My opinion is that the answer is as varied those to the question, “Who makes the best surfboard”, as you will see from all of the posts. My experience over the years has been that some brands are terrific one year, some brands last a week, and some of the terrific brands a few years later last only a week (including nearly all of the mentioned brands on this forum).
However, a valuable piece of info. that most of you probably already know and I just realized is that nearly all of the parts across brands are interchangeable. I have a leash graveyard I was saving to contribute to a green art project of some sort (I’m no artist). When I realized this (the allen wrench size for most is the same as a fin key), I quickly combined the parts of all of my leashes that weren’t broken at the cord - cuffs, board attachment, swivels, etc. Bingo! 3 new leashes. So the moral of the story: SAVE your old leashes!
Plus, why doesn't anyone make a cuff which wraps all the way around a booty and wetsuit covered ankle - and mine are skinny...
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That's always been an issue for us cold water folks. Half the year, we are wearing 5 mil suits and boots, minimum. Dead of Winter, and you most likely have a 6/5/4 with 7 mil boots. Leash straps often don't fit well with that much rubber.
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There is a company out of Tofino, BC, Canada called Cold Surf that makes great wetsuit fat-ankle surfing leashes. There is a shop in Nova Scotia that carries their leashes and I picked one up last winter.
Howzit tblank, Being a no leash guy I can only attest to what I have heard from other friends who do use them and for years they told me that Destination Surf made really good ones but I don't knw if they are even in business these days. Aloha,Kokua
Hi Kokua, Howzit? Hope things are getting better for you. I've tried the Stay Covered cords like the G'Rat reccommends and they are one of the best. The last one was lent out to a buddy and I never got it back, it was lost somewhere near San Blas (so he says). Probably traded it for a libation or two.
ps. How 'bout that GlobalSpec site? Really interesting things there. I get the newsletters too.
When I went to the shop to look at new ones, I told the guy what happened, 10 minutes later he was off the phone with a new leash on the way… Now that’s some customer services.
XM (especially the Big Wave series) are IMHO the best. I still have two LB leashes from the 90’s. If you look at Huck’s “Recycle thread”, the snapped 9’6" was mine. I blew a drop one night, the board snapped, then (thanks to my XM) towed me half way to shore underwater - strong leash!
Home Brewed - found Ocean Earth railsaver, found ankle cuff (surfing in LA County is great like that…), eurathane cord that pulled from the anchor of another leash. Folded the Eurathane back on itself and tied with a bastardized sheet bend (used 4 wraps instead of 1-2) in 550 Paracord, then some shrink wrap to secure. Attached to swivels with more paracord. It looks like an old '80’s cord, never breaks, and friends refuse to steal it.
Howzit tblank, Like I said I am not a leash guy at all but the Global website is a great one nd I have been getting their weekly update for a couple of years now and love it for that off the wall info. Aloha,Kokua
Started using Creatures of Leasure when they came out with the stainless steel swivel; those brass jobs were waiting to fail…and often did. When hosing down the wetsuit, I always spray the sand,debris out of the swivels. Whenever I travel, I rent boards, but bring my own leash.
those brass jobs were waiting to fail…and often did.
Ha! I often wondered about those things just “popping” out on my old DaKine… I couldn’t get the exact fit in replacement tuna swivels, so I slightly customized stainless “loop” ones and never had a problem.
like Kokua, I never use a leash. So Ive really got little info to address your question. However, since I can, I thought I’d point out that I also rarely use a wetsuit or even a rash guard. I don’t wear booties either, though some kooks complain of cutting their feet on the rocky entrance or exits. The most uncool dudes are now wearing hats for sun protection, apparently afraid of a little melanoma! For all you dudes wearing leashes, wetsuits, booties and hats, I say “Man up!”
used XM and some others with stainless steel definitely better holding up versus the brass ones… the stainless steel swivels are edgy… they cut through the rope connecting towards the rail saver… sewn over a dozen leashes with thick nylon used by fishermen here… no problem after that…