Are coiled leashes considered geeky?

[Zooport]

Someone recently said to me that coiled leashes are considered geeky in the SUP world. "If you have one, you are a kook." Never heard of that one before.  Can anyone substantiate?  I don't have one, but they would seem to be useful for avoiding tangles in kelp and other debris. 

[upwinder]

Dunno about "considered geeky" ...I prefer using a coil or half-coil in flat water and on downwinders. I prefer a straight leash in surf, for whatever reason I find myself more prone to getting tangled in a coil leash if (when) I wipe out.

[Area 10]

What a strange thing to say. A coiled leash is pretty much essential for downwinding or flat water racing where a leash is necessary. They are a very bad idea for surfing though, just as a straight leash would be for downwinding or racing.  Maybe that is what your friend was meaning? Using a straight leash when racing or downwinding might suggest you are a newbie, and so might using a coiled leash on a surf SUP in surf conditions.

[Fog City Rider]

They used to be, until I started using one 

[SUPcheat]

Are we talking fashion and image consciousness or utility?

I like my coiled leash, it stays out of the water better.  As far as kookness, that is self evident anyway without the leash fashion accessory. I am starting to consider certain kookness couture as a badge of honor rather than being hip, slick and cool i.e.  as long my actual conduct is courteous and safe as I can manage.

Since only SUPs use coiled leashes, could the comment be snarking more at your SUP-ness than any particular other reason?

[surfcowboy]

Let's all get honest here, this sport is pretty kooky.

You wanna worry about fashion, get a shorter board and lay down on it.

But, coils in the surf are a no no by most measures. Read on here. Racers use them almost exclusively.

[headmount]

As PBill has posted before, when coils are fully stretched like they are usually in the surf, the kickback is much more significant than a straight leash.  But even on DW runs you can, and I have, maxed a coil to fully stretched.  I try to stay under until I feel the tension dissipate and always come up with my hand in front of my face... no matter what kind of leash you have.  Learned this many years ago when we used bungee cords for a leash.. surfing.  Talk about a rocket.

As far as kooky goes, you can't differentiate between leashes of any kinds.  The only cool guys are the ones that don't use any and I'm not seeing many of them.  Don't get caught up in minutia.  Just do what works.

[southwesterly]

Let's all get honest here, this sport is pretty kooky.

Bingo.

[JayInSoCal]

Take a coil leash in the surf. After the first few times it tries to drown you, you'll understand  why straight leashes are preferred in surf.

[supsurf-tw]

They have a tendency to tangle up pretty easily. I used 1 for 1 session and went back to a regular leash

[PonoBill]

No to surf, yes to DW and flatwater. I've started connecting them to my camelback instead of my calf which keeps them completely out of the water. I'm going to try waist leashes for bigger surf next winter as well, but that will be with an extra super strong straight surf leash. I hate having my leash break. I can't think of a more disappointing feeling than that sudden release when your board heads off on it's own. Well...actually I can, but that's for a different forum.

As far as being geeky goes--I am an uber geek. The notion of something making me look cool is laughable.

[pdxmike]

Can you even be a kook on flatwater?  In surf, the comparison for SUPs is with prone surfers.  It seems like SUPs are always kooky to them no matter what type of leash you have.  In flatwater, your competition for being cool is with pods of kayakers from the rental shops.  Nobody who's seeing you on flatwater even knows what a leash is, let alone cares whether it's straight or coiled.  Also, I think you can be geeky without being kooky, and possibly vice versa. 

[stoneaxe]

As far as being geeky goes--I am an uber geek. The notion of something making me look cool is laughable.

and there are plenty of pictures of you trying to look cool while being laughable...which is cool.....

[PonoBill]

Compared to kayakers, Welsh Tourists covered in Titanium dioxide wearing spandex with big hats and the paddle backwards are kool.

[Old School 213]

I must have six or so leashes and pretty much surf only. None of my leashes are coiled or calf. Lots of different age, strength, length and options.