get a velcro piece on your board and on the leash so that it only holds the board when your not moving fast.
dont do as ive seen some and have a plastic coated steel wire tied to your harness and board
The way I did it was:
I started using a leash for a period of about 4 hours as i was just learning how to waterstart.
I found it a lot easier when water starting in the deep when I was having issues just getting the board to my feet in a strongish current and controlling the kite, for safety I just do the leash around my ankle about 5-10mm from the edge so it lets go easily or my foot slips through- also I had a long leash from an old Mal where the velcro was/is about to let go anyway.
Bit less frustrating and as a test - if it falls off as you kick leg through the water it will let go if in a jam, but have enough hold when you just kick the board off learning kite control
Once I could find my feet into the bindings easily I lost the leash.
cheers.
I'm wondering if the no leash thing is a hangover from the pre-bow kite days. In the old days any crash resulted in the slingshot of death followed by the board trying to take your head off.
Now with bow kites you crash and you stop. I rarely drag back to my board if I crash. I can usually just reach out and grab it or swim to it 3-4 strokes. The only time I get dragged is if I stuff up a powered kite loop.
Many things that were an instant death sentence in the past are now not an issue. Nobody gets dragged off the beach in offshore winds. Nobody goes through the powerlines anymore. Nobody ends up on the roof of the old grannie's house. Nobody gets tea-bagged 500 metres down the beach.
I had a leg rope on the first day I had all my new gear, and I was trying to water start, body drag etc etc.
I found it to be a huge pain in the arse. The thing gets wrapped around your leg and often you have to spin your board around to get the foot straps right. The leg rope just becomes a hinderance. All this is going on while you are trying to hold your kite in a depowered position at 12 o'clock. Thats not to mention this sudden realisation that the sidecut of my board was suspiciously starting to look like a knife edge... After my first day I ditched it and didn't look back.
Ideally, when you are learning try to find a spot that has water you can stand up in... knee to waist high. Then you can stand up when you ditch, and wade back to your board, or stand up and wait for your board to drift back to you.
The reality is learning to kite involves a lot of body dragging. As you get better you can fall off, hold the board onto your feet by curling your toes and use the kite to get yourself ready to go. If you lose a foot out of a strap you eventually can control the kite and grab you board off your other foot and recover within 10-20 seconds. And being able to upwind body drag also helps when you realise you have not left yourself enoungh in the tank and all you can do is lie on your board and body drag back to shore ;-)
In the UK a lot of people use them because the tide currents can be stronger than the wind and no amount of upwind body dragging will allow you to catch up. I still persisted with no leash. If you really get separated from your board someone usually come and help you out. I got caught in a tangle off Middle Park (Melbourne) and after landing back on the shore with a birds nest to contend with and a snapped line, one of the better riders showed up with my board in his hand. Champion. The fact is while you are learning you need to be in an area where there are a good number of people around to help you out if things go a bit pear shaped.
Forget the board leash , do the hard (well not so relatively hard now days) yards of board retrieval, will set you up for better kite control skills as you progress through the beginner stage.
Like the last poster stated, it would seem more hindrance with the cable as you pull the board back towards you of wrapping around a leg or even your spreader bar hook.
My two cents, add up the other 2 cents posts and I think we got a dollar against board leashes!
And these are only the boards reported lost on this forum. If each board is say worth an average of $1000 to replace new, thats $31,000 worth of kit been lost in a month.
Heres how NOT to wear a board leash.
Looks like the dude in the picture is going to be a candidate for the Darwin Awards. Obviously works in the artificial limb industry
Horses for courses
Everyone learns differently and if a board leash helps the learning curve then great.
Advanced riders need not bother, especially when jumping, but for the total beginners and that is what this topic started with, they can be really helpful (especially the retractable kind). A helmet is recommended, especially if you decide to use it in the surf.
In the surf, staying in the break and body dragging back to the beach can sometimes be an easier option, the board usually beats you there, but in flat water or strong tidal areas, a board leash can be really useful, even if it is just a confidence thing. One less thing to worry about and you can concentrate on the kite (less likely to loose control then anyway).
Everyone has a slightly different opinion on leashes, but for around $60 they can be worth a go. Most beginners will out grow it once they are confidently board riding, but that is the point, whatever helps you get up and ride confidently is the point of this original thread.
Have Fun.
I find it useful to have a leash(not to use it all the times)>just to secure the board while you are getting your kite sorted AFTER falling off the board or failing the trick.
Also wearing leg rope whilst surfing waves is handy as it might be difficult to retrieve the board in a decent swell or borad might be smashed against rocks if you are surfing close to the shore>$$ exercise.
This topic cracks me up.
If you start with a leash as a beginner you are obviously not good at upwind body dragging, hence the need for a leash. I fail to see how once you get "better" you can suddenly do without a leash. I mean, your not practicing your body dragging if you're utilising a leash so how do you get proficient at it without practice?
Using a leash is a dead giveaway that you're a noob with no skills and most likely a noob that has been told by their instructor (assuming they have had lessons) to not use a leash, which makes you obstinate and inexperienced. A scary combination!
Instructors advocating the use of leashes are leaving themselves open to liability should a student cop a board in the back of the neck and be crippled. Helmets don't protect you enough.
I've said it before, There is no need for a board leash when you can body drag upwind. If you lose your board a lot in the learning phase then you will get lots of upwind body dragging practice, that you obviously need!
Good winds,
I couldn't agree more Darren, I actually learnt to kite through AKS and on my first lesson I was taken through the normal safety, body drag, self rescue stuff and didn't even pick up a board from memory. I was going to book another lesson but my instructor told me to go away and just practice flying my kite for a while and practice body dragging, and when I came back he reckoned he could get me up on the board. Well I did that and also took my instructors advice and didn't bother trying to get up on the board until I could place it on the beach and drag out a fair way then drag back to the same spot. I never did get back for that next lesson but have never had a problem body dragging back to my board since and with the easy relaunch of todays kites (well my Bandit anyway) there is no excuse for wearing a leash. Just make sure you can hold ground whilst dragging and you should be right and in time you will be able to go upwind enough to cover most currents, having said that i appreciate that maybe with the tidal currents at some rivermouth locations it may be a bit difficult, but if your board is in a current then so are you so I can't really see there would be a problem.
So I say throw away the leg rope.
Even in massive stacks, I dont think it's ever taken me more than 60 seconds to get back to my board. (Just don't buy a white and green one because no other combination of colours is more difficult to see in the ocean).
I agree with every word darren said above also.
When i was learning i considered a leash because i didn't want to lose my brand spanking shiny new board, but now i've learned thats its actually quite difficult to lose a board (i'm gonna curse having said that one day). I'd prefer to lose my board than gash my leg open anyway.
Thats my 2 cents. Must be up to about $1.20 now...
couldn't have said it better
Thanks to everyone for taking the time to give me their "2 cents worth", and I have taken on board (pun intended ) all that has been 'discussed'.
It's obviously quite a hot topic for debate, and there are some good arguments on both sides of the fence, although the NO crowd seems to be more plentiful, passionate, and vocal 
I will, indeed, practise my body dragging (as advocated by my instructor, and many on this forum), and most likely get an impact vest. At this stage I will go 'leash-less' and see how I fair
I have written my name and phone number on my board, so if you do come across it lying lonely on a beach somewhere, please give me a call
I just started learning to, and the best option I found was to try to bend your toes on one foot when you know your going down (or up...). That way your not seperated from your board, and it doesnt slingshot back at you- that i know of.
Ive only been posting for a short time, but have been reading most posts on this forum over the last 7 months.
It is very frustrating when someone new asks a simple question, and other posters get so wound up around their own personal opinions that they
- either dont actually answer the question,
- veer off on weird tangents,
- or do answer with such overt and strongly worded know it all opinion that it may cause people to be reluctant to openly share in the future to avoid being smacked down. I certainly felt this way when I first started reading this forum and is why people generally read a long time before actually posting.
1. No where did anyone state that instructors should advocate the use of a leash.
2. No one has stated that a leash should replace lessons and lots of practice body dragging upwind.
3. No one is arguing that "once you get "better" you can suddenly do without a leash".
People have just been acknowledging that once one becomes more proficient and they start jumping and attempting other tricks - it therefore increase the chances of being hit by a board if you wear a leash, compared to someone who just rides out and back doing slide turns all day. It may therefore not be wise to wear one then.
The original question was "Do people use legrope or leash on their boards, to stop them wandering away after a stack? If not, why not? " He also indicated he has been taught to body drag up wind.
Making a statement like "
"Using a leash is a dead giveaway that you're a noob with no skills and most likely a noob that has been told by their instructor (assuming they have had lessons) to not use a leash, which makes you obstinate and inexperienced. A scary combination!"
This response really doesn't answer the guys question. It is rather insulting actually - especially to some experienced kiters all round the world who do use leashes. We all start off he same - inexperienced. If the guy wants to hook on a leash while he gets his kite sorted, and to maximise his time on the board each session - its his choice.
I would have thought what the 'experienced' kiters should be saying is to:
Learn to body drag upwind to reduce your chances of losing your board. Using a leash is not recommended as you increase the chance of hurting yourself - it is also not recommended by the IKO. If you do wear leash, make sure you use a reel leash and wear the correct safety gear. People have copped nasty injuries (& even been killed) by sling shotted boards. Even wearing the safety gear and using a reel leash still doesn't eliminate all the risk.
Clear statements - Its that simple.
At the end of the day - it is each individuals personal choice if they do or dont wear one. Let them know the risks - but leave the choice to be theirs rather than so arrogantly smacking others down after stating their views.
Statements like "If you start with a leash as a beginner you are obviously not good at upwind body dragging, hence the need for a leash." are also ultra opinionated.
I know several guys that arnt blessed with living on the beach, and have to drive an hour 25min each way. When you allow the time for pump up and pack up, it only leaves a few hours of kiting for a half a days effort, and they wear leashes to maximise their riding time in the half day a weekend they get due to their families commitments. They have obviously accepted the increased risks and would rather get up and going faster to maximise their time - especially in the surf when their boards would often get washed up. And yes - they have both had lessons and know how to body drag too
By the way, for the record - I dont wear a leash and I lost my board several weeks ago. I took 8hrs of lessons when I started, can body drag upwind (recovered my board on many occaisions on that day I lost it). But there is little you can do when a very strong current and lulling wind conspire against you not long before dark - you get separated from your board, the wind lulls but there is enough wind to keep you and your downed kite moving slowly towads hazards (rock groin, nav beacon and a jetty) - while the river current takes your board sailing away in a different direction with not enough wind to relaunch the kite. I chose to save the kite and try swim for the board once ashore, but once in the water in chop with glare from a low sun in the sky - I could not find it. Even some watchers on the shore said they lost site of it in the glare. A leash would have been handy for me in this instance.
It would be so nice if one could state a view without the smackdowns by obviously experienced guys - many of whom seem to suffer from a little tunnel vision, lack of open mindness yet have the "we'll do this as a team and do it my way" kind of approach. They seem to have forgotten what it was like when they were new.
Just give me a minute to put my Flame suit on 
And like the crusty old shellbacks with 1000+ posts say :-
Goodwinds......
Ill say it simply then for ya.
NO.
When you get beginning and feel how the board just loves to sink laterally and act like a keel you'll understand.
I ditch my board all the time, Its super easy and really fun to drag upwind (mainly cause im so good at it ) and just wait for the board to go downwind, drag up and pick it up again.
The kite itself is FAR more dangerous than a board leash.
The dangers of a leash are greatly exagerated.
"It'l take yer head off"
"People have been killed " etc,etc.
The injuries from leashes are minimal.
Please provide proof of the deaths.
Many people have been injured by their boards WITHOUT using a leash.
The wind gods, and those that govern my work roster, have finally got together and allowed me several days in a row to get my new gear out onto the beach and into the water. Yay.
My 'new' kite, North Rebel 9m, is a fantastic kite for the beginner. It virtually re-launches itself, has complete depower, and some good rigging (5th line) and bar. My seat harness seems to work well, and my Gath helmet fits comfortably on my noggin, but the best thing I have spent my money on is .... wait for it ....
An Oceanus EEL board leash !!!!!
Before anyone gets stuck into me, I can body drag upwind if need be, but with this reel leash, I don't have to. The time I now spend in the water is pretty much 100% with my board, trying to get up and going. I've had a few stacks, both as a forward projectile and a backwards skipjack, and the board has been ripped from my feet, but not once has it even looked like flying back at me with murder on it's tiny mind I do wear a Gath and am impact vest though. Keeps the wife happy too.
As a beginner, this leash certainly makes things more enjoyable for me. I can see how it might be a little more dangerous when doing big jumps and tricks, but that's a long way off for me at this stage, so until then I will be 'leashing it up'.
p.s. a huge thank you to my mate Troy for taking the time to teach and encourage me these last few days. I look forward to being more of a kiting asset with you when next season comes around, rather than the beginner liability I am now, but hey, each day i've gone out i've improved, so there's hope for me yet
Good on you Mellow yellow
I remember when i was taught by a very renowned instructer in perth and legropes were the norm.(Was a long time ago)
Heres why plain and simple...yeeesh.
I dont know who this is but its a repost of a similar topic earlier on.
Hi Choady,
Please forgive me for the rather condescending tone of my previous reply. I have been an active member of Kitesurfing forums (Airush forum, Seabreeze forum, Kiteforum etc) for the last 6 or 7 years and have eloquently, professionally and courteously answered this same thread more times than I care to remember. It has been done to death and then some.
It is a topic which brings great heated debate every time. I have had friends so badly injured (carried out of the surf bleeding and seeing stars from gaping wounds) and other aquaintences who have copped boards in the throat (severe neck trauma, James where are you?), inner thigh (narrowly missing femeral artery (Duncan)) and in the head so many times that that I do have a strong emotion attached to this topic.
I post what I post to warn and help others, and yes, I can be quite opinionated on some most topics. My intention is to serve the greater good and to pass on my sunstantial experience so others can learn without doing the "hard yards".
If you go and check through any of my 1300+ posts, you will find them almost all helpful, professional and positive. Same goes on other forums I occassionally visit such as Airush forum.
Again, my humble apologies to anyone whom I have offended or put off posting in the forums, it is not my intention to upset or offend, just educate.
Oh and that's Good winds, not Goodwinds, thats Steve!
