Never on my 10'0; when its waist high or less never on my short boards. How bout you?

I only wear a leash when I skimboard or when I take my kid to the theme parks. 

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Only when I'm by myself... I would hate to be responsible for damage to someone's board or to a person.....fine way to ruin a day

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"Either way, ankle-shin or waist-chest - call it want you want.
I call it, I was happy." Sunrisesurfer

only when I'm by myself playing on the SUP on ankle to knee high stuff.

I only wear one when the surf is above my ability level (lots of water moving) or there are rocks.

IMHO surfing would be better off if everyone was forced to learn to control their boards and the moves they make in the water by not wearing a leash.  

Were there excessive injuries in the 1960's? I presume not...

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"Man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is" a.camus

A what?

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Wooden Boards for Iron Men

leg rope, he means "leg rope" Bill, you remember,

on a surfboard, it's the string attached to the hole drilled thru the fin 

and thence to the ankle of the surfer, you know, aussie style...

edit: forgot to say - choppy yes, glassy no

 

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add a signature since I'm here in profile anyway

Wear one always. Part of the equipment for me.

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I :heart; Q

Need two things:

1.  There is no chance a loose 5'8" epoxy ripstick will hurt someone.   

2.  When the waves are smaller/marginal.  If it is good and gasp if it ever barrels I hate spending time wrangling my board when that time can be spent riding waves.  That's just how I do.

  

When I forget it.

At my usual spot, I rarely see anyone without a leash. Last weekend I saw someone coming in to get his board and that stood out as being an unusual sight. Maybe we're all kooks at my spot.

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I :heart; Q

in bed

^^ I always wear one. I will never forget- about 9 years back when I was in high school I took a day trip all the way up to ft. Pierce inlet. Waves were no bigger than thigh high on sets. There was this guy that caught a wave on a longboard without a leash and then jumped off the wave on purpose. The board kept going with the wave though. There was this young girl about my age at the time, high school, in knee deep water bent over rinsing her face off and didn't see the board coming. I was sitting about 20 feet behind her to her 7 o'clock. The board hit her square in the nose. Blood everywhere. Her nose looked like it had been flattened like a pancake. The guy that the board belonged to came and quickly said 'are you okay?' (She clearly wasn't) and ran back out into the water. Only if i was a bit older back then.. Lifeguard responded pretty quickly though. After that I always wore a leash no matter how small the waves were and feel that people that don't wear leashes are being irresponsible and putting themselves and other people at risk for injury. All to what? Look cool. Kind of like people riding a bike without a helmet. Glad i saw this topic

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Welcome to lake SoBe
www.dadecosurf.com

If its breaking on shore no need for a leash. if I forget it, then im going without one. I like to wear one normally so I don't have to chase it.

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THANK YOU!!! Inventions are great- they improve safety. Those who want a throwback, wear a retro Hawaiian shirt. I've caught plenty of riderless boards in the surf, only to find they belonged to accomplished surfers, so the argument that you're good enough to surf without one will never hold water with me.
It's a piece of equipment that's part of the sport now. Too cool for it? Maybe your lawyer will listen to your surf stories.

no leash if its under waist high, but some days after a few hours of swimming and constant surfing i've wished I had one

Funniest thing I've heard in a while. Thanks for the great laugh!

pretty much whenever I ride a longboard.

these days I'm on a VERY tight leash...  

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"Don't count the days, make the days count." -Ali
#rydyrstrong

Edited: 07/24/2014 at 04:52 PM by CERTON

I used to very rarely wear a leash unless it got a little larger than I was used to, and on trips. Then after I reached a certain age I am just to lazy and out of shape to chase the board if I were to loose it....so now I wear my leash 100% of the time, with all boards.

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What? Really? I missed it? Oh..I should have been here yesterday!