Words: Danny Harf Photos: Spencer Smith
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I used to do wrapped tricks back when I was riding in Boys and Junior Men’s. I did a wrapped Moby Dick for a while and wrapped KGBs, but I got away from them because I felt there wasn’t a trick I could do better wrapped. After a while, I kind of forgot how fun it was to wrap up. But I rode with Randall Harris a bunch last summer and got really inspired by the wrapped tricks he does. Wrapping opens up a lot of possibilities. You can grab with a different hand than you’re used to, for example, and grab longer, which is the goal of any move we throw. This off-season, I messed around with some wrap stuff, trying to get creative and come up with new things. The wrapped nose grab backside 540 is one move I came up with. It doesn’t look or feel like any other move I do, and I plan on throwing it a lot this year. The 540 might be out of your reach right now, but wrap tricks aren’t. After all, if you can jump the wake, you can do a wrapped backside 180. Follow these tips to land that trick, and use it as a starting point for a fun, creative summer.
Get equipped You’ll need a wrap handle, like the double-T version of my Ronix One handle.
Wrap up There are a lot of ways to wrap up, but this is the easiest: Advance yourself on the rope so you’re riding with your front hand on the wrap handle. Then reach around your back for the main handle with your back hand. So if you’re goofy-foot like me, you’ll have the handle in your left hand behind your back and the wrap handle in your right.
Be patient In the past, I’ve noticed I sometimes let go too early on wrapped moves. You really want to pop off the wake and be under control in the air before you let go of the wrap handle.
Let go Once you’ve left the wake completely, let go of the wrap handle. As soon as you do, the line tension will transfer from your right hand to your left, spinning you backside. Lead your body with your head and start looking for the water as you come around.
Add a grab Most times you see a right-foot-forward rider do a backside 180, he’ll grab with his left hand. Since you don’t pass the handle on a wrapped backside 180, you’ll grab with your right hand instead. The easiest place to grab would either be the nose or mute, between your nose and boot on your front rail.
