Hello all
I mostly use my 10'6 for surfing, and have read numerous articles around leashes. What's the best? I've never tried a calf leash but I know my ankle get hammered when my board gets sucked into a wave. Sadly I haven't mastered the art of duck diving a SUP 
It's a personal thing.. Personally I prefer a calf cuff because I hate standing/tripping on the leash but once it gets to head high surf I swap the an ankle cuff because I prefer the stronger tugs being on my ankle rather than knee.. Plus in bigger surf there's a bigger chance of a short paddle on my knees and calf cuffs chaff when kneeling.
I don't have calf muscles. I once used a calf leash on a downwinder and the leash slipped down to my ankle, then on a fall, it pulled right off my foot and the board disappeared. I had a long swim that day.
I use ankle leashes on downwind and waist belt leashes on white water river.
I find a calf leash is less likely to end up under my foot when paddling out (which is annoying).
I have also found when copping a hiding from a wave, it seems worse when attached by ankle leash. It feels like with a calf leash you can bend your knee and provide a bit more drag against the board when you are getting pumped.
But it's personal preference I suppose.
I use an ankle leash for my shorter boards..(8'2 down) and knee/calf for my longer boards (9 foot up).... need to move around more on the longer boards ...bit like short boards and Mals, all shortys ive seen use ankle leashes and most mal riders use knee/calf....
Select to expand quoteChris_M said..
I find a calf leash is less likely to end up under my foot when paddling out (which is annoying).
I have also found when copping a hiding from a wave, it seems worse when attached by ankle leash. It feels like with a calf leash you can bend your knee and provide a bit more drag against the board when you are getting pumped.
But it's personal preference I suppose.
+1
But I would like to hear from people who have tried the waist leash. I bought one - haven't used it...
Personally I can't stand calf leash's. I seem to manage to get tangled up in my paddle sometimes.
Select to expand quoteDavidJohn said...
It's a personal thing.. Personally I prefer a calf cuff because I hate standing/tripping on the leash but once it gets to head high surf I swap the an ankle cuff because I prefer the stronger tugs being on my ankle rather than knee.. Plus in bigger surf there's a bigger chance of a short paddle on my knees and calf cuffs chaff when kneeling.
Damn good point there DJ re. when you have to kneel for a bit, a calf leash would be horribly uncomfortable after very short time
Select to expand quoteroscoe1974 said..DavidJohn said...
It's a personal thing.. Personally I prefer a calf cuff because I hate standing/tripping on the leash but once it gets to head high surf I swap the an ankle cuff because I prefer the stronger tugs being on my ankle rather than knee.. Plus in bigger surf there's a bigger chance of a short paddle on my knees and calf cuffs chaff when kneeling.
Damn good point there DJ re. when you have to kneel for a bit, a calf leash would be horribly uncomfortable after very short time
Yeah.. even DWing.. check out 3.30 in this vid..
I use a waist leash in the surf. I got it because my right knee is pretty buggered and a leg leash puts too much stress on it. I actually find the waist leash pretty good, keeps the leash off the deck and away from the paddle and minimal stress on the body in wipe outs. Just have to get over looking like a bit of a turkey.
I've got a collection of about 8 different leashes at the moment - coiled, straight, combo, calf, ankle, thin and thick, long and short. I think I went through a bit of a fetish phase there... cured now.
I used to wear calf leashes thinking they'd be heaps better with footwork, but found that a good pull by a wave would bring it down to the ankle (and the risk of losing it all together) unless the strap was really tight at above the thickest part of the my calf... then it would work upwards and the velcro would scratch behind the knee. If a wave pulled the leash off to the side, then I'd have to straighten it up to avoid my paddle hitting it. Overall it was a pain in the neck.
Coiled ones tend to stretch out, after which time they also became a real pain: They would form a birds nest at even the slightest provocation, particularly in the surf.
I now just ride with a straight, medium weight ankle leash and I think it works best. Doesn't tangle, no risk of coming off, has lasted for ages. I use the same leash surfing and downwinding.
He's my take on it.. Coiled , waist or calf is for downwind or training boards. Short and thick ankle leggies for surfing. If it's on your ankle you can pull it back quickly for a fast recovery or to get it away from someone. Short thick leggies don't tomb stone they just pull straight back. Tomb stoning is where the board stands up on it's tail and you can't pull it back .Long stretchy leggies are really bad at this and it stops you from recovering the board quickly before the next wave hits. I use 7 or 8 foot Bailn storms or the thicker Da Kines.
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/SUP/Balin-STORM-the-SUP-legrope/
Definitely second Piros' comment and was thinking of it today without realising it. Got a big fat Balin ankle leash recently and no more tombstone effect. The board just returns to me predictably and consistently. The eBay special I had previously was deadly. Super stretchy and the board would rocket back straight at my head as I popped up after a wipe out, hence the artwork on my eyebrow. Also, it would coil around both legs at times and the tombstoning board would drag me feet first into the impact zone..very uncool. Got a nice calf leash but don't like it under my knee when remounting the board or kneelo-ing it out through the break. Cheers.
Tombstoning used to refer to a complete and utter hiding where the wave held you down so deep that your board was pulled down by the tail, and it was the only thing keeping you off the bottom. It was often accompanied by an ignominious climb back up your leggie to some oxygen.....on a SUP its evolved to Piros' explanation and +1 for short leggies reducing the likelihood. Shame all mine are longer.....
When I was on a bigger board, I had a bad experience with an ankle leggie where a wipeout almost tore my knee cartilage. Hasnt happened since as I'm exclusively calf leggie now. I don't find they get in the way, and it really reduces strain on both your knee and ankle. I havent got Popeye calves either, but only rarely does it slip down to the ankle.
I used a calf leash until I was wiped out in pretty big surf and the force of the wave pulling back on my calf combined with the wave folding me in half on a sandbank resulted in a snapped tibial plateau and a year out of the water. Not saying it was definitely the calf leash's fault but pretty sure it was a contributing factor.
Same as Piros.
I would add that since I surf often small waves, I use the thinnest leash possible, but always short (a 6' leash up to 7'6" boards).
On s,mall waves, the reduced drag of a thin leash is quite noticeable.
But as soon as you feel it stretch, time to put a thicker one!
Select to expand quoteDavidJohn said..
It's a personal thing.. Personally I prefer a calf cuff because I hate standing/tripping on the leash but once it gets to head high surf I swap the an ankle cuff because I prefer the stronger tugs being on my ankle rather than knee.. Plus in bigger surf there's a bigger chance of a short paddle on my knees and calf cuffs chaff when kneeling.
+1
Was a bit surprised to hear you getting pain in the ankle if you're in Vic and have a 4mm wettie + fat 5mm leash strap? Everybody's body is different I guess. I'm pretty useless so spend a fair bit of time with a board pulling me under in a misread set but I find it much more comfortable being dragged by the ankle than the calf in bigger surf.
Exactly what DJ said though, if you're in smaller waves dancing up and down your 10'6 then it's a lot more comfortable swapping to the calf and not having the arse end of a leash tripping you underfoot.
I have never SUPped but my first board arrived today. I asked about the calf ones and the curly ones. My local shop knows me well and said there was no way either of them would be adequate or last in the places I want to eventually surf in. He gave me a Creatures 12' Outer Reef leggie. So, in agreement with the posts above, and admitting my complete ignorance one way or the other, ankle leggies appear the go in solid surf.
Now for my question: two leggie strings or one big loop between the two leggie boxes?
Select to expand quotethedrip said...
I have never SUPped but my first board arrived today. I asked about the calf ones and the curly ones. My local shop knows me well and said there was no way either of them would be adequate or last in the places I want to eventually surf in. He gave me a Creatures 12' Outer Reef leggie. So, in agreement with the posts above, and admitting my complete ignorance one way or the other, ankle leggies appear the go in solid surf.
Now for my question: two leggie strings or one big loop between the two leggie boxes?
I'd use just one leash string off one of the leash plugs in the board.
If it is down where I think it is two strings are the go. 12 outer reef is a cracker never snapped one just sliced on back of fins. Not much stretch; prepare for one leg longer than the other and large nostrils.
I'm switching over to waist leashes for everything--at least I think so. I've gone to waist leash for downwind, and I love 'em. Out of the way, no fuss when you climb back on board, no drag. I'm using a fairly short heavy coil (8') on my Bullet 17.
I think I'm switching for surf too, though it won't be coiled. I've tried them once in head high, and liked the effect. Again, leash mostly out of the water, easy to remount. But in the surf I've found so far that the waist leash doesn't pull me under like a calf or ankle leash does. Any leash ride is short, and face up, on the surface, still breathing. Breathing is good. I haven't tried it yet in DOH but most of the big wave guys that use leashes have switched.
I'm making my own belts for now, using two short belts with reversed velcro, like a cuff, but I pass it though a flat plastic loop to reverse direction and give some mechanical advantage. I use two belts and leave a flap about five inches long so I can always find the release. Even if one somehow slipped to my back, the second one would be on my belly. With the leash pulling straight back the two releases are at my side. Pull either one and it's off.
Im also working on a quick release for attachment to a vest. I like impact vests for big days. Not only for the float, but also for getting whacked. I got the wind knocked out of me at Outer Tavares (maui) two years ago when the tail of my board got me under the ribs in a big wave. The release I'm working on works like a windsurfing harness release--cam buckles on both sides, with web sewn to the vest.
Select to expand quotePiros said..
He's my take on it.. Coiled , waist or calf is for downwind or training boards. Short and thick ankle leggies for surfing.
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/SUP/Balin-STORM-the-SUP-legrope/
What he said. Can't stand coiled leashes in surf but generally wear a coil for DW and flat water. Only use Balin stormrider for surf (I'm a big heavy bloke with big heavy boards, I like a big heavy leash that leaves me in no doubt where my board is).
Now that I have a more noserider oriented board, I use a calf leash with it to stay out of the way of my feet, but only when it's small. If it's got any power whatsoever I get a lot of chaffing on my leg and I don't trust it to stay in place.
Ankle leash I trust more in bigger surf, but it definitely gets in the way more than a calf leash.
Just in case there is any useless noobs here like me - I regret getting the calf one as it makes it hard to kneel. Now and then in rough water and you're stuffed, u have to.
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said...
Just in case there is any useless noobs here like me - I regret getting the calf one as it makes it hard to kneel. Now and then in rough water and you're stuffed, u have to.
Seconded, Mark 
