Author Topic: Leash Sizing?  (Read 8267 times)

2Rivers

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Leash Sizing?
« on: October 26, 2016, 12:57:59 PM »
What is the correct leash length to board ratio? After searching here and the internet for some precise info pertaining to this topic, I could not really find the answer I was looking for, so I'm hoping the experts here can steer me in the right direction. I'm in the market for a coiled calf leash and have a 14' board.

What has me confused is brands like FCS for example who make a coiled "race" leash that's adjustable for 12'6-14' boards, but no mention of how long the leash is. Based off their marketing I'd have to assume the coil combined with the adjusted position of the strap will allow the leash extend to 14' max? On the other end you have brands like Starboard who only offer an 8' coiled "race" leash or Pro-Lite with their 9' coiled leashes.

The majority of the coiled leashes available extend to only 10', so how is one supposed to know which size is the correct one. Do I want a 14' leash because I have a 14' board or do I only need a leash that's 8-9' since I'm only standing 6-7' from the tail? Or is it something in between that I really need? Seems like this should be simple to figure out, but with the array of sizes available (no to mention thickness options) it makes it really confusing. I've now found coiled leashes sequentially in sizes 8'-12' and the adjustable 12'6-14' FCS models. That's way too many options with little to no direction on which is the correct size based on board length or end use.

Now if one were to go the non-coiled route, the same question applies. Do I get a 14' leash like Starboard's Lightweight leash or something shorter like C4's 10' "race" leash? Once again it's quite confusing to figure out what's correct.
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Bulky

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Re: Leash Sizing?
« Reply #1 on: October 26, 2016, 01:21:18 PM »
Do I want a 14' leash because I have a 14' board or do I only need a leash that's 8-9' since I'm only standing 6-7' from the tail?

Yes, with a little variance for personal preference.  I use a 10' coiled leash.  These, in fact:

https://www.amazon.com/SBS-Coiled-SUP-Leash-GUARANTEED/dp/B0118QMNPY

Main reason.  They're cheap and strong.  Buy them 3 at a time so I've got spares or lend/give away.  I'm not paddling in extreme conditions but I never go without one.  I don't think adjustability is a feature I'd use so I certainly wouldn't pay more for it.  I don't even know my leash is there because I'm used to these.  Probably not a detail we need to over-think but with all the options it can be easy to do so.  (Unless you're doing heavy downwinders where there is consistent risk of getting separated from your board.  My typical usage is for last-resort safety.  I can't remember a time when I actually fell in a way where the leash came into play.)



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Badger

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Re: Leash Sizing?
« Reply #2 on: October 26, 2016, 01:29:21 PM »

My coiled leash stretches out to twelve feet. Un-stretched it's a little over three feet. Most leashes are actually a foot or two longer than the advertised length. So it's probably advertised as a 10 foot leash. My board is 12'6 but this leash is plenty long enough for a 14 foot board.

The main thing is that you don't want it so long that it drags in the water while you are paddling. Make sure that when the leash is coiled and at rest that it is short enough to remain on deck.

« Last Edit: October 26, 2016, 01:35:56 PM by Badger »
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Eagle

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Re: Leash Sizing?
« Reply #3 on: October 26, 2016, 01:33:55 PM »
We use 8' coiled on our 14s.  For calf we have 3 SIC - for QR we have 2 Think - and we cut down a 12' FCS because it was way too long.  Best quality for tight coils is SIC - then Think.

http://www.sicmauicustom.com/products/downwinder-coil-leash
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NateNate

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Re: Leash Sizing?
« Reply #4 on: October 26, 2016, 02:03:05 PM »
I get to the beach this morning. Grab my board/paddle & start heading for the ocean then realize I left my leash at home. I start throwing everything back in the car, surfer in the car next to me says good morning. I said not so good I left my leash at home.  He said I've got a few, take one & give it back to me later as we exchanged numbers.. AWESOME!  It was an 8' Da Kine leash. My board is 9'2" and my leash at home is 12ft. Way too long. Every time I'm paddling out & diving through waves, I have to pull my leash to grab my board. It was a lot easier/faster today w/ an 8' leash. So I purchased the same leash online about an hour ago.  Although, I'm less than 2 months in so hope it wasn't the wrong move & get pounded by my board.

https://www.amazon.com/Dakine-Kainui-Surfboard-7-Feet-16-Inch/dp/B000RY3XM6/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1477514611&sr=1-1&keywords=dakine+leash



Badger

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Re: Leash Sizing?
« Reply #5 on: October 26, 2016, 02:36:44 PM »
I get to the beach this morning. Grab my board/paddle & start heading for the ocean then realize I left my leash at home. I start throwing everything back in the car, surfer in the car next to me says good morning. I said not so good I left my leash at home.  He said I've got a few, take one & give it back to me later as we exchanged numbers.. AWESOME!  It was an 8' Da Kine leash. My board is 9'2" and my leash at home is 12ft. Way too long. Every time I'm paddling out & diving through waves, I have to pull my leash to grab my board. It was a lot easier/faster today w/ an 8' leash. So I purchased the same leash online about an hour ago.  Although, I'm less than 2 months in so hope it wasn't the wrong move & get pounded by my board.

https://www.amazon.com/Dakine-Kainui-Surfboard-7-Feet-16-Inch/dp/B000RY3XM6/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1477514611&sr=1-1&keywords=dakine+leash


7 or 8 feet is the perfect length for surf. 

I like Dakine. They use good quality velcro.

The 5'16" has a beefier cuff and rail saver than the 1/4".





« Last Edit: October 26, 2016, 02:45:14 PM by Badger »
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NateNate

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Re: Leash Sizing?
« Reply #6 on: October 26, 2016, 03:14:13 PM »
I get to the beach this morning. Grab my board/paddle & start heading for the ocean then realize I left my leash at home. I start throwing everything back in the car, surfer in the car next to me says good morning. I said not so good I left my leash at home.  He said I've got a few, take one & give it back to me later as we exchanged numbers.. AWESOME!  It was an 8' Da Kine leash. My board is 9'2" and my leash at home is 12ft. Way too long. Every time I'm paddling out & diving through waves, I have to pull my leash to grab my board. It was a lot easier/faster today w/ an 8' leash. So I purchased the same leash online about an hour ago.  Although, I'm less than 2 months in so hope it wasn't the wrong move & get pounded by my board.

https://www.amazon.com/Dakine-Kainui-Surfboard-7-Feet-16-Inch/dp/B000RY3XM6/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1477514611&sr=1-1&keywords=dakine+leash


7 or 8 feet is the perfect length for surf. 

I like Dakine. They use good quality velcro.

The 5'16" has a beefier cuff and rail saver than the 1/4".


Thanks Badger!  Sounds like picked the right length & brand. I need some 1-2 ft days to practice riding over white wash. 2-4 ft breaking right in front of me has me diving under the wave & pulling on the leash. Whatever it takes to get out there I suppose...

Bulky

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Re: Leash Sizing?
« Reply #7 on: October 26, 2016, 05:35:12 PM »

Thanks Badger!  Sounds like picked the right length & brand. I need some 1-2 ft days to practice riding over white wash. 2-4 ft breaking right in front of me has me diving under the wave & pulling on the leash. Whatever it takes to get out there I suppose...


I may not be understanding you correctly (and this may hijack the thread) but it sounds like you're ditching your board when you hit whitewater and then reeling it back in.  This is unavoidable at times, but three things to be aware of if you do it regularly:

1)  You could be endangering others around you.  9ft of board + 8ft of leash makes for a pretty big target range.  (much better than your 12ft leash though)

2)  Try to prevent your leash from stretching all the way out whenever possible.  They all fail at some point.  The more time they spend fully extended the sooner it happens.

3)  You could be taking lots more time than you need to getting out.  Every second counts between waves.  If you can keep your board close by and under control and not have to pull it back in, you'll take fewer waves to the head.

Way to go looking for days to practice in 1-2 ft.  Before you know it you'll be getting up and over even bigger stuff with surprisingly little effort.  Probably quite a few threads here on getting out through whitewater where there are all kinds of techniques discussed.

Really glad you got rid of the 12footer though and even cooler for a guy on the beach to loan you one--that's why I carry about 3 with me.  Stay stoked!
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LeeBee

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Re: Leash Sizing?
« Reply #8 on: October 26, 2016, 06:18:48 PM »
I like the Surf More XM coiled 10 ft. one. I find it perfect on my 14 ft. race board.
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NateNate

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Re: Leash Sizing?
« Reply #9 on: October 26, 2016, 06:30:29 PM »

Thanks Badger!  Sounds like picked the right length & brand. I need some 1-2 ft days to practice riding over white wash. 2-4 ft breaking right in front of me has me diving under the wave & pulling on the leash. Whatever it takes to get out there I suppose...


I may not be understanding you correctly (and this may hijack the thread) but it sounds like you're ditching your board when you hit whitewater and then reeling it back in.  This is unavoidable at times, but three things to be aware of if you do it regularly:

1)  You could be endangering others around you.  9ft of board + 8ft of leash makes for a pretty big target range.  (much better than your 12ft leash though)

2)  Try to prevent your leash from stretching all the way out whenever possible.  They all fail at some point.  The more time they spend fully extended the sooner it happens.

3)  You could be taking lots more time than you need to getting out.  Every second counts between waves.  If you can keep your board close by and under control and not have to pull it back in, you'll take fewer waves to the head.

Way to go looking for days to practice in 1-2 ft.  Before you know it you'll be getting up and over even bigger stuff with surprisingly little effort.  Probably quite a few threads here on getting out through whitewater where there are all kinds of techniques discussed.

Really glad you got rid of the 12footer though and even cooler for a guy on the beach to loan you one--that's why I carry about 3 with me.  Stay stoked!

Thanks Bulky!

1. I make sure nobody is around me when I'm diving under. I'm out there EARLY & usually always by myself. When the crowd comes in, I paddle away from the line up. I've been able to get over small white wash but anything over 3ft I've yet to conquer.

2. I've heard that happens a lot & was going to ask about my technique. If I'm in waste/chest high water & the waves are coming, I push the back end of my board down and launch it over the wave. As long as I can reach.  Once I can't reach, & I'm standing or on my knees and about to get blasted, I dive in. I've seen guys put the paddle on the board while paddling laying down & getting blasted but they make it out & probably don't stretch their leash as much as I do. That would fricken suck to have your leash snap & have to swim in w/ a paddle.

3. Lately, there's been a ton of seaweed on my leash which slows me down. I'm sure my over sized 5/4 full suit isn't helping either.

Almost November, not sure how many 1-2ft days are ahead of me. I completely missed the summer & started Labor Day weekend. I'll research the threads, thanks!

I plan on having an extra leash that I leave in my car too.

Badger

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Re: Leash Sizing?
« Reply #10 on: October 26, 2016, 07:07:57 PM »

Thanks Bulky!

1. I make sure nobody is around me when I'm diving under. I'm out there EARLY & usually always by myself. When the crowd comes in, I paddle away from the line up. I've been able to get over small white wash but anything over 3ft I've yet to conquer.

2. I've heard that happens a lot & was going to ask about my technique. If I'm in waste/chest high water & the waves are coming, I push the back end of my board down and launch it over the wave. As long as I can reach.  Once I can't reach, & I'm standing or on my knees and about to get blasted, I dive in. I've seen guys put the paddle on the board while paddling laying down & getting blasted but they make it out & probably don't stretch their leash as much as I do. That would fricken suck to have your leash snap & have to swim in w/ a paddle.

3. Lately, there's been a ton of seaweed on my leash which slows me down. I'm sure my over sized 5/4 full suit isn't helping either.

Almost November, not sure how many 1-2ft days are ahead of me. I completely missed the summer & started Labor Day weekend. I'll research the threads, thanks!

I plan on having an extra leash that I leave in my car too.

Consider a tail handle.

A tail handle allows you to hold on to your board and not depend on the leash.

There's no need to dive under the wave. If the waves are too large to just push your board out over the whitewater, you point your board toward shore, put your back to the wave, grab the tail handle and push down on the tail just before impact. After the wave passes, just hop on your board and go.

All my boards have tail handles.

« Last Edit: October 26, 2016, 07:15:44 PM by Badger »
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2Rivers

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Re: Leash Sizing?
« Reply #11 on: October 27, 2016, 12:52:56 PM »
Yes, with a little variance for personal preference.  I use a 10' coiled leash.  These, in fact:

https://www.amazon.com/SBS-Coiled-SUP-Leash-GUARANTEED/dp/B0118QMNPY

Main reason.  They're cheap and strong.

Thanks for the recommendation. I see that there are several similar brands on Amazon. I was considering going with a US made brand like Bully's or Stay Covered instead. I know they cost a bit more and don't have the lifetime warranty, but all my gear (board, fin, paddle) is US made, so it would be cool to keep the "US theme" throughout if possible.

My coiled leash stretches out to twelve feet. The main thing is that you don't want it so long that it drags in the water while you are paddling. Make sure that when the leash is coiled and at rest that it is short enough to remain on deck.

The one I have now extends to 11'5 according to the mfg (NRS). It seems a bit long though when coiled and I end up standing/tripping on it when I step back. I wonder if a 10' leash would be noticeably better and based on you assessment that coiled leashes tend to extend 1'-2' feet over their advertised length, then something like a 8'-9' leash may actually be best.

We use 8' coiled on our 14s.  For calf we have 3 SIC - for QR we have 2 Think - and we cut down a 12' FCS because it was way too long.  Best quality for tight coils is SIC - then Think.

Thanks for the recommendation. The SIC is the same length as the Starboard and I'm glad to know it works with your 14'. Block Surf also makes a 8' model too. One question... Do you ever notice the leash tugging annoyingly on you leg since it's shorter? Especially if you get forward on your board? That's my main concern with going too short. Maybe I can fiddle with my 11'5 leash and try to mimic shorting it to see where the perfect length is so that I don't feel a tug and yet not trip over it when I step back.

I did see that O&E makes a SUP leash extender that's reasonably priced at $16.
http://www.oceanearthstore.com/sup-coil-extension-railsaver/
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Re: Leash Sizing?
« Reply #12 on: October 27, 2016, 01:11:02 PM »
We use 8' coiled on our 14s.  For calf we have 3 SIC - for QR we have 2 Think - and we cut down a 12' FCS because it was way too long.  Best quality for tight coils is SIC - then Think.
Thanks for the recommendation. The SIC is the same length as the Starboard and I'm glad to know it works with your 14'. Block Surf also makes a 8' model too. One question... Do you ever notice the leash tugging annoyingly on you leg since it's shorter? Especially if you get forward on your board?
Yes it does tug - but not annoyingly.  Over time the coils in leashes do stretch out somewhat.  But the SIC ones are really good in resisting this.  By far though - our preference - and that is all my DW buddies as well - is that we really like the SIC leash.  Stepping and tangling is really irritating for us when we are in full concentration mode planing on a swell.  So a bit shorter is always a lot better than longer - when you get back on a board - into full fun happy DW planing mode.   ;)
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Re: Leash Sizing?
« Reply #13 on: October 27, 2016, 06:38:47 PM »
Hate to buck the trend here guys but I prefer longer leashes. The leash "tug" when downwinding is very annoying, and I'd never use a leash on a surf sup that was shorter than the board. But I surf very uncrowded spots - in fact I'm often the only one out - and no, that's not because I've killed off everyone else by using a long leash :) And I downwind often in very short period stuff which requires you to get well forward to catch a bump, and I have two unlimited boards, where forwards is miles from the tail. 11-12ft coiled leashes are required, really.

So  as ever, the answer is that it all depends, IMO...

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Re: Leash Sizing?
« Reply #14 on: October 28, 2016, 06:43:50 AM »
So, where do leashes break?  I've always assumed  that the weakest point is the swivels (metal + salt-water).  But from the discussion here, I guess the plastic can fail?

 


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