Riding Toe-Side

genek · Since 21 Jul 2006 2165 Posts East Po KGB

How bout the fact that the pull of the kite now transfers to the upwind side which messes with everything including your lines wrapping around your body a bit?

kiteboard117 · Since 02 Mar 2005 450 Posts PDX McLovin

theres nothing toeside about a tantrum its just a differient way to rotate. you take off heelside and you land heelside.
as for just riding toeside it helped me alot to just stop thinking about it so much. look where you want to go and your body will follow.

Mocean · Since 21 Sep 2005 343 Posts Newport Obsessed

I suck at toeside riding too, and so far have only used it when I know I'm going to be losing ground going downwind. That's on an SRT surfboard too - I've learned to jibe instead, but sure would like to be able to go upwind toeside.

For a good example of toeside ability check out Jumpin Jimi in a video previously posted:

http://www.nwkite.com/forums/post-56457.html&highlight=#56457

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

I can't wait to kite on the Siletz bay again this winter, that place rocks!

Sid · Since 31 Mar 2008 83 Posts Right behind you.

I guess I'm the freak because I almost never ride switch unless I'm setting up for something. I can go upwind just as well on my toeside on my twin and maybe better than heelside on my mutant wave board. I don't know why exactly but it might be because I like to fly one handed and I feel like I can get more cranked over on my toe edge. Plus it just feels right in the surf.

broadbandito · Since 26 Apr 2005 342 Posts CSO headwaters WheatHead

kyle.vh · Since 11 Jul 2007 713 Posts city of angels Addicted

good point bandito. that's a good way to think about it.
I think also, when you're toeside, you end up reaching 'behind you' to hold the kite, and this twisting causes your front to drift downwind.

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

I'm always bit cautious if i go out thru the surf toeside - don't want to jack your ankles - I think most of the challenge isn't so much the twist at the hips as levering your feet vs your heels
- down the line (with the wind) toeside, backside, switch all come in handy.

speaking of Tantrums don't know much about wakestyle but Bammer posted this gem - 540 Osmosis (I want the osmosis)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=104m2BJ02EE&mode=related&search=wakeboarding

and farther off topic a super cool link to a dude learning a "basic" raley at the cable park (let the beatings begin!) - its cool they start him on a wakeskate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4bF4ULO_XI&feature=related

pdxmonkeyboy · Tue Aug 05, 08 3:39 pm

Ouch!! Gman that is brutal. Check out this one though. HOLY flyswatter...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7xNa1Rbk9g

mschulz · Since 29 May 2007 530 Posts Reno, NV Addicted

I just started riding toe side this year on my twin tip. I love it and have found I can move up wind just not as fast as heal side. After talking to Brian at Gorge Performance he recommended the Dakine Spreader bar Pad and a short spreader bar to go withy my Pyro waist harness.

http://www.dakine.com/kite/harnessesbars/spreader-bars/spreader-bar-pad/).

It made a huge difference allowing the spreader bar to move to the side easily to go to toe side, but more importantly it allow the bar to move back to the center after your transition back to heel side.

Sid · Since 31 Mar 2008 83 Posts Right behind you.

I think I got good at riding toeside because when I started kiting it felt really odd for me to ride left foot forward. I still can't ride regular footed very long without automaticly switching to goofy because it feels more natural.

This is what works for me...
I wear my harness loose enough that my spreader bar slides to the side but isn't so loose it rides up. That combined with flying with my right hand (I'm goofy footed) I don't feel like my kite is trying to spin me around. I keep both knees loose and use my back foot to push the tail behind me. I am more or less standing on my toes to aid in digging in the rail. I have to lean away from the kite more to get my rail dug in but it gives me an excuse to drag a hand in the water. In my experience it is easier on my surfboard because I kind of point it upwind and use the fins more than rely on the rail. On my twin I have to push it behind me more and dig the rail in harder.

Personally I think that switching heel to toe lets me change foot position and harness pressure points up and lets my muscles rest for a while between tacs.

EdG · Since 19 Dec 2005 425 Posts Just a Kook that's Obsessed

hamlindp · Wed Aug 06, 08 1:07 pm

I believe it's difficult to stay upwind, while riding toeside, is because your kite is trying to pull you around, back towards heel-side, causing a downwind pull to the board, even though the board is in the correct position for upwind.

sentone · Since 10 Feb 2006 66 Posts

spike......when riding toe side your not centered......like heelside.......but rideing off your hip at best..this tweaked stance moves your kite to 12 or 1 at best and rideing from there if your not lit any and all pull from your board or a slow down of any kind youll find your kite runing to the soft side of the window......skate style boards meaning centered need to be pressured centered useing full rail ......rideing centered toeside means lots of front foot to balance out your heavey back foot.....from a surfing background your either regular ..right foot =right foot back..or goofy foot =leftfoot back.....most people have a strong side.....if ya dont know think when you skateboard...or snowboard....which way do you feel best......ok ...lets say your reg backfoot=right....as you cross the river look for any and everything to bash lots of turns..make everything powered a bottom turn dont let it run out..if you feel a slow down bear off or snap.....long railed arcs wont get it.....if ya gotta give to get thats ok it wont take long until you find where the kite needs to be.....grab what ya can but stay powered ........now the best part.......if your blasting along and see something ya dont like....youve already got you heavey foot back.....weather its a vert lip...or a down wind down swell long carve....you can dig as deep as your board will go......buckets flying .......it takes some time not much.....i ride 99% toeside and have to think about jibeing....but i ride surf boards and point breaks.......if your in a hurry to learn toeside....grab a surf board or long directional......be aggresive.....use the snap......and remember kite postion is not centered............go big be safe have fun

pardon my spelling

Windian · Since 28 Apr 2008 902 Posts Newport, OR NEWPORT OG

Here are some tips I have learned about riding toeside:

1. I have to be lit up powered so that I don't have to be swinging the kite up and down to generate power. It is difficult to steer the kite up and down with one hand which is desired for toeside. Everytime I have to go to 2 hands on the bar to steer I have to twist my body more to downwind and that cause loss of upwind gain.

2. The wind cannot be gusty with holes. This makes it difficult even for heelside, but I especially get yanked downwind when I am on my toeside when I get hit by a gust after slogging thru a hole.

3. If I am properly powered riding toeside with just one hand on the bar, and the kite and the board are carrying alot of speed this is the best scenario. Then to edge upwind I can pump the board just like surfing frontside on a wave (traditional surfing). On each pump when extending my legs is when I can get the big upwind gains. By compressing and extending my legs I can absorb the lulls and kite stalls, and maximize the kite surges and wind gusts.

4. The one thing I cannot do is ride continuously (toeside to heelside) with my left leg as my back leg on the tail since I am goofyfoot. It wears me out and causes muscle burn. I have to switch to riding regularly foot (heelside) to give my left leg some downtime to recover for the next batch of toeside riding.

Good luck and have fun... Very Happy

Windian

Sid · Since 31 Mar 2008 83 Posts Right behind you.

Yeah, I forgot about pumping the board as Windian described so well. That works great in the chop. Man, I am jonesing to kite!

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2027 Posts Windward

If i was to ride toeside all the time
I would remove the hook from my spreader bar
Then install a pulley on a loop of 1/4 inch of Spectra line
hooked to the loops of my spreader so the pulley could shift to either side
of my body
and get a shackle.

That way I could just lean against the kite while
facing upwind
pull is on my side
ergonomic for such an awkward position
but it's way easier to gybe and use the other side of my body