need help: i have been boarding for a couple of monthes with handles on a 5m fixed bridle kite, i have recently been trying to board using my 7m montana2, but keep geeting light in the feet when hooked in my harness. It seems when i fly handles i seldom clip in or use the strop and am fine can go down wind and tack back up but as soon as i harness up i cant seem to keep my feet on the board when starting. Any tips would be appreciated.
on another note: did my first clean and intentional pendulum air today and got about 5 feet in the air, very fun twenty minutes later- got pulled on to my frontside and ripped my jeans and one leg is covered in road rash the joy of a dirt/rock field

It's a common problem, you don't realize it but when your holding onto the handles your hands will often move in and out to ballance the kite as it hits gusts. When you're hooked into a harness, there's no give, so every gust tends to try and pull you over. It takes some getting used to. One bit of advice, better to lean back on the kite. keeps from getting pulled out the front door as much, worst case you fall on your behind instead of going head first.

I agree with Pablo, if you hook in focus on leaning back as much as you can and get your feet out in front of you. This will lessen the kites ability to yank you forward and transition the pull of the kite more into productive traction. I fly on handles so I'm regularly hooking in and out depending upon if I'm cruising or carving or over or under powered but when I'm hooked in I'm leaning back or sitting down on the board to control the power of the kite.

I'm wearing a seat harness and I believe those are a little more awkward to boarding but super comfy once you get used to the low angle of the pull.

You may want to try depowering the Montana a little more and rely on the bar to power you up. You may be trying it out with too much power in the kite.

Pull in your power strap so it is shorter and ride the bar off the knot. Sheet in when you want to boost.

The Montana should be able to depower enough to stop you from tea-bagging. If you have the kite fully depowered and it is still pulling you off the ground you may need to drop down to a smaller kite.

Hope this helps.

angus,
what do you mean by flying off the knot, I will try with the depower strap pulled in somemore. Also please explaining the term tea bagging? I am having no problem riding when using my handles (different kite obviously) when not harnessed in. It is only when i clip in, also have noticed that when i am flying the montana 2 that full power from the bar comes about half pull and if i pull all the way in the kite begins to fly with full brakes and will actually fall out of the sky- it is great to prevent overflying but is this normal? thanks
scott