losethestraps.com

I'm going to start kiteing and I am really only interested in rideing strapless. I'll be on the Puget sound in pretty choppy water with small wind waves. Would I be better off with a surfboard or something like the Liquid force fish which is more of a twin tip type board?
Thanks

Hi eabmoto, welcome to the true spirit of kiting .

Your Q is difficult and easy at the same time. As a beginner, you will hardly be able to get the finest of differences between boards. This comes later. Get yourself the cheapest second hand surf board type thingy, or big skim, you can lay your hands on. The board is preferably:
-a tad wider, i.e. a fish, for easy jibing
-not too much volume (bouncy in chop)
-flattish rocker, makes for a light wind board.

Learn the basics on your first board. Cheap is better because you can trash it without remorse. Ride as many different boards as you can (ask people on the beach). When it comes to your second board, you will know what you want.

cheers, tungsten

Thanks, that's great info. Now, am I making this way too hard by learning without straps? Everybody that rides with straps tells me I have to start with straps.

Don't listen to people No seriously, riding strapless is not harder than riding strapped. A lot depends on your kite skill. Hone your kite skill really well, it'll pay tenfold on the water. Kiting is 80% kite and 20% board skill.

You may borrow any strapped board for the first couple days to get that water start sorted out (it's a bit of a bitch when you try to control your kite in the beginning, and that friggen chop washes your board away all the time), but that's the first couple of days on the water. Then switch to the strapless board.

P.S. I actually remember that Dimitri Maramenidis, a pro kitesurfer and the owner of Eclipse kites, taught his 5 yo son kiting on a strapless skim board and unhooked. For safety reasons, smart move. So you're not a pioneer. Dig in!

eabmoto wrote:Thanks, that's great info. Now, am I making this way too hard by learning without straps? Everybody that rides with straps tells me I have to start with straps.

Hey Eabmoto,

Welcome to LTS! Thank you for joining us here and sharing your question with us! Tungsten gave you the perfect answers to your questions already - so not much I can add except that riding strapless is a mental hurdle. If you never ride with straps to start with you will never have to worry about making any adjustment to riding without them! You absolutely do not need to ride with straps first. It will be a bit more of a challenge water-starting and dealing with the board, but like Tungsten said it is 80% kite flying. If you are the master of your kite you will do very well, which is actually a good rule for kitesurfing in general! Actually, I have seen some of the most athletically talented kiters that could not fly their kite well, and it held them back. A few hours of getting used to it and you will be on your way.

Be sure to keep us up to date on your progress, and post some pics here or on facebook so we can see you ripping!

I finaly got out over the week-end with a friends kite and a LF kite fish. First time getting up and riding was way more comfortable and easy without straps. Tried a couple times first with a twin tip and spent way to much time just trying to get my feet in the straps. For a first time kiter, strapless was not only easy, but also way better for me to learn with. Thanks.

eabmoto wrote:For a first time kiter, strapless was not only easy, but also way better for me to learn with. Thanks.

That is awesome! Let it never be said that it cannot be done! Thanks for sharing your experience with us!