How to Choose a Shortboard Leash

"For me this is a no-brainer. I almost always go with a 6-foot competition leash. It's light and fast," says Timmy Reyes of the O'Neill Surf Team.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Women's Athletic Swimsuits
• Sunscreen
• Adhesive Traction Pads
• Board Shorts
• Surf Leashes
• Surf Waxes
• Surfboard Bags
• Surfboard Ding Repair Kits
• Surfboards
• Surfing Wet Suits

1. Go to your local surf shop and check out the selection.
2. Pick out a leash approximately 6 feet long if you're riding a shortboard, 8 feet to 10 feet long if you're riding a longboard (or a gun in medium-sized waves), and 10 feet to 12 feet if you're riding huge surf.
3. Choose a leash that has a double swivel system (ask the shop attendant). They tend to be more durable.
4. Try on the leash to make sure you are comfortable with the Velcro system that attaches to your ankle.
5. Keep in mind that competition leashes are thin and lightweight. They are intended to keep your board with you and not slow you down, but are not meant to last a lifetime.

Tips & Warnings

• "As the wave and board size increase, I'll choose a longer and thicker leash. When it gets critical out there, you want your board to stay with you, but not to hit you," says O'Neill Surf Team rider Timmy Reyes.
• Hang your leash out after surfing. A coiled leash will tend to stay coiled and get in your way while you surf.
• Leashes will snap if under too much strain, and they can be cut by your surfboard fins if they wrap around them.