... I wrestled with this too 9 or so months ago so finally went and got a proper surfboard leash. 5 seconds into session I hated it, kept getting tangled catching board, fin and legs, made me feel like a kook again. I persisted for 2 sessions and still hated it so threw it in the back of the car in frustration. I only did it becasue I had planned to go to Bali and try to hit some bigger waves where I believed it was necessary.

I ended up hitting some good ones in Bali and when I did get occasionally seperated from my board it was easy to get back to it especially since surfboards can drift a bit especially compared to a TT with straps that can catch currents and even end up staying upwind of you.

I reckon that if, unless your going into dangerous areas where you can't afford to loose the board or you don't have a way to recover it easily enough, then leave the leash behind and avoid the hassle.

I once watched my mate get rolled, board went through the lines and then kite relaunced dragging pilot and board into all sorts of mayhem so I figured better to have the hassle of chasing a board downwind than getting bent all out of shape and drowning.

But thats my opinion so check it out for your self.

cheers,

Robbie

Only thing I'm thinking if I come off is how to get as far away from the board as possible. Nothing worse than a nearby SB heading straight for your scone. Not that we get massive waves here but haven't felt the need to get one.

I used to take my dog for a walk with a leash, RIP Herby ,5/11/13.
Not a fan of wearing a Leggie, however as said, sometimes its safer to have
One on in certain conditions, things can go wrong with or without a Leggie on.
Just get one that you feel is easy to rip off if things go to ****, and
practice putting it on and taking it off quickly. I'd steer clear of the double wrap
Velcro style ones, takes more time to put on and take off! And like anything
try to wash and check
Your Leggie, swivels and pins corrode.

Thanks for the feed back, exactly the kind of insights I was looking for.
I'll keep riding without leash then, until I hit big wave in Bali at least...

I use a leash about 70% of the time.

There are some beaches where coming off and losing your board, it disappears all the way to shore in a hurry - I'm talking waves with a really long wave zone, not a short critical section. It is a pain the butt.

I've been doing this for about 3 years. Had a single episode in big surf where the board went between the lines, above the bar when I got rumbled big time. Scared me a bit (OK, more than a bit). But I reckon the ability to get back onto my board in a hurry between waves in the white water zone has probably saved me a few equally nasty rumbels - especially in patchy breeze, where if the wave hit at the wrong time during a lull, it might drop your kite in the water - something which has happened to me before when riding strapless, and resulted in me being surround by slack lins in heavy surf. Fortunately not wrapped, but equally scary.

Only really annoying thing is sometimes the leash just wants to sit under my instep, and I am madly doing elvis-legs trying to get it out, while riding down the face. Grr.... Have thought about getting a knee-strap rather than ankle strap to sort this out, but haven't got around to it yet