ADVANTAGES/GOALS OF USING A FOOTSTRAP

No one can be too sure when the use of straps started, but the old-school paddlers will remember using all kinds of gadgets from broomsticks to car seat belts.

The main target of the foot strap is to hold the feet close to the footrest, with that “hold” the paddler will feel more locked in as he uses his legs and hips in rotation, that results in:

Improve stability – Straps allow paddlers to engage their body rotation more effectively in each stroke, because it allows them to use effectively their feet to sustain boat movement (roll left-right) as they are locked in and centered.

Power & Efficiency – The fact the feet are locked in , allows the paddler to feel support in the foot of the driving leg and also a grip on the other foot that normally tends to move away from the footrest. This lock generates more power and speed in each stroke.

When choosing a strap the paddler should take into account the level of grip he wants to have against how much movement he needs to be comfortable, as more lock implies less mobility. One other thing to be considered is if the boat is being used with a T-Bar for long-distance the range of feet movement that allows steering should be considered.

In short, a strap is an essential tool for any paddler, there are many options and adjustments, but it will be hard to find a racing or non-racing performance boat that does not have a strap installed.

You can find many foot straps available at our Paddle-Lab shop in Footrests, Rails and Acessories section.