Surf Stance... Pros & Cons

[yamaslut]

I got the itch......




OK.... since I seeing JoeK and Taylor rip it up in the small surf January in Daytona I have been obsessed w/ improving my surfriding style... After looking at many pics and vids I think I have reached the conclusion. I have to convert to a surf stance... There is something about a re-enrty or lip slash that just is not the same when feet are forward in the tray... I'm seriously thinking of forgetting about the footholds for a while and working the straps... Now I just need to figure out which way to put them on... I'm comfortable w/ my feet either goofy or standard stance... I wish there was a way to have straps both ways, but I think its impossible... Maybe a front foothold like highroller made and a strap in the rear... That way I could lock in w/ the side of my foot up front and just strap it in the back...

Anyone have any good ideas from experience?????

 

[beachedflunkey]

Sorry I have no experience to advise from, I just copied your idea. Hopefully I'm just another two or three weeks from trying it out.

Maybe an aluminum plate stuck to the front and rear of the tray with a couple tapped holes and use bolts with wing nuts or thumb screws welded for quick adjustments? Then again, the plate would be a b!tch if you wanted it removed.

 

[yamaslut]

Sorry I have no experience to advise from, I just copied your idea. Hopefully I'm just another two or three weeks from trying it out.

Maybe an aluminum plate stuck to the front and rear of the tray with a couple tapped holes and use bolts with wing nuts or thumb screws welded for quick adjustments? Then again, the plate would be a b!tch if you wanted it removed.

:biggthumpup: looks nice

 

[IceRocket1286]

get an old school wakeboarding sandal strap. they rotate in circles, not sure if 360 degrees, but they rotate enough to accept normal or goofy stance. I actually have a set at my cottage if you wanna buy them for a few pennies. I dont know how youd turf them though. They have padding on them, but im sure youd have to cut slits in the turf to allow the sandal to turn. I think it would work pretty good. You can put one in the front and one in the back, or some other configuration. A front foothold would also work for the front i believe.

edit. i may be going to my cottage this weekend. not sure. its on an island on lake st clair by my house, and its freezing. as long as the weather is nice i might make it up there and could pick them up

 

[wildman326]

Don't mean to sound cheesy, but I have an old style fire extinguisher on my ski (the black thing that goes in the front of the tray.)

I've put my front foot under that on occation. I'm not that comfortable riding that way so I don't do it very often.

Nevertheless, when I do put it up there (my foot) it seems solid and comfortable. Plus I keep my tow rope in it.

 

[Frosty]

I just installed a front foot hold I picked up from Highroller... I plan to try it out this season. I usually ride with my left foot that far up in the tray anyway, but then have to tuck into the footholds for doing other tricks. I'm hoping to be able to use a combination of the front foothold with my newly extended rear footholds. I hope it works... although I am not to sure how comfortable it will be with this setup... seams like it may be a bit awkward. I may end up putting a rear strap on with the front foothold.

Here is what is looked like before turfing.

 

[yamaslut]

get an old school wakeboarding sandal strap. they rotate in circles, not sure if 360 degrees, but they rotate enough to accept normal or goofy stance. I actually have a set at my cottage if you wanna buy them for a few pennies. I dont know how youd turf them though. They have padding on them, but im sure youd have to cut slits in the turf to allow the sandal to turn. I think it would work pretty good. You can put one in the front and one in the back, or some other configuration. A front foothold would also work for the front i believe.

edit. i may be going to my cottage this weekend. not sure. its on an island on lake st clair by my house, and its freezing. as long as the weather is nice i might make it up there and could pick them up

grab them for me bro.... then let me know what you want for them...
a pic would be cool too, if ya have time

 

[Takeastand SJ]

After Oceanside I put a front strap in my ski too. It makes re-entries and riding waves look better. My barrel rolls also usually end up more vertical than horizontal so I hope the front strap helps with that too.

 

[yamaslut]

good info so far... :Banane01:

 

[Moondance]

Don't mean to sound cheesy, but I have an old style fire extinguisher on my ski (the black thing that goes in the front of the tray.)

I've put my front foot under that on occation. I'm not that comfortable riding that way so I don't do it very often.

Nevertheless, when I do put it up there (my foot) it seems solid and comfortable. Plus I keep my tow rope in it.

I hope it's not cheesy 'cause for me it's a great place to wedge my foot when I need a little extra security in that stance.

 

[yamaslut]

I hope it's not cheesy 'cause for me it's a great place to wedge my foot when I need a little extra security in that stance.

No... it's smart. Got to make what ya got work :wink:

 

[Idok]

No... it's smart. Got to make what ya got work :wink:

hey look, at least you learned something.....sometimes you HAVE to do that..










why not try one foot in the hold and one in the strap....thats how I ride 100% of the time..

 

[WaveDemon]

Good luck nick, I think it looks sweet too. I especially like the look of a BR with the surf stance. You might want to consider which way you roll when figuring which way to put your straps ( if you roll left put your right footstrap forward). I've seen straps that don't hold form on there own. You could possibly put in straps like that for both regular and goofy and just step on the strap that you arn't using.

... but I ride a blaster, if I don't make any sense please disregard.

 

[Frosty]

You might want to consider which way you roll when figuring which way to put your straps ( if you roll left put your right footstrap forward). I've seen straps that don't hold form on there own. You could possibly put in straps like that for both regular and goofy and just step on the strap that you arn't using.

That's a good point. I think the front foot hold gives you the versitility to put whatever foot forward you want and switch it up.

 

[runaway]

I am currently running a front strap, and wedging my back foot crooked in the foothold. The only time I do not have this stance is for flips, the I use the footholds. Once I can master a flip surf stance there will be no need for expensive and time consuming foothold installs. Definately makes wave riding and re-entries smoother and more controllable. Alot less pressure on you ankles against the side of the boat. In straps your feet can "flow" with the movement of the boat without your legs hitting anything.

 

[Mike Serlin]

One of the major downsides to using front and rear footstraps is that, with shoes on, you have very little feeling and can easily get your back foot stuck and mess up your ankle. All the guys who ride with a rear strap usually wear booties, or no shoes at all. Taylor Curtis and Jerry Brandon and Luke Monsoon all use a single rear footstrap. I've tried using a front and rear strap, but am more comfortable with just the front. I do everything except stabs and BF with a surf stance. The ability to distribute more of your weight up front makes rolls look so much cooler because you aren't hunched over the pole with you feet side by side. I've never liked the look of that.
Also, you don't need straps to surf ride with a surf stance. Randy Lane, one of the best surfriders there is, uses a 100% bone stock superjet. no straps or holds. LBE uses that front hold and it seems to work good for him. Re-entries are much easier surfstance, especially when you can lock a foot in.
Hope this helps

 

[yamaslut]

I don't like the feel of putting my rear foot in the hold... that's the whole problem for me... It seems to throw off my balance to have the feet that far on the outside of the tray... I want to be more centrally located in the tray... IMO it makes it easier to recover from a bad launch or land tricks altogether... I did a few re-entries in goofy surf stance and loved the feeling... I think I am going to go all out goofy setup... still trying to figure this out though.......

 

[RoyalFlush@PCB]

I think I am going to go all out goofy

Dude---you're already there. :biggrin: :cool2:

 

[The Penguin]

:haha: :haha: :haha: :haha: :haha:

 

[yamaslut]

One of the major downsides to using front and rear footstraps is that, with shoes on, you have very little feeling and can easily get your back foot stuck and mess up your ankle. All the guys who ride with a rear strap usually wear booties, or no shoes at all. Taylor Curtis and Jerry Brandon and Luke Monsoon all use a single rear footstrap. I've tried using a front and rear strap, but am more comfortable with just the front. I do everything except stabs and BF with a surf stance. The ability to distribute more of your weight up front makes rolls look so much cooler because you aren't hunched over the pole with you feet side by side. I've never liked the look of that.
Also, you don't need straps to surf ride with a surf stance. Randy Lane, one of the best surfriders there is, uses a 100% bone stock superjet. no straps or holds. LBE uses that front hold and it seems to work good for him. Re-entries are much easier surfstance, especially when you can lock a foot in.
Hope this helps

I totally agree about having a front foot locked in... I have been runnig a front strap for a while..... just need to switch my stance to goofy for rolls and so on.... I think I'll always do flip w/ my feet in the holds... I like that look