Leashless?

no you didn't. You had yourself in the bowling ball grip while thinking of staying up late tonight taking shots at men amidst discussion.

Carter I can tell you're intelligent, flaming, but smart. Try educating instead of hating and maybe you can help restore the forum. Unless you don't actually surf, in that case keep on living the dream, bowling ball grips and all.

 

You really are Johnny Utah aren't you?

 

Within the past 2 years I have worn a leash a hand full of times. I suppose because it usually doesn't get over 3 ft.. But log or shorty... No leash, unless it's victory at sea conditions

 

Yup.

Of all the things I've had to adjust to after 30 yrs of no surfing, that durn leash is the toughest. Spent years learning how to move my feet. All the old moves are coming back to me, almost instinctively, but some of em don't work with a leash. If I'd always leashed it, woulda learned different moves from day 1.

Been tryin to go with the new flow and leash always. After 3 years of cussin, will prolly adopt the more reasonable position lots of y'all shared. Wear it just when it makes sense. Wind gnar, kid herds, etc.

 

That is the one drawback of surfing leashless. I'm usually able to grab my board if I fall but it definiteley makes me surf a little too conservatively at times.

 

Why have I never thought of that... 550 cord is crazy strong.

 

I only use a leash when its over 3-4ft, believe it or not you will actually surf a ton better without it.

 

I see way too many beginner hipster wannabee longboarders with no skill going leashless on 40 pound super gloss retro logs in crowded conditions cause they think it adds koolness points to their otherwise weak game. These people need to take up a new hobby like photography......I hear that one is pretty popular right now with the hipster crowd.

 

I agree, but how much better is it when someone's only means of not losing their board is by abusing their leash? Especially when that's a 10 foot board with a 10 foot leash creating a 20 foot radius of carnage. Hell, even a 6 foot board with a 6 foot leash. Those surfers tend to be more experienced but are sometimes more concerned with doing a throwaway air than any sort of board control. The fact is, neither is safe for other surfers.

 

Not to get all sciency on ya, but... about the drag issue, and the claim that leashes "slow you down"... The fact is that leashes do create drag. The questions are can you feel it, and does it make a difference?

With a leash dragging through the water, the factors that matter are the thickness and length of the leash, and how fast you're going. The thicker and longer your leash is, and the faster you go, the more drag your leash creates. The other factors really don't count: the viscosity of the water (it is what it is), the shape of the leash (they're all cylindrical), and the surface of the leash material (they're all smooth). Considering the fact that the drag coefficient of a cylinder is fairly low... around 1, and you really don't go that fast in the typical waves we get, the amount of drag created by your leash is not likely to create much a a difference in your speed. I think other factors matter much more... your skill level, the shape of your board, surface chop, wind, etc. But if you want all factors in your favor, use a comp leash. And if you're a pro caliber surfer, with most of your surfing done in big, fast, clean waves, it might make a difference between making a barrel and not. Ironically, that's when you want a thicker, longer leash!

 

If you agreed you'd have said all that needs said when you said I agree.

 

I meant I agree that leashless hipsters on 10 ft heavily glassed logs that can't actually surf are a problem. But luckily there aren't many of those where I live. I just meant that I think everyone could become a safer surfer if they surfed leashless every now and then, when conditions/crowd factor/etc are right to do so. Some people's only means of controlling their board IS their leash, and that's not safe either.

 

I was out surfin last swell ,chest to shoulder little drainers, and I snapped my comp leash, the line up was pretty packed. Had to surf pretty timid and when I got shacked up with no way out I had to bearhug my board as to not hurt anyone else or my board. Serious handycap and I dont advise it to anyone.

 

if u go leashless in a crowd ur just a douche magoo.surfboards can phuk someone up!!don't know about the drag issue or the cool hipster issue,i just know its safer for the board.i seen people break brand new al merricks pulling into a 3 ft closeout,because of the leash.

in other scenarios leashes do save lives,like if ur a big wave surfer and u have to climb the leash 30 ft.surfing big waves without a leash is just retarded,like I am sam sean penn retarded.id rather look like a chump than drown lol,if leashes make u chumps nowadays on si

 

Sketchyyyy!!

 

my current longboard does not have a leash loop.. so no leash. usually only ride it in smaller conditions when I know most of the guys in the water or I'm solo.. if its big enough to ride a shortboard I will and then 9/10 I'll use a leash. I think surfing without a leash really teaches you how to hold on to your board. Sometimes I make better decisions because I don't want to lose my board all the way to the beach... other times It would be nice to have the leash so you know you can try something on a section and even if you fall, your board is safe.

theres a right way and a wrong way to do pretty much everything.