Check your XM leashes

[starman]

I had to take a bit of a swim the other day and was fortunate not to have my board land on the rocks. I had thought I had broken my XM leash diving over the top of a set wave but once I reached my board I saw the problem. The plastic clip that holds the quick release pin in place had broken and the pin released on it's own. Great right, that's what I get for not checking the F*&^%ing thing every time I head out. So I'm home installing a stainless machine screw to get rid of the worthless pull pin and notice the original problem and also that I was working on the wrong leash. Turns out both of the XM leases have the same rust and broken plastic piece from the rust expanding. Both now have machine screws and are in my spare bin. Never liked the design and now I have a reason never to purchase them again. No need to complicate a simple design with an additional failure point. I may just try a waist leash setup with these XM leashes to see how I like that setup.

[Bean]

Just how old are those leashes?  Based upon the rust alone, I'm guessing at least 3 years...

[starman]

3 years could be a good guess. Too old you say? Considering I've never broken a leash in 11 years I think I take pretty good care of them.

[Bean]

Technically too old for surf of consequence perhaps, but I'm with you, I get a few years out of mine as well.

[PonoBill]

Even reasonably good stainless corrodes when salt water is in constant contact, and joints like the plastic surrounding the pin provide that, wicking salt water into the interstice and happily ionizing.

Worse yet is two slightly different stainless steels in contact--makes a weak battery which chews away at the cathode.

I never liked the pin idea--if you can reach the pin loop you can reach the velcro.

Velcro wears out, urethane surface hardens and then cracks from UV exposure, pins rust, plastic turns to sawdust. The molded connectors work-harden at their base from flexing. All those things conspire to make a leash less strong even if it's been taken care of. I get tired of buying them every year (especially since a year seems about a month long these days), so I'm switching over to Beasho's method which eliminates or makes easily replaceable all the wear and aging components.

Never too old for surf of consequences, it's just that consequential surf gets smaller over time.

[TallDude]

For the application, it was obviously too low on the SS quality. The problem is, in order to have the kind of tensile strength needed at the pin, there has to be a higher level of carbon content in the Stainless. That means it's not good for a near, let alone submersed saltwater application. Silicon/Bronze pin might be a better choice for that application? 

[starman]

I never liked the pin idea--if you can reach the pin loop you can reach the velcro.

Exactly, it's a solution for a problem that doesn't exist. Just adds another way for the leash to fail.

[Area 10]

Have you tried removing the pin actually under load? The cord does not come away from the cuff.

I like the XM coiled leash because it is longer than other leashes (great for UL boards) and has a good Velcro wrap. But the quick release gives a false sense of security IMO.

[Tom]

It may have been invented after a tragic incident in San Diego where a surfers leash was tangled in a lobster trap. The surfer drowned while lifeguards were trying to untangle him. 

I once got tangled in a trap and since then always make a point on wrapping my ankle cuff the same direction so I always know which way to release it.

[Bean]

Never too old for surf of consequences, it's just that consequential surf gets smaller over time.

I was referring to the age of the leash, but truer words have not been said PB.