Standup Zone Forum
Stand Up Paddle => SUP General => Topic started by: Clemdog on October 21, 2014, 04:44:25 PM
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>:( Two waves into an excellent surf session at Sunset Cliffs this morning my leash snapped. I'm using an FCS Big Wave SUP leash, and the pull was not that heavy when it popped. The kicker is that this leash was almost brand new, as this was my second surf session with it. My last one lasted over a year of hard use before it failed. Luckily my board was waiting for me, on sand, after swimming in the 150 yards...the swim of shame! I'm on a Starboard 9.5 Wide Point, not a tank at all.
What leashes are you guys using? Is there some awesome leash out there that I don't know about? I went back to my SUP shop and they thought it was pretty odd, so they are going to talk to FCS about a warranty replacement.
Clem
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I like the FCS leashes, they seem fine, I like the Creatures of Leisure leashes better, they just seem a bit better made. I'm going to make my own this winter to deal with a couple of failure points that I don't like. But that's a long discussion and for what your looking for I think the FCS failure is a fluke.
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A lot of times leashes break because there was already a small nick in it. I have not broken a leash since I've stopped wrapping it around my fins when I come in. All it takes is a small slice and the next time you get worked it breaks.
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I've surfed a Creatures of Leisure leash for years with no problems. It's now about 3 feet longer than when new... :)
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This works pretty well. :)
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This works pretty well. :)
But doesn't the gold clash with your wetsuit?
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Where did your leash snap?
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For a big board I want 5/16 or 8 mm or fatter in cord thickness.
Ditto: where specifically did your leash break?
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The leash snapped right at the ankle cuff. It was actually the plastic part that joins the leash to the cuff.
Clem
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Clemdog
Give this guy a call. He's in your backyard.
Crow Haley Surf Leashes (760)-594-2579
He "Hand Ties" the leashes using brass swivels. Big wave Mavericks surfer "Beasho" told me about this guy and these leashes have not failed for me in large surf for two years now. If you really want a great leash for solid surf and don't mind what you look like ask Crow to make you a big wave Waist Leash. I love these things and they work great!
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+1 for Crow Haley, also with the waist leash you can just lean back when getting worked and it pulls you to the surface.
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That Crow Haley leash looks cool but I haven't broken my Dakine Kai Nui SUP leash (easy to find) in 5 yrs but I'm here on the EC and take my leash off my board and don't wrap it around my fins
just my 2 cents
JimK
www.extremewindsurfing.com
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FCS leashes suck, I've broken a barely used one at the same point, the cheapo plastic piece at the cuff. I will not buy another FCS leash. Oh, and I replace my leashes once a year.
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I have two Creatures of Leisure leashes, one calf and one ankle, and they have both been bomber on the east coast, and in some bigger Costa Rican surf. They are going on three years now and I should probably change them out but they seem to work fine. I do use a very wimpy looking FCS short board leash when it is small in an attempt to reduce drag. Does anyone thing using a skinny, short leash helps with drag? I can't say I really notice.
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Does anyone thing using a skinny, short leash helps with drag? I can't say I really notice.
Using a thinner, shorter leash will definitely reduce drag...whether you notice it or not is hard to say. I can't say that I really notice a difference, but its gotta be.
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Was using, and liked the Creatures of Leisure leashes, but then gave the XM leashes (http://www.surfmorexm.com/leashes) a try (less expensive, and I'm a cheapskate), and like them even more.
Only broken leash I've had was on a not too old FCS at the ankle swivel....no more of them.
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This works pretty well. :)
But doesn't the gold clash with your wetsuit?
A bit but it does match the gold bling bling I wear round my neck when I SUP.
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I've done a lot of leash testing. Subject for an article, probably on Ponostyle when I stop being so lazy. It's the reason I plan to make my own, though the Crow Haley looks a lot like what I have planned. The junction between the leach and cuff or railsaver is a major weak point, the dinky swivels are other, and the attachment of the swivel end to the cuff and railsaver is the third. Stretch the crap out of a bunch of leashes with weights over a pulley and they all break there. I test all the leashes I deem no longer safe to use. That's where they break. If they break in the rope itself it's because of a serious nick. Little nicks don't do much. The ones that break because of a nick I repair either by tieing (lazy) or welding and test them to failure.
I don't like broken leashes. Gonna fix that.
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I just swam in from Gonzalo's swell last week, failed Velcro on a borrowed waist leash. Got lucky and it was relatively painless.
Somebody give me a decent swim tech with a paddle please. I saw a little on a recent thread.
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I plan to give Crow a call. By the way, my local SUP shop (West Coast Paddle Sports) replaced my leash free, as it was pretty clear that it was a bad leash.
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I use Creatures of Leisure leashes, the largest ones I can buy, at least 8mm. I treat them well, have never wrapped them around the fins, and always hang them from the garage rafters (i.e. never store them coiled). Never had a break in 2 plus years, but recently noticed one of the pressed in pins near the cuff had worked its way halfway out. I pushed it back in with some pliers, but have not had an issue since.
I also like their easy to find pull ring, as opposed to a canvas loop which can lay flat and be hard to find in a panic, like when you've been pulled by current under a pier and your board is on the other side of a piling from you while you try to do the "situp with 2,000lbs of ocean current hitting you in the chest" while you scramble to rip your leash off (story told to me during the recent big surf we had.) Apparently the guy finally released his leash on what he felt was his "last" shot before drowning.
Saw a woman at Dogpatch recently with an XM big wave leash with the quick release pin...That may be my next one to the leash inventory.
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This works pretty well. :)
Surf4food: This was a discussion about what's used on the water, NOT in your deviant "apres surf" activities. You should feel ashamed....err....proud!
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We sell a lot of leashes from many brands in our shop and have seen most of them fail. When you go out in big waves with a big board the leash takes a lot of abuse and should be replaced regularly. Using a longer leash allows it to stretch more, the downside is that your board becomes a bigger hazard for others in the line up and it takes longer to reel your board back in. When you are getting worked by a set seconds count.
The strongest leash we sell is the Stay Covered XXL Big Wave- 9.5 mm, hand tied, made in USA. We have not seen one of these break (yet):
http://www.staycovered.com/#!product/prd1/1309112011/9'-xxl-big-wave
A good trick when you are being pulled underwater by the leash is to brace your paddle underneath you and use it as a rudder to push yourself back to the surface, no swimming necessary.
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This works pretty well. :)
Surf4food: This was a discussion about what's used on the water, NOT in your deviant "apres surf" activities. You should feel ashamed....err....proud!
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Anyone have an issue with Creatures of Leisure leashes rubbing their ankle? I picked up an 8' Outer Reef after snapping a leash last week and this thing has rubbed my ankle bloody. Seems to be the molded piece that extends from the ankle cuff doing the damage.
I've surfed/SUP'd for ~30 years and have never had this happen
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I had an XM break on me and had to watch my still brand new looking SIMSUP S3 go into the rocks and then get pulled back by the tide and then go over the rocks again. I lost count how many times it happened until I was finally able to paddle in and save the board.
When I got home I went straight to the surf shop and bought a Creatures. After a few sessions, so far so good. Hoping to get a year out of it before I replace it for good measure.
Anyone have an issue with Creatures of Leisure leashes rubbing their ankle?
Nothing like that for me...so far so good.
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Creatures 10' outer reef for me.......like to have a new one I only use on big days
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A year out of a leash? Three years!!! You must be like Boyum, his look like the dog chewed them usually, and he doesn't have a dog. Any time I get a serious stretch on a leash I replace it. Thirty bucks.
One thing I really dislike about Creatures of Leisure leashes is that some of the swivels are not pinned or cross-screwed. I don't get this. I've seen a lot of them halfway pulled out.
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Anyone have an issue with Creatures of Leisure leashes rubbing their ankle? I picked up an 8' Outer Reef after snapping a leash last week and this thing has rubbed my ankle bloody. Seems to be the molded piece that extends from the ankle cuff doing the damage.
I've surfed/SUP'd for ~30 years and have never had this happen
Never had that happen to me....I pretty much only use Creatures of Leisure leashes...
...One thing I really dislike about Creatures of Leisure leashes is that some of the swivels are not pinned or cross-screwed. I don't get this. I've seen a lot of them halfway pulled out.
Yeah....I had a pin halfway out...pushed it back in with pliers and it has held, but it probably should never have gotten to that point at all...
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I know a lot of people are going to argue aginst my idea because of theorethical/mathematical drag but i feel no significant difference and after 3 broken lleashes with damage to the board. My answer is to allways wear a double 8mm leash. Simple as that and havnt broken a leash again. Maybe overkill but guves me peace of mind
One day i used a single for a small wave session and it streched a bit more than the other. I havnt used nor know 9.5mm existed so maybe thats the option but for me wearing two leashes is the answer.
Hopd it helps
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I'd say currently nothing i know beats the Ocean & Earth - The ONE.
I usually use the 7mm 6 ft long ones for any kind of surf with my 8'0 and 8'5 Starboards, and it's still going strong after +-18 months in anything from 2-10 ft surf. If the surf gets smaller than this i'll take the comp version which is 5mm.
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Balin. Tried the rest get the best!
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I'd say currently nothing i know beats the Ocean & Earth - The ONE.
I usually use the 7mm 6 ft long ones for any kind of surf with my 8'0 and 8'5 Starboards, and it's still going strong after +-18 months in anything from 2-10 ft surf. If the surf gets smaller than this i'll take the comp version which is 5mm.
Been using O & E leashes for a few years.....use the 10 ft SUP one for most stuff....seems fine but I don't do big!
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This Bully's leash link below has served me very well 5/16" x 9 ft. Have had it two years now and hundreds of big wave tumbles on 9' boards. I do a fresh water rinse after each session and that may be helping its life. I have had a FCS leash break and board got pushed into the rocks so never FCS again.
http://www.bullyssurf.com/surf-p/enduro-surfboard-big-wave-leash-s207
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I change leashes more often than I change my toothbrush. 30 bucks to guard a 1500 buck board (or more). But I save up all the old leashes and test them to failure. I'll do a bunch today.
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Squid