hammerhead strap

djcovarrubias · Since 27 Aug 2012 11 Posts portland, or

Anyone out there have tried this device? Does it work as advertised? How does installation work, does it attach to the midline holes on your surfboard or do you need new lateral inserts/holes?

DC

http://surfball.net/hammerhead.htm

hoarhey · Since 20 Jul 2008 63 Posts the corridor

Mike Solbach came up with something like that years ago. He just rides with the front strap on his surfboard. But why do you really need a strap on your surf kiteboard? Learn how to ride unstrapped.

Kmun · Since 05 Jul 2009 250 Posts Obsessed

It is not the M. Solbach NSI product.

Laird Hamilton worked on the Hammer head product for big wave/tow in riding. I rode it about ten sessions and just switch back.

Mounting is just as easy as any other strap.
Big, advantage is in jibing foot work. It is easy to blindly find the underside of the strap. I screwed it down with an inverted folded over at the front so that the forward screws enter from the bottom. It is then folded up and around giving the foot a more forward position. If the board is floating upside down it anchors the board to the water a bit. Slight drift advantage or disadvantage condition dependent. I just switched to a standard strap for more cross midline toe pressure/down leverage. TBD

The NSI/Solback product has screws w/peel & stick mounting plates for the board at the lateral wings. This provides more lateral leverage to pull up on the high side of the turn to rail the board/not depending on simple down force (strapless). Snow board like toe strap function. Rail to rail can be faster some up force & less down force than standard strap or strapless. Fit and finish is less elegant than hammer head

jayala · Since 30 Apr 2013 115 Posts Portland Stoked

A few weeks ago I attended a strapless clinic with Patrick Rebstock and he told me to skip the straps and learn strapless from the start. I took his advice and started practicing on a Liquid Force Kitefish. After two days of practice my observations are as follows:

1. Waterstarting is shaky but will get better with practice.
2. Once up, I can handle the gusts better than I expected using the techniques I learned on the twintip.
3. Jibing is awkward but I have done it three times and will get better with practice.

At this point my conclusion is that straps would hurt my jibing because I would trip over them. I can foresee a day when I will want to ride in higher winds and swell and will appreciate a Hammerhead or T90 strap for waterstarting. Therefore the only reason I would need a strap is for high wind waterstarting. What has been you experience?