Surboard Leash

A Little Piece Of Surf Leash History

Believe it or not surfboard leashes didn't exist back in the early days and when they first came on the scene they were referred to as “kook cords”. In other words, only for wimps. As people realized they help catch more waves they soon became the standard. However, the first surf leashes were made from surgical tubing which tended to snap back violently and that is actually how Jack ONeill of ONeill Wetsuits lost his eye, experimenting with a survival tubing leash. Then along came urethane and the world was saved. It held it's stretch better and is now the standard.

Surfboard Leashes Come In Several Different Types

They are categorized by the diameter of the cord and the length of the cord. The thinner the diameter, the weaker the surfboard leash, but the less drag. The thicker the diameter, the stronger the surfboard leash, the more drag. Sooooo, you get the point. Small wave surfboard leashes are thinner and big wave leashes are thicker. Easy right…But what about length. Well, a rule of thumb is to go with a leash as long or slightly longer than your board. Leashes are available in 6,7,8,9,10,12 feet to accommodate different board lengths. Then they are offered in diameter thickness styles such as 5mm, 7mm, 10mm. The thinner of the bunch are referred to as Comp leashes. Short for competition. While the slightly larger surfboard leashes are referred to as Regular Leashes. And the thickest is, you guessed it, Big Wave Leashes.