Kneeboard Surfing USA Community Forum

Just wondering.....How many of you out there use handles? Bob Gove was nice enough to give me alot of info, but other than Bob, who else has them. Pros and cons?

Cake

My first kneeboard back in the 70's was a home made board with pink rope handles.
Tip#1, don't hold onto the handles and try to drag the board through the whitewater, almost broke some fingers doing that

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My first kneeboard had rope handles. My brother made that board (it was a piece of $h!t but it was free and got me started). It was before leashes (leg ropes) were really popular or available. I thought the handles were cool initially, but later on found that I almost never held onto the rope handles while riding. I only used them while duck diving or to drag the board through the white water. They also were thick and heavy nylon cord, and more than once I was delivered a nasty gash upon my shins when wiping out as a result of sliding over the side of the board.

Never again. But the way the legendary Orange Kneeboarder uses the rope handles is very functional, and I probably never got that good at it.

First board I made had stainless steel mesh handles covered by rubber.

The year was 1976. I sprayed it black. It looked so bad that David Parkes remembers it even now.

The first time I went over the falls with my hand stuck in the handles up to the wrist was enough.....

You know that sound when you twist a chicken leg so that the joint cracks......

Handles cramp your style and if you are unlucky they might break a bit off you off.

Advantages: good for turtle rolls or whatever they are called.

Penguin uses handles...

Can we please put this post to rest in the same place as. the paddle surf post

Had them on an early board and for me they only caused injuries to my wrist, knees, and when holding them to duck dive my board would sometimes hit me in the face. After a couple of knee surgeries, one on my nose, and with a plate in one wrist, I'll personally never use them again. Most if not all of my injuries are from other sports (mainly skatboarding and basketball) and are not the fault of the handles.
If they work for you great as with all surf stuff use what YOU not others find works.

Enjoy the glide,
M2

I prefer h a n d l e b a r s!

luurv handles, baby

With the gentrification 9geriatrification) of kneeboarders these are the handles most dominant

RE; Handles: i saw them on a kneeboard waaaaaayy back in 1968... did some R&D till i got them right... i love them !!!they give you a xtra 4 in. reach.. ( great for air-drops !! ) Punching through the back of a wave is EZ ! Side slipping is verry cool !! Placement and "Method of attachment " is critical !! i too almost broke my wrist by not letting go.. solid 8 ft. Cabrillo beach..... thought i was gonna fricken' DIE..!!! if any one wants to put on a pair i would be glad to share all of my info!!!!!!!! or if your in Oceanside cruse over and ill help install them !! it takes aprox 2 hrs.. but so worth it !! PS i have only one handle.. on the right side...cause i only go left !!! Kneeboards RULE !!!javascript:emoticon(':D')

As they say in AA meetings-My name is Bob, and I am a handles addict! I have been using handles on my boards since the late 60's, starting out with hard ones made from laid up fiberglass and covered with plastic tubing to reduce body damage . After many bruised knees, I moved to soft handles made of nylon sail line anchored with windsurfer foot plugs, and since then have not received any injuries directly related to handles. The advantages are harder turns (off the bottom especially, it feels like you can almost pull the rail out of the water squaring off a turn), and more overall control of the board, especially in dicey situations such as freefall drops, or barrel rolls. After using them for so long, it's difficult to try other boards without them, my hands slip off the rail when trying to bottom turn. Hey Dogtown-Don't knock it till you've tried it. If anyone needs info regarding installation, email me.