Hi
just wondering what leash length/thickness you guys are using?

I have a 10ft long board and surf in up to about head high.
Using a 9' by 7mm leash, is it going to be tough enough?

Appreaciate your thoughts
cheers.

Depends on the power of your waves.
Basically, if you feel your leash is stretching a lot (it continues to stretch after the inital pull) , you should get a thicker one.

But my personal opinion is that it depends on the leash construction. A lot of leashes will fail at the junction, meaning that the leash did not benefit from the full strength of the cord. I used Creature of Leisure ones for instance, which has a well designed connection with the cord, but now only use the O&E ONE, XT if possible. A well designed leash will fail at the cord on the test below, meaning that the connections design was stronger than the cord.

In a nutshell: get an O&E ONE leash (or something as strong), and sand the trailing edge of your fins to avoid cutting it.

i use 8 foot small surf 10 foot on big surf 8 ml ,by little creatures ,some times use a knee 7ml on little surf too ,really easy to grab you leg rope
to pull ya board back .

good leggies.

After a near drowning incident where my lea h got wrapped around a coral head I dropped down to a 7 ft O&E XTon all my boards, safer that way and makes for a quick recovery in the surf.

Agreed with the O&E One - bought it before a trip to Fiji, no issues, pretty bulletproof construction it appears. I use a lighter leash most of the time in smaller surf.

I'll also say that I prefer a shorter leash (7') with a SUP, unless it's a nose rider, etc. My shortboard SUP's I use a shorter leash, less energy to build up, and quicker to reel back in to get paddling back out. Just watch the recoil.

Balin monster coil knee variety.

ION 8ft on all my boards, all sub 8ft except the Speeed which is 8'10 but still use 8ft leash.

I had been thinking about the new FCS ones, but we don't seem to have any over here in the UK yet (unless someone knows where they can be viewed before purchase)

Can't fault the ION ones though, even in the heaviest surf dumps on my Flow or small Shroom they've proved to be pretty neigh on indestructible.

Which begs the question why change??

One tip I can recommend though, is double loop on your leash attachment to the board.

I have the leash rope loop plus another kevlar loop through the leash pin on all my boards. I saw one leash break in dumpy surf and it came away at the loop because it frayed, ok the user didn't check it before surfing (thats another story) so since then I've double looped all my boards.
Just in case....

Thanks for feed back, think I'm going to go 10'x 8mm in big surf.
May be a coil leash on flat water.
Interesting to see the different choices, and the use of short leashes.
I read should go for a leash at least length of board.

Thanks for feed back, think I'm going to go 10'x 8mm in big surf.
May be a coil leash on flat water.
Interesting to see the different choices, and the use of short leashes.
I read should go for a leash at least length of board.

RIP Bob.

"Bob was surfing his beloved local spot before 9am today (Tuesday August 21) and at some point reportedly got his legrope hooked on the reef, holding him underwater."

www.coastalwatch.com/surfing/25103/vale-l-a-bob-the-surfer-who-tragically-drowned-on-sydney-s-northern-beaches-today-was-a-legend

Select to expand quote

SunnyBouy said..
I had been thinking about the new FCS ones, but we don't seem to have any over here in the UK yet (unless someone knows where they can be viewed before purchase)
[...]
One tip I can recommend though, is double loop on your leash attachment to the board.

Don't bother with the FCS Freedom, they are not sturdy enough. Mine broke after 4 sessions (less than head high), and I read a guy has broken in with a prone shortboard in less than 2 sessions. They are great leashes otherwise, eliminating fin cuts, hope they get some R&D on their connection design. If they manage to make a connection stronger than the cord, it could become the ultimate leash.
See www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/Foiling/What-length-coil-leash-for-foiling-2?page=1#p-2236961

I must say that I kept using my other FCS Freedom on my small wave board, in less than waist high waves, and it seems to hold up well up to now.

Ah, I also use the double look system: I use an extra loop in dyneema 3mm for safety. It is a bit cumbersome to use with O&E plastic needle to thread their loop in the leash plug howveer.

The O&E XTs are trash. Stretchy, but just end up super thin. Trash.

Been real impressed with the Creatures Reef series.

Creatures Outer Reef 9mm at the length of the board or next size up.
Have a 14' COR 9mm with my 9'5 for big out the back days , when I want some distance in the washing machine BUT still liking my PFD on my ankle .
Replace hard use outside leash regularly, rotating them to close inshore softer use. Better than a long swim.

Balin cyclone 7.4mm 7', they've been great or creatures reef 7' for 8' board and 9' x 8mm leash for the 10'er