Thoughts on board leashes?

Bettyboarder · Mon Jun 15, 09 7:52 am

You dont need a leash body dragging is easy....just spend some time practicing it.

Leash can also get tangled around you and your legs and cause other major problems.

C Johnson · Since 17 Apr 2009 854 Posts Seattle Opinionated

I used a reel leash for about a year before the part that attaches it to the board broke one day and forced me to body drag back to my board. After that day I realized how easy it was to body drag and never used the leash again.

For the record I never had my board launch back at me but I always wore a helmet and believe it could have easily launched at me on many occasions.

If you insist on using one just make sure its a reel leash and has a shock cord installed between the reel and the board. Mine had a chunk of mooring line about 3ft long which worked really well. I think it took a lot of the snap out of the line when I'd crash. Finally, wear a helmet and stay conservative on the jumping/trying new things until you're ready to ditch the leash.

Have fun and be safe Smile

Christian

jackZ · Since 13 Apr 2008 355 Posts Devon Alberta ca. Obsessed

I got 2 cents
I bought all my equipment new at one and the only one shop in town that sold kiting stuff . I was new to the sport in 2005. I was sold a leash for an extra fifty bucks as part of the complete setup . Little did I know until I took a lesson in South Padre from Jeff at Air Padre and when he saw the leash , "the first thing I'm going to help you with is , get rid of the leash " and then described some awful accidents involving them . Then he spotted my new Spleene door 159 and was so stoked he got them to help beginners so we helped each other out I guess eh ?
Anyway a gojo thing or a wheel barrow inner tube on the handle works wonders I'm sure but learning to retrieve by body dragging is also important as it's part of the sport to be able to help yourself .
I still have that 50 dollar leash if there are any other suckers out there , on second thought I'll just keep it to remind me that you cant just trust everyones intentions as being for your benefit !
Stay safe all

kenja · Since 19 Jun 2008 179 Posts Stoked

I learned to kite in 2001 before people wised up on leashes. To start, my kite went down in the surf and the leash kept the board right behind me so that a huge wave was able to slam it on the back of my unhelmeted head. One ER visit and six scalp staples later, I was back on the water.

The final episode involved a low, high speed jump where I kicked the board off and it caught in the water, creating a big sea anchor. When the leash tensioned, it managed to tear my hamstring almost in half. Another doctor's visit and 8 weeks of rehab...

The reel leashes are better, but still not a good idea, IMHO. Body dragging is very simple. If you're a beginner, kite with someone who can keep their eyes on you in case your board gets away. A new board is a lot cheaper than an ER visit...