Foot straps vs foot holds

Shadow7874

Shadow7874

Location
Ocala, FL
Whats your opinion on the two?
I seem to always ride surf stance and i noticed myself lifting out of the tray a bit while jumping boat wake the other day. I was thinking about foot holds and straps but im not sure which would be better for me. Does anyone run both? I was thinking foot holds for my rear foot or if i choose to keep both in them and a strap for my front foot. Also is it a bad idea to install straps without the metal plates glassed in? I just finished turfing my fx1 and dont want to lose out on time by stripping it down but i want to start stepping up my game :brap:


So... what should i do ? :shrug:
 
smoofers

smoofers

Rockin' the SQUARE!!!!
Site Supporter
Location
Granbury, TX
I personally run straps and love them to death. Granted, I haven't really ridden a ski with holds more than a few times. I do love my straps though because they are super gentle on your feet (i ride barefoot). The advantage to holds though is the fact that you can widen your stance and gain more leverage. I will probably install holds next winter, but for now straps didn't require cutting up my brand new turf job. I ended up using a piece of 1/2" metal tubing heated up with a blow torch to make nice holes through my tray turf and underpad. After that I used a 1/2" drill bit to make my holes for the inserts. I used the threaded inserts but left a good 1/8" around them for epoxy. Epoxied them in with epoxy thickened with glass bubbles. Those things aren't coming out either....
 
Shadow7874

Shadow7874

Location
Ocala, FL
smoofers said:
I personally run straps and love them to death. Granted, I haven't really ridden a ski with holds more than a few times. I do love my straps though because they are super gentle on your feet (i ride barefoot). The advantage to holds though is the fact that you can widen your stance and gain more leverage. I will probably install holds next winter, but for now straps didn't require cutting up my brand new turf job. I ended up using a piece of 1/2" metal tubing heated up with a blow torch to make nice holes through my tray turf and underpad. After that I used a 1/2" drill bit to make my holes for the inserts. I used the threaded inserts but left a good 1/8" around them for epoxy. Epoxied them in with epoxy thickened with glass bubbles. Those things aren't coming out either....
Click to expand...

Hmm... Sounds like you have the setup i should get. I ride barefoot and want something i can install real quick over my fresh turf. Which straps do you run? Ive looked over dakines website but not at pricing. Also, are the glass bubbles needed? I know homedepot has tons of epoxy but ive never seen glass bubbles
 
smoofers

smoofers

Rockin' the SQUARE!!!!
Site Supporter
Location
Granbury, TX
I use the Dakine Supremo footstraps. I got them from Blowsion, I want to say they were about $20 a strap. I went to the hardware store for the inserts and stainless allen bolts and washers to mount them down. The glass bubbles are not needed, they just thicken the epoxy and make it a tad lighter. If you do get epoxy from Home Depot, make sure it is rated for a marine environment, also, put anti sieze on the bolts and thread them into the inserts - use a stack of washers to hang the bolts and inserts in place while the epoxy cures. You will be riding with straps in no time!
 
Waternut

Waternut

Customizing addict
Location
Macon, GA
Just throwing it out there... You could run a flat deck and then you'd have the advantage of straps and a wide stance.
 
FyrHazard

FyrHazard

Ski Eat Sleep Repeat
Location
Iowa
Straps are really easy to install over turf. I went with them for this season, and this winter I am planning to do holds.

Another advantage of holds over straps is that your feet will come out of holds when you wipe out. Straps don't give, so if you go off sideways or something there's much higher risk of ankle trouble. Just something to think about.
 
ksarge91

ksarge91

Location
King of Prussia, PA
Footholds in the back and a Caker hold up front. It dosen't get much better than that!

Straps don't support your ankles at all, therefore, when doing nose stabs, etc. you can't brace yourself against the side of the ski.
 
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oxnard111

oxnard111

Creative RE Purchasing
Location
so Cali, Ventura/Oxnard area
FyrHazard said:
Straps are really easy to install over turf. I went with them for this season, and this winter I am planning to do holds.

Another advantage of holds over straps is that your feet will come out of holds when you wipe out. Straps don't give, so if you go off sideways or something there's much higher risk of ankle trouble. Just something to think about.
Click to expand...

you really only need just your toes in the foot straps... you should be able to easily remove your feet. just as easy as foot holds in my opinion.

take a look at some of the pics of Taylor Curtis on his skis, he only has the first 1/5 of his foot in the straps.

http://az-hi-az-i-am.smugmug.com/gallery/8357514_ZH4Y6#548277018_JusUT-A-LB
 
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wydopen

wydopen

onthepipe
Location
Goleta the Goodland
the main advantage of straps is that you can have your rear foot more sideways which gives you WAY more control than having your toes pointed to the front of the ski..i tired to ride a ski without straps a few weeks ago..it was hard
 
P

PancakePete

Guest
over the years this seems to be the best for me.
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I love my PFF and the rear strap, then holds.
 
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tightithrash

tightithrash

Zack Bright. I Thrash.
Site Supporter
Location
Oceanside, CA
ksarge91 said:
Footholds in the back and a Caker hold up front. It dosen't get much better than that!

Straps don't support your ankles at all, therefore, when doing nose stabs, etc. you can't brace yourself against the side of the ski.
Click to expand...

thats a good way to break your ankle..........:pancake:
 
smoofers

smoofers

Rockin' the SQUARE!!!!
Site Supporter
Location
Granbury, TX
I have noticed with my straps, they do provide just a bit of give from the neoprene "cushion". I also will wiggle my feet into them to get my foot in as tight as possible - I have yet to have a wipeout where I didn't come right out of them. I guess that's because like stated before, they only come up like 2" on my foot (the front lip of the strap is usually dead center over the ball of my foot), when you relax your toes, your feet slide right out.
 
Jetaddict

Jetaddict

9 years to retirement...
Location
Tampa Bay
I have never ridden with holds, so I couldn't tell you. I run two Dakine Supremos in the rear on my SXR and love 'em. Very comfy barefooted, and I come right out of them riding with wrestling shoes. I can say that the SXR tray is already wide, so the straps are perfect width and comfortable for me to ride with.
I have only had one ankle injury, but that was due to bottoming out in the shallows and stuffing my foot into my ankle- nothing that holds would have prevented..lol.
 
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