Coil Leash

[Knash]

XM coiled leashes are available in Carlsbad @  Legends Surf
www.legendssurf.com

[Tom]

I'm new toSUp, but not surfing.
First question is why does everyone wear a leash?
 Is it becaus it's so hard to swim with a paddel (my reason), or is there some other reason?

[MadRussian]

I'm new toSUp, but not surfing.
First question is why does everyone wear a leash?
 Is it becaus it's so hard to swim with a paddel (my reason), or is there some other reason?

From my very limited experience - after a wipeout, board takes off very fast leaving you in a sea. I already had very unpleasant experience.

[shapeshifter]

maybe for safety reasons?

like the sup is a dangerous water projectile and you are acting as the flesh anchor?

[andygere]

It seems like a standard longboard leash with the over-the-calf cuff would solve some of the problems.  I use one on my 10-0 noserider (non-SUP) and like it.

[Dwight (DW)]

Here is an update to my quest for a better leash. I had XM make me a custom leash of my own design. The idea being to get the things I liked about a coil leash, without getting the negative issues that come with it.

1) The positives aspects are fewer wrestling matches with my feet on the deck, thanks to the way the coil works. See photos for explaination.

2) The negative issue with a FULL COIL leash, is they knot almost immediately if the coil drags in the water behind the board. This happens when surfing back on the tail. Once it knotted, the drag was HUGE.

3) Straight leashes, in large diameters and 12 ft long, create so much drag I felt like I was pulling seaweed all the time. I used a thin leash to cure this, but still had constant battles with the leash between the toes and stepping on the darn thing everytime I climbed aboard after a wipeout. After the wipeout, the leash is usually point forward, compounding the situation.

My leash design is part coil, part straight. This leash is 12 feet pulled straight. I had XM coil 4 feet of the leash, leaving 8 straight. When they coiled 4 feet, it became 1 foot of coil.

There is something about the coils ability to bend easily, that seems to greatly reduce the chances of me climbing aboard and having the leash go between my toes, or just plain step on it.

A bonus of this design is less large diameter straight leash dragging behind the board making drag. This XM leash is large diameter material.





Straight Leash

Straight Leash

[boots]

Coil leash in action:


DW you might not step on your leash if you point in backwards. 

[Dwight (DW)]

Coil leash in action:

DW you might not step on your leash if you point in backwards. 

Cool photo.

Yeah, I'm tired of rotating the leash to point backwards. With coils it doesn't matter.

[Rand]

Leleo in the pic?

[noworrieshawaii]

Anybody else besides me use a calf leash? Always used on my longboard and like it for my SUP.

[boots]

Yeah that is Leleo here on Kauai at the first ever SUP contest (I think). Yes, of course he won.

[Rand]

Was he able to get that helicopter around?

[Dwight (DW)]

Anybody else besides me use a calf leash? Always used on my longboard and like it for my SUP.

I used a calf leash before ordering the custom coil leash. The calf leash ate a big hole in the back of my leg. The cuff was cutting me when on my knees or sitting.

[linter]

nice leash, dw.  if you don't mind, how much did it set you back and can anyone get one?

[Dwight (DW)]

nice leash, dw.  if you don't mind, how much did it set you back and can anyone get one?

I think I paid about $40 with taxes. I had the local SUP shop (www.gopaddlesurf.com) custom order it for me from XM. They (XM) weren't too thrilled at first. They thought they "might" be able to make it. It took a few calls by the shop before we finally got them to try building it. The wife and I both have them now.