I rarely use hiking straps and honestly, they scare me a bit. If I am hiking, I usually hook in to the trap line and drop my butt off the side. Call me crazy (you wouldn't be the first!) but I get concerned about having my leg stuck in the hiking strap during a capsize. I've come close to this myself and I've heard of serious knee injuries this way.

I do, however, occasionally put my heel on the hiking strap as an additional foothold but by-and-large do without them.