know its uncool, but at age 52, 20 of them windsurfing and 15 of them kiting, I can claim that I really was 'uncool before uncool became cool'.

But seriously each to his own and the idea of any of this having to be logical doesn't stack up. There is nothing and should be nothing logical about wave riding, kite surfing or even going to the beach. It is all illogical. You will ... be poorer , have more sun damaged skin, have sorer knees, have a dirty salt covered, rusted out car, have an angry wife, have exostoses blocked ears and so the list goes on. Working all the hours God gave you then vegging out in front of Netflix will keep you safe and wealthy ... logical.

To extend the tricycle / bicycle analogy, 'why fly fish for a trout, when a stick of dynamite will kill the whole pool'?

Ride what you want I say, and I will always take pleasure from watching anyone who is good at what they do, but if you are still crap and cant do a decent bottom turn or even stay on without straps, you keep getting in everyone elses way, smashing your board into swimmers, and then getting dragged through the swimmers in the flagged areas, then maybe keep the straps on a little longer, and put 'cool' on hold for awhile. Kooks are no cooler strapless than they are strapped, they just get in the way more. Be assured nearly all the best strapless guys in Perth did lots of strapped stuff to acquire all their kite skills first, it can only accelerate the learning curve.

Gorgo said..
I have only two problems with strapless riding.

1. 2/3 of people who do it are crap at it.

2. They insist on practicing right in the middle of everybody else.

They dick around in the line up and spend too much time dragging around trying to get back to their board and block everybody else from all the good waves and sections.

Here's a tip. Go and ride strapless to your heart's content somewhere else. The sea is big. Ride off and get good. When you're good at it, go and rip anywhere you like.

Wot e sayd

So long as your having fun & not p1ssing anyone else off - who gives a feck.

Puetz said..
... just checking, but I ride with one strap, is that cool or un-cool, I'm confused now

Haha - Bomber , you are so..... in between !

Plummet said..
So......

What if i rolled with a hook?

I am neither strapped or strapless. I am hooked.

Doesn't that make you a hooker?

Gorgo said..
I have only two problems with strapless riding.

1. 2/3 of people who do it are crap at it.

2. They insist on practicing right in the middle of everybody else.

They dick around in the line up and spend too much time dragging around trying to get back to their board and block everybody else from all the good waves and sections.

Here's a tip. Go and ride strapless to your heart's content somewhere else. The sea is big. Ride off and get good. When you're good at it, go and rip anywhere you like.

I have only two problems with kiting.

1. 2/3 of people who do it are crap at it.

2. They insist on practicing right in the middle of everybody else.

They dick around in the line up and spend too much time dragging around trying to get back to their board and block everybody else from all the good waves and sections.

Here's a tip. Go and kite to your heart's content somewhere else. The sea is big. Ride off and get good. When you're good at it, go and rip anywhere you like.

realitycorrodes said..
Thanks plummet, I agree with your first comment.

I love the fact that everyone is having fun...their happiness is my happiness.

But the fun is tainted when strapless boys always feel the need to put other people down who choose to go with the logical decision to use straps while kitesurfing.

The purpose of the thread is to save people who use straps some time when confronted by insecure strapless kitesurfers that like to initiate conversation by being derogatory about people wearing straps -

Instead of having to go through the pros and cons again and again with each new derogatory strapless kitesufer all the strapped in boys have to do is refer them to this thread.

I hoped all the pros and cons to strapless kitesurfing were summarised in the initial thread comment in a balanced and fair way? - saves reading pages and pages of comments on a forum thread about the issues at hand.

You wrote a brilliant article mate and it's very to the point. I do find I get regular comments too about my choice of riding strapped. I can ride strapless too, but I'm usually having more fun strapped, especially in bigger surf. It gives me peace of mind knowing I can jump over waves if I have to without losing my board and generally not having to body drag to the beach a lot because of board loss.

What a great topic!

Why can't we all get along??

(except for those twin tinny tippers and dudes with pop out kite brand surfboards with wally windsurf straps they are all kooks)

Straps are like bras, you got to take them off to have any real fun.

straps = testosterone, strapless = finesse
alternating both styles is fun

Defenition of irony: Writing a 26 paragraph post on a kiting forum about other people's insecurities.

For the first time in 3 years I got back on my twin tip, only because I am selling it as a package with other kite gear. What a bog. A strapless kiteboard is the ultimate pleasure. It takes me back to my sailing days going downwind with a spinnaker. Not to mention the waves riding. Sailing, windsurfing, surfing, maybe only surfing on glassy waves beats strapless kitesurfing

offshore said..
For the first time in 3 years I got back on my twin tip, only because I am selling it as a package with other kite gear. What a bog. A strapless kiteboard is the ultimate pleasure. It takes me back to my sailing days going downwind with a spinnaker. Not to mention the waves riding. Sailing, windsurfing, surfing, maybe only surfing on glassy waves beats strapless kitesurfing

sounds like new sailing convert for foilboarding imminent...