Hello!

I am really wanting to get into strapless riding this year. I'm looking for a board that i can use when the wind is light as well as play around in small waves, and have the option of putting straps on.

I have been offered for reasonable prices the following boards.

Airush Choptop 2011 5'8
Airush Slayer 2014 54
North Nugget TT 2014 5'4
Naish Skate L (5'6) 2015.

THe Choptop and the slayer are the cheaper of the 2 boards and money is a bit tight - i was thinking about getting a 5'10 BIC Fish as i can get hold of these fairly cheap, but you cant put straps on them.

I weigh in around 85-90kg

If any one has any feedback on these boards that would be awesome.

cheers

5'10" fish is s good set up, it would be as good as the list. easy cheap start to see if you like it. dont' do the straps, so much better without, they just get in th way.

Good call Phree, quad fin fish will get you upwind with that skatey loose back end feel in the waves........... At your weight 5'10 to 6'2 would work well. I ride a 6' Davo fish with quad setup no straps............if your racing straps.........surfing cruising no straps

cool! thanks for the input - yeah it makes sense - the fish is half the price of the other boards, though its only a tri fin set up..will this make it harder to get up wind??

I just got a Nugget TT 5'2" and had a real good time yesterday, for my first ever strapless session. Need to get a new set of fins though, as I found a rock or two in some shallow water. It still rode alright missing a fin (this is as close as I get to having tri fin knowledge.) It really helped out with the low end of my quiver (10-12 Knots). Want more sessions on it soon!

whats your weight? i was looking at the 5'2 TT as they are on offer but i think my weight would make it no so light wind useable. ALso tryign to find a cheap NSP 6.0 fish, i have heard they truck up wind better than the BIC 5'10

I'm 68kg.

Board Riding Maui Paipo

Super easy to ride!


Also known and sold as The Shinnster

Check it out, very reasonably priced.....

How do you guys feel about the SS Tyrant? I just picked one up for a song & dance and I'm wondering what I should expect. It's a beautiful board. I put the straps on, though. Sounds like I should just take them off, eh?

I ended up with the BIC 5'10 fish - It seems to work but having nothing to compare it too i cant say how good it is or not. I think i might be a bit heavy for it to be a really good light wind board but i have my eye on a 6'3 swallow tail from circle one. It goes up wind ok, and i dont think you would call it snappy in regards to tunring - might try it with the center fin out next time.

I managed to water start strapless with the first dive of the kite (which was cool as there was a bunch of nice looking ladies having some kite lessons) - I then spent the next 45minutes water starting - riding upwind well - and then dancing like a spazz whilst trying to change my feet - manged some toeside carves but struggle to keep the speed on exiting the carve - have yet to sucesslfully switch feet and not instantly fall off - would have ridden for longer but a hard crash caused my leading edge bladder defalte valve to pop open and as i hadnt isolated the struts my kite kind of sank - least i had the board to float the soggy mess the half mile back the beach...

Still riding strapless on a surfboard is cool! its like being a beginner again - and was nice to switch to after a session on the twin tip that left me feeling like i'd been in a car wreck after trying new tricks.

Get a Dynabar, they're magic and really help.

Changing feet... This is all my opinion and I feel like Jedi kid out were, but I can gybe.

Front foot is the key; you need to be able to put weight on it and pivot around to bring up your back foot up, so you need to find the place on the board where you can load the front foot without upsetting the trim of the board. Then it's just a matter of keeping yourself balanced on the new front foot until the new back foot is planted...

You don't need to stand directly over your front foot when you change feet, you just need to be able to balance your weight on it; move your weight a little forwards, then just move your feet and whip your hips around.

Good tips. the dynabar looks like it could be good - though i think i would have to change my harness - will have a look at it later... but a sliding hook would be perfect - I think next time i go out i will wear my harness loose and tuck the extra neoprene waist band away some place - i have dont this before and it makes the harness slide around a lot and as long as its kept loose enough it can be pushed back doen into position with one hand easy once riding comfortably - though i stopped doing this when i started learning jumps on TT as it really pulls up to the armpite - but for riding the surfboard at least at the start it should help me from getting pulled of backwards when i switch to toe side.. I think next week if i get the time i'll take the fins of the board and practice switch feet on land (the wind is going to suck next week) just so i can get the muscle memory and stop doing the dumb thing of looking at my feet. - one of the weirdest things is having to chase my board down wind when i fall off...

Good tips. the dynabar looks like it could be good - though i think i would have to change my harness - will have a look at it later... but a sliding hook would be perfect - I think next time i go out i will wear my harness loose and tuck the extra neoprene waist band away some place - i have dont this before and it makes the harness slide around a lot and as long as its kept loose enough it can be pushed back doen into position with one hand easy once riding comfortably - though i stopped doing this when i started learning jumps on TT as it really pulls up to the armpite - but for riding the surfboard at least at the start it should help me from getting pulled of backwards when i switch to toe side.. I think next week if i get the time i'll take the fins of the board and practice switch feet on land (the wind is going to suck next week) just so i can get the muscle memory and stop doing the dumb thing of looking at my feet. - one of the weirdest things is having to chase my board down wind when i fall off...

Quote: Originally posted by Proletariat

How do you guys feel about the SS Tyrant? I just picked one up for a song & dance and I'm wondering what I should expect. It's a beautiful board. I put the straps on, though. Sounds like I should just take them off, eh?

Slingshot Tyrant is a great board but needs some power and skills. Slingshot used to also sell a 5'11" fish quad called a Dialer for learning and light winds that I still use. They still sell an in between board called Celeritas. I got the fish/Dialer first then the Tyrant for higher wind/powered/waves days. Was easy to learn strapless on the big fish. Added deckpads to cover most of the board, helps remove the slipperiness when learning the jibe-dance.


http://www.realwatersports.com/news/slingshot-2013-kite-surfboard-breakdown/

& yes... no straps