Reality corrodes launches a polemic that demands an adherence to logic.
Personally I profess to preferring strapped wave riding, mainly because it allows a lots of speed and a whole aerial component to downwind wave riding which is hard strapless , especially as you have to use both hands to control the kite, at least if you want to be in position with the kite to link the next turn. I feel I need a third hand or maybe I should train my extra appendage to grab, but then they ban nudity at my local! I know its uncool, but at age 52, 20 of them windsurfing and 15 of them kiting, I can claim that I really was 'uncool before uncool became cool'.
But seriously each to his own and the idea of any of this having to be logical doesn't stack up. There is nothing and should be nothing logical about wave riding, kite surfing or even going to the beach. It is all illogical. You will ... be poorer , have more sun damaged skin, have sorer knees, have a dirty salt covered, rusted out car, have an angry wife, have exostoses blocked ears and so the list goes on. Working all the hours God gave you then vegging out in front of Netflix will keep you safe and wealthy ... logical.
To extend the tricycle / bicycle analogy, 'why fly fish for a trout, when a stick of dynamite will kill the whole pool'?
Ride what you want I say, and I will always take pleasure from watching anyone who is good at what they do, but if you are still crap and cant do a decent bottom turn or even stay on without straps, you keep getting in everyone elses way, smashing your board into swimmers, and then getting dragged through the swimmers in the flagged areas, then maybe keep the straps on a little longer, and put 'cool' on hold for awhile. Kooks are no cooler strapless than they are strapped, they just get in the way more. Be assured nearly all the best strapless guys in Perth did lots of strapped stuff to acquire all their kite skills first, it can only accelerate the learning curve.
I have only two problems with strapless riding.
1. 2/3 of people who do it are crap at it.
2. They insist on practicing right in the middle of everybody else.
They dick around in the line up and spend too much time dragging around trying to get back to their board and block everybody else from all the good waves and sections.
Here's a tip. Go and ride strapless to your heart's content somewhere else. The sea is big. Ride off and get good. When you're good at it, go and rip anywhere you like.
Select to expand quoteGorgo said..
I have only two problems with strapless riding.
1. 2/3 of people who do it are crap at it.
2. They insist on practicing right in the middle of everybody else.
They dick around in the line up and spend too much time dragging around trying to get back to their board and block everybody else from all the good waves and sections.
Here's a tip. Go and ride strapless to your heart's content somewhere else. The sea is big. Ride off and get good. When you're good at it, go and rip anywhere you like.
Wot e sayd 
So......
What if i rolled with a hook?
I am neither strapped or strapless. I am hooked.
Does that make me half egotestical?
What happened to my other testical?
Jeese its hard to keep up with what i am allowed to do and what i am not allowed to do to have fun and be cool. 
Select to expand quoteGorgo said..
I have only two problems with strapless riding.
1. 2/3 of people who do it are crap at it.
2. They insist on practicing right in the middle of everybody else.
They dick around in the line up and spend too much time dragging around trying to get back to their board and block everybody else from all the good waves and sections.
Here's a tip. Go and ride strapless to your heart's content somewhere else. The sea is big. Ride off and get good. When you're good at it, go and rip anywhere you like.
From my observations I'd have to agree with Gorgo. But also Niall and toppleover too. Thing is it takes good genetics, and skills to get good at strapless, but strapless riders still fall off and lose their board in the lineup a hell of a lot more than the average strapped rider from my experience.
Dodgy knee issue forced me to look more into surfboard riding and at first I went down the strapless road, spent a year or so on flat water and thought I was competent, but then moved to a wave location with no flat water and had my ass handed to me several times, and fell off a lot and annoyed the locals, and eventually injured myself, yep strapless.
Then I had a reality check after a mate said grow up and put some straps on your board, which I did and have never looked back and regretted that decision. I'm 61 though and just wanted to mention that straps are definitely a better option for those on the other side of 50 who do want to ride in waves and who just don't have the flexibility, skills, or even surfing background (which I did).
I never hear of any judgement or prejudice up here about strapped or unstrapped. I do hear of whinging about strapped riders falling off in the lineup, and twin tippers riding into the lineup and forcing riders on a wave to give way, instead of just turning and allowing the wave rider to continue.
Select to expand quotePuetz said..
... just checking, but I ride with one strap, is that cool or un-cool, I'm confused now 
Haha - Bomber , you are so..... in between !
peace and love
tolerance and understanding
a little hard to come by these days
strapped or unstrapped
Select to expand quotePlummet said..
So......
What if i rolled with a hook?
I am neither strapped or strapless. I am hooked.
Doesn't that make you a hooker?
Select to expand quotetheDoctor said..
Cauncy and eppo take turns to ride the strap on
Hmmmmm, the ayatollah of rock and rolla is copping it from all angles
Select to expand quoteGorgo said..
I have only two problems with strapless riding.
1. 2/3 of people who do it are crap at it.
2. They insist on practicing right in the middle of everybody else.
They dick around in the line up and spend too much time dragging around trying to get back to their board and block everybody else from all the good waves and sections.
Here's a tip. Go and ride strapless to your heart's content somewhere else. The sea is big. Ride off and get good. When you're good at it, go and rip anywhere you like.
I have only two problems with kiting.
1. 2/3 of people who do it are crap at it.
2. They insist on practicing right in the middle of everybody else.
They dick around in the line up and spend too much time dragging around trying to get back to their board and block everybody else from all the good waves and sections.
Here's a tip. Go and kite to your heart's content somewhere else. The sea is big. Ride off and get good. When you're good at it, go and rip anywhere you like.
Select to expand quoteeddiemorgs said..Puetz said..
... just checking, but I ride with one strap, is that cool or un-cool, I'm confused now
Haha - Bomber , you are so..... in between !
... teehee,,, I'm so not in between I think I've transcended into my own group of 1 called 'luke warm',,,,, not only do I use one strap, put my board shorts on under my stinger suit, use a big 19m race kite in as big a waves I can find while using a light wind Nugget in 20 knots usually 3 or 4km away from the crowds,,,, oh and without a leg rope I might add,,,, yep, 'luke warm'!!! If I used a leg rope I could probably crack into the 'warm' group.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Robbie 
Select to expand quoterealitycorrodes said..
Thanks plummet, I agree with your first comment.
I love the fact that everyone is having fun...their happiness is my happiness.
But the fun is tainted when strapless boys always feel the need to put other people down who choose to go with the logical decision to use straps while kitesurfing.
The purpose of the thread is to save people who use straps some time when confronted by insecure strapless kitesurfers that like to initiate conversation by being derogatory about people wearing straps -
Instead of having to go through the pros and cons again and again with each new derogatory strapless kitesufer all the strapped in boys have to do is refer them to this thread.
I hoped all the pros and cons to strapless kitesurfing were summarised in the initial thread comment in a balanced and fair way? - saves reading pages and pages of comments on a forum thread about the issues at hand.
You wrote a brilliant article mate and it's very to the point. I do find I get regular comments too about my choice of riding strapped. I can ride strapless too, but I'm usually having more fun strapped, especially in bigger surf. It gives me peace of mind knowing I can jump over waves if I have to without losing my board and generally not having to body drag to the beach a lot because of board loss.
What a great topic!
Why can't we all get along??
(except for those twin tinny tippers and dudes with pop out kite brand surfboards with wally windsurf straps they are all kooks)
For an equally illogical and egotistical forum topic pop over to KF and peruse Plummet''s topic -Why doesn't everybody side rig their lines in launch position?
Maybe he can repost it here
Learning; use straps, or front strap at least
Beach break down winder; strapless all the way! can switch while on the wave, get in the pocket and get rolled without breaking your leg.
Reef spots with a rotation; use a leash or straps so you don't spend too long recovering board and getting in the way of others.
Straps are good for washing machine like conditions, riding like a twin tipper and nailing airs. Whether you like wax, straps or dick; be considerate out there even if you are a judgemental old c t online
The TO is right. Strapless is illogical, doesnt't make any sense at all. Strapped by the way too. They just want to be admired. It is easier to stay on the beach and get tanned. Or take a boat ride if you want to be out in the sea. Don't go to the beach in shorts. People will think you are insecure, cause you have to show your body.
Finally, do not move, people will be jealouse because you seem alive...
Defenition of irony: Writing a 26 paragraph post on a kiting forum about other people's insecurities.
Select to expand quoteSurfer62 said..
For an equally illogical and egotistical forum topic pop over to KF and peruse Plummet''s topic -Why doesn't everybody side rig their lines in launch position?
Maybe he can repost it here
Doesn't everyone side rig in launch position?
For the first time in 3 years I got back on my twin tip, only because I am selling it as a package with other kite gear. What a bog. A strapless kiteboard is the ultimate pleasure. It takes me back to my sailing days going downwind with a spinnaker. Not to mention the waves riding. Sailing, windsurfing, surfing, maybe only surfing on glassy waves beats strapless kitesurfing
Is there anyway we can find out how many times the word 'strapless' has been mentioned in this thread?
Strappety mcstrap strap
Select to expand quoteoffshore said..
For the first time in 3 years I got back on my twin tip, only because I am selling it as a package with other kite gear. What a bog. A strapless kiteboard is the ultimate pleasure. It takes me back to my sailing days going downwind with a spinnaker. Not to mention the waves riding. Sailing, windsurfing, surfing, maybe only surfing on glassy waves beats strapless kitesurfing
sounds like new sailing convert for foilboarding imminent...
Select to expand quotemowingthelawn said..
Is there anyway we can find out how many times the word 'strapless' has been mentioned in this thread?
Strappety mcstrap strap
yes strapless style exists woohoo
