Slingshot Screamer and Celeritas footstrap positions

SpaceRacer · Since 04 Nov 2007 434 Posts Obsessed

With all of the anticipated worn out comments about going strapless instead of strapped aside, I have a 5 foot 2 inch screamer and a 5-foot 8-inch celeritas. I am wondering where the sweet spots for the foot straps are for those boards. Any suggestions on what works for you would be appreciated.

Johnb · Since 02 Aug 2010 494 Posts Obsessed

I have read that if you ride the board strapless you will naturally adjust your feet to the sweet spot. I can feel when my feet are not in the right position, I don't even have to look anymore.

You can move your feet to different locations between the insert holes to see what feels the best. Take note of your feet position and install straps close as possible to the location that feels good.

SpaceRacer · Since 04 Nov 2007 434 Posts Obsessed

Yep. Makes perfect sense. I knew those strapless guys were into something!8th

ldhr · Since 21 Jul 2009 1490 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

if you have experience riding strapless - doing that to find your preferred foot position is a good idea - not so good if you've never ridden strapless.
every person has a different opinion on the sweet spot for straps - it depends on your style, weight, hip flexibility.
i've been adjusting footstraps on boards for 30 years.....
here's my technique for finding the sweet spot. it might take a few sessions.....
start with both straps in the middle position - go ride for 30 minutes.
move straps all the way back - ride for 30 minutes.
move straps all the way up - ride for 30 minutes.
If you do this and still don't know what position you prefer - put them back in the middle because it doesn't matter anyway.

p.s. - I prefer a narrow stance. I have my front strap all the way back and my back strap in the 2nd position from the front.
I've ridden both the boards you mentioned and this position worked great for both boards.

SpaceRacer · Since 04 Nov 2007 434 Posts Obsessed

Idhr this makes good sense. Yes I can ride strapless but was hoping to save time, which I may have to invest either way. Interesting about your preferred stance on the Screamer. As my front foot moves back the board feels really bouncy and choppy. So much smoother as my front foot moves forward. So it does reiterate your point about all the variables. Interesting though.

bigjohn · Since 13 Mar 2012 664 Posts Addicted

I'm sure it is all a matter preference in regards to how you ride.

Personally I think the back strap should be considerably further back than you would ride naturally without straps. Also, possibly the front strap should be slightly forward of your natural strapless stance.

Reason being, when I am simply riding upwind I usually take my back foot out of the strap and rest it comfortably in the middle of the board with a skinny stance.

However, when I want to jump or carve hard in the swell I place my back foot in. I like a wide stance when I am edging my board hard and workin it.

Also, when going over chop with your back foot out you still have another factor of control with your front foot that you wouldn't have while completely strapless. You can pull up on your front foot while pushing down with your back foot. Thus it allows you to have a more forward stance on your board than you would strapless.

Matt V · Wed Aug 03, 16 9:47 am

Your stance weighting (and preferred strap positions) can change over time/experience. This is usually due to previous experience using a specific type of board or your approach to riding.

If you are coming from TT experience:

When I went from TT's to my own first directional, I was weighting the back foot too much in any strap position. This was certainly due to having the TT muscle memory of weighting the back foot to keep the tail down. Yes, I did move the straps forward at first, but eventually I learned to ride with more front foot pressure. If you are going from TT's to directional, I am pretty sure you find this same thing - it will feel like you need to move your front foot forward and maybe even your back foot forward.

While having the straps all the way forward might not be a perfectly balanced position, it will help you ride the board at first when you are coming from TT experience. I would suggest you move the straps back, one at a time, after each session until you reach the middle position for both straps. This should give you a gradual build up (over at least 3 sessions) to a position where you can now make a more informed decision about what feels right.

Unfortunately, your initial feeling on where your feet should be on a directional coming from a TT will always be wrong - at least it will be wrong in later sessions. There is no way around this as muscle memory is hard to dodge for almost any human engaged in a physical activity.

If you have a new board are coming from previous strapped surfboard experience or strapless experience:

Strapless can be a good way to figure out where your feet should go. But you will need a good day on some swell and some marks on the board (like duct tape dots) to look down occasionally to see where your feet are. Hard turns and "oh s--t" moments infuse reality into where your feet will naturally go. A flat day is not a day to try this as you have little consequence of putting your foot in the wrong position. Also, pay attention to how far over the center line of the board the middle of your foot is. This will help with determining how loose you need the straps or how tight the straps can be.

In my personal experience going from TT's to ancient 1st gen kite directionals to my own first directional to now only using the LF KiteFish (and a smattering of skimboard experience mixed up in there), my stance and muscle memmory has been cemented to the KiteFish. Now if I try to ride TT's or a variety of directionals, I just fall flat on my face. Not to say there was not a time when I could ride anything, and I did. But now I have become so tuned to my one board quiver, that I have extreme difficulty making anything out of any other board. But give me a few consecutive sessions on something I am not used to, and I will develop that muscle memory to make it work and not look too stupid.

knotwindy · Since 25 Sep 2011 615 Posts Addicted

Find some one who rides like you want to that is about your height and have them ride it and set the straps. That will get you really close to start with. Then you can get a feel for it and fine tune it for yourself.

user124 · Since 02 Aug 2012 391 Posts Portland Obsessed

I don't want this to turn into a strapless vs strapped discussion, but I have celeritas and screamer both and use them for different conditions. I'm sure there's lots of other opinions and ways to do this, but:

I like the Celeritas for strapless when the wind is lighter and generally ride a 1-2 kites sizes smaller with this board. The Celeritas has more volume and less rocker so it's great for upwind, lightwind and less powered riding. But it's nice to ride strapless since you really need to move your feet far forward on the board if you are riding less powered and trying to get upwind (basically to the front of the pads or the furthest forward foot position). But when you ride back downwind with the kite deep in the window or looping the kite you will want to move further back onto the tail so you can carve more easily. Since I vary my foot position so much in this situation I find the straps to be more of a nuisance since I"m out of them half the time anyway.

On the Screamer, it has a more rocker and carves hard, so I like to ride it powered up in big wind and big swell. For hard caving I like to be way back over the tail. This works nicely with straps and I keep the back one in the furthest back position and the front one slightly forward of the furthest back position. It's a bit harder to go upwind from this position but it doesn't matter since getting upwind is not a big deal when I'm powered up.

SpaceRacer · Since 04 Nov 2007 434 Posts Obsessed

124 very helpful! Thank you!

bigjohn · Since 13 Mar 2012 664 Posts Addicted

SR,

I want to point out something that I think is probably obvious... But perhaps overlooked when thinking about the "perfect spot to place your straps"

In all cases except possibly extreme positions (both straps all the way back, or both straps all the way forward) your body will adjust for the strap placement.

Your body will adapt regarding how much weight you put on your front foot vs your back foot.

Thus, it really comes down to preference regarding your riding style and comfort.

There is no right or wrong in regards to strap placement. Just preference...

Since your straps are fixed, you need to determine when you would prefer to be in straps vs out of straps based upon your riding style.

Straps can be useful when jumping, edging hard, bouncing over chop, clearing waves, or even speed racing like a windsurfer at 90 degree angles.

They can also be a hindrance if you like a loose board in waves or large swell.

Figure out your riding style and then adjust your strap position to match.

SpaceRacer · Since 04 Nov 2007 434 Posts Obsessed

Thanks John, agreed. Specifically, I demoed a 5'2" Screamer and absolutely loved it. When I went out on it the second day, I moved the front straps a little back as my stance seemed a hair too wide and my front foot a little too far forward for such a small board. As it turned out, the board rode totally differently and I hated it lol. Feet felt too close and more importantly since my front foot was further back it would not properly weight the front of the board down it felt really choppy and horrible. Rode totally different. Problem is I didn't remember where I had the straps the first day and without having to start all over with strapless and then move the straps to where it felt sweet, I thought I would save time by asking. Got a lot of good information along the way!

SR

user124 · Since 02 Aug 2012 391 Posts Portland Obsessed

bigjohn · Since 13 Mar 2012 664 Posts Addicted

unbob · Since 31 Aug 2008 260 Posts 'da Gorge/LaV Obsessed

Slightly OT - but does anyone here know the formula used to determine where strap inserts are placed on a new board? Is there a guideline generally used by board manufacturers?

This is useful information for those wanting to use the NSI surface mount footstrap inserts on a surfboard.