I'm thinking about picking up a mountain board for some casual low tide beach kiting. Nothing hairball with me harnessed in or anything; rather just me jumping on a board and rolling around a bit while holding my z-bridled NasaStar. We spend time in San Diego in the Spring and there is a great stretch of beach I did a lot of static flying on this year that would be perfect for this.

Question: how necessary is it to use foot straps? I like the idea of just having a flat board top that I can easily hop on and off of, plus my feet are huge and when I had a board about five years ago I had trouble getting in and out of the foot straps.

Also looking for recommendations for setup. I'm 6' with size 14 feet and weigh, err, well let's just say I weigh more that 225. What size deck and tires?

Thanks!

based on the idea of snowskates, my guess is that you'd be fine. this was posted on this site some time ago - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_RdSEIhaRY

also, when my brother started with his mountainboard, it was with the bindings removed, in a movie theater parking lot. he and his wife had no problems using it that way. as he started using larger and larger kites, and began leaning back into the pull, he put the bindings back on.
i do not have any idea of how the greater friction of sand travel would affect this whole idea, though.
tom

If you are primarily doing down winders and flying underpowered you are probably fine without bindings but if the sand gets soft/sticky or the power picks up and you have to hold the kite down or tack hard to get upwind, I think you will realize the value of bindings really quick,

When you are learning (not me, you) the rule seems to be without straps will save your knees at first. Mr Max was doing it on gravel and cutting upwind without a problem.
Made me jealous.

imo
sorry, I'm the other way. can't imagine riding or even learning strapless
find yourself a flexboard haze if you can, big board w/ big 9" wheels
you want strapless go in a parking lot w/ a dropdeck skateboard which is a good
first for any aspiring mountain boarder

Thanks to all! Helpful for me to understand about the foot straps. I can certainly see why they'd be important once I actually get proficient with this style of Kiting. For learning (read falling) I like the idea of starting strapless but then bolting them back on after a while.

The MBS Comp 95 series has caught my eye. The standard 95 comes stock with T3 200x50mm (8") wheels. They sell a 95X that comes with T2 250x50mm (9") wheels but also a fancy brake system that I don't want or need. I sent the company an email to see if they would sell a hybrid (95X without brakes), or if you like, a 95 with 9" wheels. Their new model has a nice brown deck with birds on it that I liked. Didn't make me feel like I needed to pull my pants down my butt and wear my hat sideways.

Strapless on the beach = struggles stopping or staying upwind.
Tarmac is for strapless.
Look for a flexboard haze.

I think cleanline surf sold them?

I'd say footstraps are almost required with a kite. On the bumpy grass here you would get bucked off almost immediately without them. On a smooth beach you could possibly do it.

With straps you also have more control over the board. I always do little hops to regain my balance or to change when the board is pointed when I'm not moving. Can't do that without straps.

I remember the pain of first using straps after years of street skating. I really hated being restrained. I got used the them pretty fast though. It's similar to steering a buggy with your feet feels strange at first.

Let's not forget that bindings should never be so tight that you can't kick out. You want them snug but you keep the board on by wedging your feet against the posts in a duck foot stance and you want the bindings loose enough that you can easily kick out by straightening your feet. Bindings DO NOT have to be tight to be effective. Foot position is the key.

I strongly prefer no straps! No straps forces you to ride balanced and smooth and I like the feeling. I haven't figured out a good way to pop the board, so I think a good use of straps is for jumping or riding powered up (the controlled, or semi-controlled, power slide!). I respect people who ride like that because they are gnarly. I'm more interested in turns than jumps. There is a whole set of skills to develop around turning (look at freeride hydrofoiling for inspiration). My local spot is bumpy grass with sand traps, and I would rather get away from the board and slide out on my hip than get thrown over the bars. My local spot is also small and full of benches, trees, people and dogs, and the beach I ride at is notoriously gusty... I ride smaller kites; I like that too because it forces you to actively fly the kite (loops!). In short, strapless rules.

Strapless to an informal event, How gauche. :eekdrull:

theirs always one...right?
good for u NeverBoard, would like to see that sometime
i see some of the waterguys strapless on surf and skimboards and have a world or respect for them
please get us some video if u could

I will say from my experience, no straps and 5.10 stealth rubber WORKS AMAZING unless it's nukin'. I don't get to play on the mountainboard regularly so I really appreciate being able to just step on or off as needed.

I'm able to go anywhere, upwinds etc ..

Sounds like we are getting a plurality of responses to my question. Imagine that! :D

I'm not looking to get airborne at all and don't see this as a way of getting gnarly; I've got my buggy and race kites for that. This endeavor, if I even go this route, is for some chuckles on the beach with my 2.5m NS4 and 3.2m NS3 flown on 10 meter lines and handles. No hooking in.

If this gets fun for me I could see re-attaching the footstraps down the road and having a go at this more aggressively at IBX, Fall SOBB, etc, but still not hooked in. After my freak gasoline fight accident I swore off hooked in kiting without an AQR. I love my bride and want to keep my second and final marriage strong.

Based on your safety goal after your accident...How do you do AQR set up on the board? ...or can you?

You hook up between your wallet and your mind. :P

Quote: Originally posted by skimtwashington

Based on your safety goal after your accident...How do you do AQR set up on the board? ...or can you?

Good question. I should have been more descriptive. I intend to only Popeye from handles without hooking in. Idea being that I won't pull myself up in the air barehanded.

I did notice in my brief experience at knee pad testing on my little MBS Constellation that while in the bug I sometimes pull the kite, I was better off on the board if I let the kite pull me.

I remembered being told that when I was trying to water ski, " let the boat pull you" I never did really get it with a kite or a boat though?

The main thing Steve is to always wear the helmet with the gopro mounted on

I thought or assumed all your kites were flown on a bar and didn't know you flew off handles also, or had that option.

Quote: Originally posted by skimtwashington

I thought or assumed all your kites were flown on a bar and didn't know you flew off handles also, or had that option.

A fair thought Tuck. I string my NasaStars with z-bridles so they can be flown alternatively on a bar as three-liners or as four-liners from handles. :karate:

There is a Half Strap that could provide safety while learning and something to hold the board.



https://kiteboarding.com/proddetail.asp?prod=slingshot_foot_...

Quote: Originally posted by Jack.Oh

There is a Half Strap that could provide safety while learning and something to hold the board. https://kiteboarding.com/proddetail.asp?prod=slingshot_foot_...

That's a great suggestion! I'm no longer heading in the direction of doing this, but had I been those half-straps would have been interesting. Thank you.