My OceanAndEarth ankle leash unexpectedly died yesterday and I need a new leash for surfing. I'm around 210 lbs on no-breakfast days and surf mostly Sunova Pointbreak. So I need something solid. Amazon is full of crap, and doesn't let me sort it meaningfully.
So I'm open to suggestions?
I've used several 8mm or 5/16ths diameter cords with very good success - both
from well known brands, and no-name brands from Ebay.
Usually, for me, what breaks is not the cord but the attachment to/from the cord or,
hmmm, I think more often the swivel breaks.
Now that I think about it, I've not had an issue in several years.
Gotta laugh...I hate Amazon searching also - so frustrating - same with AliExpress.
Crap database programs - on purpose, I'm sure.
FCS has a big wave leash, as does Dakine. I have the Dakine, and it's pretty beefy. Too beefy for my needs really.
Thank you guys, was able to find FCS that would be delivered just before Monday's swell!
And interesting enough the one I had was not a thickest one - just regular 1/4', 6.5 mm. It must be my previous one was thinner :D
I've had good luck with the StayCovered leashes... https://staycovered.com/products/xxl-big-wave
Make your own leashes: When I was SUP'ing in big waves I was breaking 2 leashes per year and got tired of buying $35 to $50 leashes everytime when the cuff and other parts were still good.
I have found that this cord at McMaster Carr works for small conditions 5/16" diameter. Part number: 3961T3. Go 3/8" if you want stronger.
Leash Material here: https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/130/1823/3961T3
Use this knot to hand tie a loop. Add a swivel, I have been using 500 lbs ball bearing fishing swivels (cost ~$4 per but last forever, aka reuse forever). I have not purchased a new leash for 10 years and am still using all the terminal tackle parts from my old leashes. Just swap out the cord when I gets 'rusty'.
Knot here: "Double Sheet Bend". I use 500 lbs paracord ~ 24", doubled as the YELLOW line to make a LOOP attached to the end of the Polyurethane (Red Line).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvn-06IedQ4&t=7s
Beasho thanks so much for sharing the update to a source of urethane for diy leashes.
https://wwsw.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/topic,18684.msg416300.html#msg416300
For commercial leashes I have had good luck with Dakine Peahi & Creatures of Leisure Reliance Outer Reef leashes. I did have one creatures leash get cuts but I was able to identify a particular fin that was the culprit. I believe if the durometer of the urethane is too soft, the leash is more succeptable to fin cuts. The urethane of creatures feels softer than Dakine.
Beasho, I have seen your evolution of Urethane to rope connection methods. Crimps, thimbles, Albright knots ... Is the double sheet bend what you have settled on ? Albright looks like it would be better, I use it all the time to connect plastic fly line to mono leader. JP
For when you can't make your own. Long time user and havenever broke one.
https://staycovered.com/products/heavy-duty-hand-tied-surf-leash
Thank you SurfKiteSUP & SurfinJ for the Stay Covered recommendation.
I had a Dakine 8mm leash fail on me today where the swivel attaches to the railsaver. It looks like a cord is sewn inside the webbing to attach to the swivel. Not a fan of the design as the cord is buried within the webbing and there is no way to see if the sheath of the cord has failed to hint of impending failure.
Picture of Dakine failure:
https://app.box.com/s/jewxm8p97km752lkea9mo5e60aygyaee (https://app.box.com/s/jewxm8p97km752lkea9mo5e60aygyaee)
Quote from: sflinux on December 02, 2024, 12:06:34 AMNot a fan of the design as the cord is buried within the webbing and there is no way to see if the sheath of the cord has failed to hint of impending failure.
Picture of Dakine failure:
https://app.box.com/s/jewxm8p97km752lkea9mo5e60aygyaee (https://app.box.com/s/jewxm8p97km752lkea9mo5e60aygyaee)
Yup! That's why you make your own. You know what is going and and you can see when they might fail and retie.
Good thing I checked. The other end wasn't looking so good, had some necking. So I pulled it apart and cut off 3"
So I thought I was cleaver in replacing the broken Dakine railsaver with a FCS railsaver (from their SUP coil leash). This one broke due to the plastic inside the webbing failing. Went back to my Creatures Of Leisure Outer Reef (have yet to have one of these railsavers fail on me), but will be trying a Stay Covered leash with my next purchase.
https://app.box.com/s/f5zuc83uqpzkaixnoxx4t5hpudvft0eo