Baller eleeski Posted July 14, 2016 Baller Share Posted July 14, 2016 Really you need some time with an experienced release person. Surely there is someone around with experience with toes. Ski with them. Or find a good coach. A couple sets of that and you'll understand toes. You need to get set up properly with the right harness and and a release system you and your release person is comfortable with. When things are right, the learning curve is fast and fun. In the run, you have the rope release unwrapped for the toes and its pretty easy to wrap it back up for the hands portion under way. The Robbins solves that problem as it's easy to hold against a lot of force. The split pin or hook pin style of trigger releases are also easy for that transition. It works really well for the college kids to mix a couple toes in. Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller lcgordon Posted July 14, 2016 Author Baller Share Posted July 14, 2016 Its not that my release person is bad. I would have the same trust issues with anybody. Its scary locking your foot in. I just need to get used to that. My guy was releasing at the perfect time. Basically right as I knew I was gonna fall he let go. It too dangerous to do it like hands where I can get messed up and drag a hand and almost go down and still save it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller lcgordon Posted July 22, 2016 Author Baller Share Posted July 22, 2016 Got the toe back 2 nights ago and almost the toe front. I got turned around but slipped out. I have not got hurt yet. Its kind of scary though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Chef23 Posted July 22, 2016 Baller Share Posted July 22, 2016 On the toe front make sure to keep your weight on the toes of your ski leg, keep your knee bent and keep your rope leg in close to your ski leg when you come forward. A crutch as you are first learning the toe front is to reach for the handle as you come forward to get your weight forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller lcgordon Posted July 22, 2016 Author Baller Share Posted July 22, 2016 Yeah im not really sure what I did. I know I fell to the side. Its not a really hard trick you just have to remember what you need to be doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller lcgordon Posted July 25, 2016 Author Baller Share Posted July 25, 2016 Do I have to buy a masterline handle? I found a strightline trick handle for 69 bucks but heard they are junk. Oh and got the toe back and front yesterday for the first time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Chef23 Posted July 25, 2016 Baller Share Posted July 25, 2016 My experience with the Straightline is that it didn't last as long as the Masterline. Congrats on getting the toe front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller lcgordon Posted July 25, 2016 Author Baller Share Posted July 25, 2016 Thanks. I wear about a size 10 shoe. Maybe 11 depends on what im wearing. I do have a bit wider foot. What size strap would be best for me. My friend has a large and its not too hard to get into but not super easy. I used a small this weekend and was almost impossible to get into. Sometimes in the large though my foot seems like it can kinda twist sideways. Im not using the heel strap though. Still too nervous. Maybe I should just man up and put it on and trust my pinner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Chef23 Posted July 25, 2016 Baller Share Posted July 25, 2016 I would go with the large. My son and I both use a Masterline large. I am a 10.5 but fairly wide. I don't use the strap on the back I grew up not using one. My son's foot is a 10 and he uses the strap. At the end of the day you need to trust the person pinning. I sometimes come out of the strap when I fall. I first learned toes without the release with the strap tied open and learned to point my toe at the boat when I fell. However these days I would much rather get pinned out. My issue with the Straightline was the handle got slippery very quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller lcgordon Posted July 25, 2016 Author Baller Share Posted July 25, 2016 If anything my pinner pulls too early and I maybe could save it but I would rather them pull. Have never had a tug at all. Just scary thats all I like knowing if I pulled really hard my foot comes out. But it kind of feels like I have to hold bend my foot to hold it in the strap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller eleeski Posted July 25, 2016 Baller Share Posted July 25, 2016 @Chef23 If your Straightline gets slippery, rub a bit of surf wax on the inside of the harness. This gives you a nice waterproof sticky feel again. Works on handles (including slalom handles) too. @lcgordon If you get a big soft harness it will bend and "bear trap" your foot in the harness. No need to hook your foot. Soft harnesses don't last as long but the comfort and safety of the soft harness (just shake it as you fall and the bear trap will kick off) are well worth it. With that said, I don't use factory harnesses so I can't recommend one. I've tried Masterlines and Straightlines that have been reasonably soft and comfortable and also others that were unbearably stiff. I spent some time on the Curmi Toe Link which is closer to a boot for your foot. OK but a pain to train with and the release person must be perfect. Your barefoot harness is likely tied open. Relace it to allow it to clamp down on your foot (don't use it barefooting now). You might have to relace any harness you get - I redo mine a couple times a season as the ropes taking the harness load wear out. Back to hooking your foot, don't! It is a stilted body position and your ankle doesn't have very much power that way. A good load will straighten out your foot and pop the harness off even if your balance is perfect. Relax your foot to let the harness cinch down. Heel straps don't keep the harness on, they keep the harness positioned on your foot so it will carry the load. Not necessary until you are doing tricks that generate some slack. Basic toes should be done smoothly enough to not need a heel strap. With the right setup you can throw on the harness at the end of your run and point grub a quick 200 points with TB, TF! Next trick, cross outside the wake (I'm RFF so I go out the passenger wake) to inside the spray line. Ski back to the wake, make sure your binding is over the crest of the wake and turn to TB. After a couple tries, you will find this is getting enough air to score as TWB. Remember to go late. Have fun. Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller lcgordon Posted July 25, 2016 Author Baller Share Posted July 25, 2016 I need to get a couple more toe back and fronts down. But yeah the toe hold is hard for me to get into even with a large. The foot does not want to slide in and I have to wiggle it in. I dont use the barefoot handle and dont really want to ruin it either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Chef23 Posted July 25, 2016 Baller Share Posted July 25, 2016 Getting in to the toe harness is a practice thing. You need to do it a bunch to get quick at it. My son practiced on dry land a bunch to get faster behind the boat. We do it completely differently also. He rests his free leg across the knee of his ski leg and puts it on that way. I just hold the handle in front of me and lift my foot to the harness and wiggle it in that way. Practice it some like everything you will get better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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