At the end of 2025, the first surf webinar focused on harness surfing and gliding. Over 100 participants joined in, picked up some tips and were also able to ask their own questions. It became clear that stepping into the rear strap, in particular, seems to cause problems time and again – not only for beginners to gliding, but also for surfers who have been surfing with a harness and foot straps for some time. A good example of this is the question from participant Kai B.:
“I usually manage to get my front foot into the strap quite easily. I often find it difficult with my back foot, though. My heel drags in the water, splashing it up, and it’s hard to get into the board. What’s the best way to avoid this problem?”
To ensure you can slip your foot into the rear strap without any problems, several factors are crucial: the correct size of the foot strap, the position of the strap on the deck and, of course, the technique you use to slip your foot into the straps. You’ll find tips on all these aspects below:
Loop position and size
Anyone learning to surf with a loop should take particular care to choose a loop position that is as far forward and inwards as possible. Boards in the freeride, freemove and freestyle-wave categories offer these options. Caution is advised with highly performance-oriented designs, such as boards in the freerace and slalom categories. On these boards, the straps are automatically positioned very close to the edge; an inner position is neither intended nor practical for these types of board. So, if you regularly have trouble stepping into the straps, start by choosing one of the inner rows of plugs.
Even if the size of the strap is set incorrectly, it makes the step more difficult. Ideally, your feet should be able to slip in far enough that at least your toes are visible on the inside of the straps. However, lateral support is also important! You can adjust the width of the straps using the rotating plates beneath the strap screws. It’s also perfectly fine to use mismatched plugs – for the front and rear screws of a strap – to tailor the strap width to your foot width. With the right width and size, you can slip your feet in easily whilst still getting enough lateral support.
The basic technique: How to get into the foot straps
In light winds: pick up speed on a broad reach
The angle at which you step into the straps can make a big difference. In light winds, it’s usually just a matter of getting into a glide at all and not cutting it short by stepping into the straps.
In strong winds: Greater safety when sailing close-hauled
If you’ve got plenty of speed, simply gliding along isn’t a problem; the real challenge is getting into the straps without having an accident. In this case, too, changing course can make it easier to step into the straps – but this time to windward.
Manuel Vogel
Editor surf
