Tight legstraps can lead to more difficulty in getting into your harness, because if it does work its way to an awkward position, it's difficult to get the harness back. But whether they're tight or loose, it's not the legstraps that are the main problem.  It's the body position of the pilot during the launch cycle.

Think about a rugby scrum.  If you stand upright, you'll get flattened.  So you automatically drop down, front knee bent, back leg extended, centreing your weight over your front foot.  That way, you're low, and strong.  Your chest is angled forward.  Now when your 30 square metre glider in a 30km/h wind tries to push you back during your pullup (I'm assuming you're facing downhill now, running for takeoff) it' will be the chest-strap that takes the force, and you can push against it.  Stand upright, what happens?  The chest-strap misses your chest, the glider lifts, the risers lift, the karabiners pull upwards, and - your legstraps bite into your groin.   Ooooooh!  Suddenly you're on tip-toes, with no traction, no power to tackle the wind, you're at the mercy of the glider.  Your legstraps creep up your **&^, because there's nowhere else to go.  No wonder when you're twenty metres out and flying, you can't swing back into your seat.  The bowl of it is behind your back, and no wiggling, woggling or howling at the moon is going to get you in.  The only way to avoid this is to never stand upright during any part of the take-off cycle. 

Tight legstraps may help to force you to remain hunched over, because you can't stand upright, but I prefer to do it out of choice.  Lean your head well forward of the chest strap.  Use your chest to take your weight, and to harness the strength of the glider.  Keep your weight low.  If you wish to check the glider, look to one side, then the other - the further forward you lean, the easier this is.  Never look directly overhead, that's the moment you'll get the wedgie.  Oooh!  The same applies during a reverse launch.  One leg back, weight kept low, except here use your bum to push into the wind, which keeps your harness close to your body.  When you turn, keep your weight low, never stand upright.  Attached is a pic taken just after launch, showing the  head-forwards-arms-back pose. From this position, it's also very easy to get the speedbar under my foot, before I tilt back and ease into the seat. My legstraps are loose at this point, they are carrying none of my weight. I can even talk in a normal voice, and say things like "gee, isn't that an interesting gust front coming down the valley. Is that a cow?"

Greg Hamerton
083 285 3775
greghamerton@netactive.co.za
1 Brounger Road, Constantia, 7806
Cape Town, South Africa

:-) Take a breath of FRESH AIR from my site on www.paragliding.co.za/hammer