Safety leash at the front or the back

9 years ago
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FoS
FoS
TAS
1664 posts
FoS FoS
TAS, 1664 posts
18 Sep 2016 10:03pm
I saw a vidoe a while ago, where someone was beingmdraged and couldn't get to their leash.

I guess it was in suicide mode and had no depower, but then she was dragged backwards and couldn't get to it.

So where do people attach their safety leash and why.

ExSurfCentre
ExSurfCentre
WA
497 posts
WA, 497 posts
18 Sep 2016 10:41pm
IMO if you aren't doing handle passes then you are putting yourself at pointless risk attaching your leash to the back of your harness....

I see so many new kiters with their leashes attached to the slider/handle at the back of the harness because 'thats where others put it'

Test it out with your mates, try pulling them hard by their harness at the back, see how hard it is to find the release.. Then imagine that underwater or being washed in waves.


Gilly3
Gilly3
QLD
800 posts
harlie
harlie
QLD
188 posts
QLD, 188 posts
19 Sep 2016 4:19pm
I was smashed by the rear attachment of a leach once - i released to safety but the lines were twisted and it didn't go, spun me around and dragged me backwards through the water - thankfully after a couple of loops, the kite dragged a wing tip on the water which allowed it towards the window edge and I was able to turn around and get it sorted.

I can confirm that once I was turned around i couldn't reach the 2nd release - Been using a short leach hooked on the front ever since and will never go back...
KiteBud
KiteBud
WA
1613 posts
WA, 1613 posts
19 Sep 2016 3:11pm
tgcp said..
IMO if you aren't doing handle passes then you are putting yourself at pointless risk attaching your leash to the back of your harness....

I see so many new kiters with their leashes attached to the slider/handle at the back of the harness because 'thats where others put it'

Test it out with your mates, try pulling them hard by their harness at the back, see how hard it is to find the release.. Then imagine that underwater or being washed in waves.




+1

Short leash attached to the front of your harness is as safe as it gets.





kemp90
kemp90
QLD
1694 posts
QLD, 1694 posts
19 Sep 2016 5:54pm
Definitely front!! If you don't have a point to attach it to, you can attach it to the spreader bar.
Super safe, and what you crash unhooked you are getting pulled from the front rather then the back!!!!!!!!
FoS
FoS
TAS
1664 posts
FoS FoS
TAS, 1664 posts
20 Sep 2016 6:48am
Thanks.
I found this also

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/Short-vs-long-safety-leashes/

Odd that the IKO is stillgoing for the rear mount leash



KIT33R
KIT33R
NSW
1716 posts
NSW, 1716 posts
20 Sep 2016 1:48pm
FoS said..
Thanks.
I found this also

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/Short-vs-long-safety-leashes/

Odd that the IKO is stillgoing for the rear mount leash





Not odd at all.
Dl33ta
Dl33ta
TAS
463 posts
TAS, 463 posts
20 Sep 2016 8:45pm
long leash is handy to make a bundle out of your kite and bar to catch the bus home after a downwinder.. If not for that I'd go a short leash.
KiteBud
KiteBud
WA
1613 posts
WA, 1613 posts
21 Sep 2016 7:59pm
Dl33ta said...
long leash is handy to make a bundle out of your kite and bar to catch the bus home after a downwinder.. If not for that I'd go a short leash.


Use your harness instead
Dl33ta
Dl33ta
TAS
463 posts
TAS, 463 posts
23 Sep 2016 6:42am
Got the boardshort harness, things could get embarresing if I took those off for a bus ride
Plummet
Plummet
4862 posts
4862 posts
23 Sep 2016 5:37am
No unhooking? then short leash at the front. Its by far the safest.
daveisthekotz
daveisthekotz
NSW
111 posts
NSW, 111 posts
26 Sep 2016 12:03pm
Even unhooking, when you first start learning tricks, if you attach it to the front and then wrap it in the opposite direction you are going to pass, then at least if you miss the pass the leash will pull you through the rotation so you can land on your board.
Addikt
Addikt
WA
553 posts
WA, 553 posts
28 Sep 2016 6:42pm
Front, if you doing handle passes get a long leash.....left or right side depending on which handed your are.....!
ActionSportsWA
ActionSportsWA
WA
1005 posts
WA, 1005 posts
24 Oct 2016 10:03am
Hey Peeps,

Many of the big brands are now shipping their bars with a short leash and the longer handle pass leash is becoming an upgrade or option. If your brand doesn't come with a short leash and you aren't handle passing, then drop into your local friendly retailer and choose a short one that they stock. You can even get advice as to how and where to set it up on your harness.

DM
glendog
glendog
QLD
520 posts
QLD, 520 posts
30 Oct 2016 7:52am
Mine is on the back. I had to release last year and it was no problem getting to it.
Plummet
Plummet
4862 posts
4862 posts
4 Nov 2016 3:59am
glendog said..
Mine is on the back. I had to release last year and it was no problem getting to it.


Its only not a problem unit its a problem. You have zero chance of getting a rear mounted safety if being dragged by a sizable wave. ZERO chance.
None. No chance. It will be impossible. You will drown in that worst case scenario.

If the wave is powerful enough its freaken hard to reach a front mounted safety!
Dave Whettingsteel
Dave Whettingsteel
WA
1397 posts
WA, 1397 posts
4 Nov 2016 12:16pm


I attach my safety to the ring on my left hip so i can always grab with my left hand if needed. Been a long time since i have used the safety in earnest so am wondering if anyone can see a flaw in this setup. Thanks!


The ring is woven into the harness by the way. Its not a sliding ring.
mazdon
mazdon
1199 posts
1199 posts
4 Nov 2016 12:59pm
hi dave

a friend of mine had the classic crash and out of control so fired safety, but wrapped tip (think kite was a bandit) or something and she was getting dragged underwater with death loops. happened in 25+ knots in brazil on a kite she was not super familiar with.
she had the safety attached to a buckle in the same spot as you've got there, and so was getting pulled side on underwater, but before she could release kite that buckle tore through the webbing.
it was an old harness, but still something worth considering ie. probably worth leaving there, cause if buckle goes, it might get you out of the ****. But downside could be a long swim in if it breaks when you are fairly controlled and thinking about relaunching.

cheers
maz
Dave Whettingsteel
Dave Whettingsteel
WA
1397 posts
WA, 1397 posts
4 Nov 2016 3:21pm
Thanks Maz, never thought about the strength of the ring atachment. As you say it could be a good thing if it ripped when you were in the **, but not if you werent! I think its attached to the same webbing as the rear thick grab line that people normally attach to, but will have a closer look.

Appreciate your comments!
glendog
glendog
QLD
520 posts
QLD, 520 posts
4 Nov 2016 5:55pm
Plummet said...
glendog said..
Mine is on the back. I had to release last year and it was no problem getting to it.


Its only not a problem unit its a problem. You have zero chance of getting a rear mounted safety if being dragged by a sizable wave. ZERO chance.
None. No chance. It will be impossible. You will drown in that worst case scenario.

If the wave is powerful enough its freaken hard to reach a front mounted safety!

Im in boots, im drowning anyway. And dead set its a piece of piss to pull the safety if its mounted on the back. Ever heard of roling over?
kiteflo
kiteflo
132 posts
132 posts
4 Nov 2016 4:06pm
2 weeks ago my long leash attached to the back got wrapped around one end of the bar. the result was a few (death)loops as I let the bar out. couldn't figure out what was going on for a while. had to pull the bar in to get out of trouble which was very counter intuitive.
have bought short leash since which is now attached on the front, much better setup IMO.
harry potter
harry potter
VIC
2777 posts
VIC, 2777 posts
4 Nov 2016 8:54pm
glendog said...
Plummet said...
glendog said..
Mine is on the back. I had to release last year and it was no problem getting to it.


Its only not a problem unit its a problem. You have zero chance of getting a rear mounted safety if being dragged by a sizable wave. ZERO chance.
None. No chance. It will be impossible. You will drown in that worst case scenario.

If the wave is powerful enough its freaken hard to reach a front mounted safety!

Im in boots, im drowning anyway. And dead set its a piece of piss to pull the safety if its mounted on the back. Ever heard of roling over?



Words of experience and inexperience !
cauncy
cauncy
WA
8407 posts
WA, 8407 posts
4 Nov 2016 8:22pm
FoS said...
I saw a vidoe a while ago, where someone was beingmdraged and couldn't get to their leash.

I guess it was in suicide mode and had no depower, but then she was dragged backwards and couldn't get to it.

So where do people attach their safety leash and why.




Watch Hadlow 5 time world champ
Getting a close drowning at Cape Town
If he was a couple of hundred Mtrs offshore he would be close to being gone
Possibly the most accomplished kiter with a huge array of technical tricks yet he couldn't simple pull his secondary
I'd say the front at worst your prominent hand hip
weebitbreezy
weebitbreezy
635 posts
635 posts
4 Nov 2016 8:57pm
cauncy said..

FoS said...
I saw a vidoe a while ago, where someone was beingmdraged and couldn't get to their leash.

I guess it was in suicide mode and had no depower, but then she was dragged backwards and couldn't get to it.

So where do people attach their safety leash and why.





Watch Hadlow 5 time world champ
Getting a close drowning at Cape Town
If he was a couple of hundred Mtrs offshore he would be close to being gone
Possibly the most accomplished kiter with a huge array of technical tricks yet he couldn't simple pull his secondary
I'd say the front at worst your prominent hand hip


Have you got a link to that (was it a long time ago)?

Hadlow normally (often?) rides with a front or side safety (often front mount to spreader bar back when he was with Flexi but looks like hip mount now with North).



You can see it at about 1:32


Leash attaches to his harness at the left hip
harry potter
harry potter
VIC
2777 posts
VIC, 2777 posts
5 Nov 2016 1:44pm
Karolina Winkowska being dragged backwards by the leash ......( about 2009 )


cauncy
cauncy
WA
8407 posts
WA, 8407 posts
5 Nov 2016 4:36pm
weebitbreezy said...
cauncy said..

FoS said...
I saw a vidoe a while ago, where someone was beingmdraged and couldn't get to their leash.

I guess it was in suicide mode and had no depower, but then she was dragged backwards and couldn't get to it.

So where do people attach their safety leash and why.





Watch Hadlow 5 time world champ
Getting a close drowning at Cape Town
If he was a couple of hundred Mtrs offshore he would be close to being gone
Possibly the most accomplished kiter with a huge array of technical tricks yet he couldn't simple pull his secondary
I'd say the front at worst your prominent hand hip


Have you got a link to that (was it a long time ago)?

Hadlow normally (often?) rides with a front or side safety (often front mount to spreader bar back when he was with Flexi but looks like hip mount now with North).



You can see it at about 1:32


Leash attaches to his harness at the left hip



From memory it was 3/4 years ago
Pretty sure it was on the kite show ,part of kite world mag, I'll try and look it up, great viewing though the kite show series
KiteBud
KiteBud
WA
1613 posts
WA, 1613 posts
5 Nov 2016 5:01pm
Dave Whettingsteel said..

am wondering if anyone can see a flaw in this setup. Thanks!




Hi Dave, I've had this D-Ring snap clean off from a few months old Ion/North harness before (while shooting a safety video). I'm hoping the stitching around it is made stronger now...but since this incident I use a very short leash attached to the hook
FoS
FoS
TAS
1664 posts
FoS FoS
TAS, 1664 posts
6 Nov 2016 6:50am
My small leash is no attached to the bar, next to where the strapping holds it to the harness.

Until i get bar passes this is where it will stay.

My impression from this thread, is lots of people have not a situation where they where being dragged full power backwards.
And until that situation hits, the leash at the back is fine.

Thanks everyone
KiteBud
KiteBud
WA
1613 posts
WA, 1613 posts
6 Nov 2016 11:09am
FoS said..

My impression from this thread, is lots of people have not a situation where they where being dragged full power backwards.
And until that situation hits, the leash at the back is fine.


That's like saying I won't wear my seatbelt in the car since I never had an accident....
Dave Whettingsteel
Dave Whettingsteel
WA
1397 posts
WA, 1397 posts
6 Nov 2016 5:56pm
cbulota said...
Dave Whettingsteel said..

am wondering if anyone can see a flaw in this setup. Thanks!




Hi Dave, I've had this D-Ring snap clean off from a few months old Ion/North harness before (while shooting a safety video). I'm hoping the stitching around it is made stronger now...but since this incident I use a very short leash attached to the hook


Thanks for passing on your experience Chris. Not good if the ring pools out when you dont want it too, but that is also not a bad thing in a crisis either.
I i worry a little about having too much stuff connected to the hook. That may be irrational, but it concerns me.
Again, appreciated

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