Legropes
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Its a long long time since I bought one but I would always buy O&E.Ghecko has always done top quality stuff.
I used to be O&E all the way but had a couple of Dakines and go well.
This is not an ad but FCS Freedom Helix are the best imo. Nate Florence reckons he's never broken one.
The only thing is the release loop is too small and very difficult to pull if you're wearing gloves, but apart from that, I highly rate them.
supafreak's Leggie Haunt / swellnet's makeshift Surf Leash Hangout!
Wrangles up all yer Loose Leggie Language into one dodgy Retractable Rig.
Mind the recoil...That's a double triple Ouch!
Leggies (Tech / Reviews)
April 2016 Your Fav' Surf Leash https://www.swellnet.com/comment/509289
June 2016 Leash Durability https://www.swellnet.com/forums/wax/324696
Sept 2016 (Tech) https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-dispatch/2016/09/07/silver-cord-h...
Aug 2017 (Tech) https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-dispatch/2017/08/31/new-tournique...
Sept 2017 Leggie (vs) Leash https://www.swellnet.com/comment/553364
April 2020 Legropes https://www.swellnet.com/comment/724926
June 2020 Best Leash? https://www.swellnet.com/comment/676591
Aug 2024 (Tech) https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-dispatch/2024/08/05/introducing-t...
June 2025 Legropes (Hangout) https://www.swellnet.com/comment/1083490#comment-1083490
You are hanging about here...at Supafreak's Leggie Haunt
Leashes (Breaks)
Feb 2018 https://www.swellnet.com/forums/wax/387984
Feb 2018 https://www.swellnet.com/comment/563903
https://www.swellnet.com/news/surfpolitik/2018/03/27/should-legropes-break
Leggies (Safety Law)
https://www.swellnet.com/news/surfpolitik/2013/03/25/longboarders-legrop...
https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-dispatch/2014/11/28/cool-down-pac...
Byron Bay By-Law
https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-dispatch/2018/07/19/surfing-witho...
https://www.swellnet.com/news/surfpolitik/2019/02/25/legropes-and-the-law
https://www.facebook.com/swellnet/posts/if-you-surf-without-a-legrope-an...
https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-dispatch/2023/02/18/calls-legrope...
https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-dispatch/2023/04/06/legrope-war-l...
https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-dispatch/2023/04/24/proposed-legr...
https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-dispatch/2023/04/27/byron-shire-c...
FCS freedom helix for me. Expensive but I've never broken one and never had the velcro go either. When you're surfing rocks all the time, it's really expensive to lose a board to the rocks unless low tide and you get lucky. I used to buy cheap leggies but it was misplaced. I once lost a board forever using a crappy leash
Ive had the same problem with Dakine leashes, brand new 7ft leash blown off my ankle 1st surf, used it a few more times and same thing happened again the lip blew it off again, gave that one away and just recently i used a 6ft one and same thing happened the lip blew it off my ankle, will be giving that away. Will only use O&E premium leashes and the stay covered hand tied leashes from now on. Those 2 are by far the best on the market.
danielemslie wrote:Ive had the same problem with Dakine leashes, brand new 7ft leash blown off my ankle 1st surf, used it a few more times and same thing happened again the lip blew it off again, gave that one away and just recently i used a 6ft one and same thing happened the lip blew it off my ankle, will be giving that away. Will only use O&E premium leashes and the stay covered hand tied leashes from now on. Those 2 are by far the best on the market.
Thanks for replying , so not bad luck on my part , yeah 4 times in 6 months with weak and semi powerful waves isn’t good enough. I will stick with the new O&E premium. Might trial the FCS when these ones have done their time although it happened to a guy last week on a 3 ft wave and I asked him how old was his leash and it was a brand new FCS top of the range .
Have had the exact same issues with Dakine (as well as others with similar construction) ... Maybe don't give it away just yet - the leash is fantastic....It is the cuff release that I believe is the issue... Great design (light / good grip / cheaper) when in the shop, but has a practical issue in reality.
The 'finger loop' where you pull off and release the leash cuff is almost a closed loop and acts basically as a fabric anchor. If the water (lip / whitewash) bounces or hits it at just the right angle it fills with water and immediately rips off. The hook and loop (we can't call it velcro ;)) could also be a bit stronger..
So maybe switch out just the cuff and replace with another cuff with a 'fixed' finger loop - either a fabric or plastic one - where the loop remains open and impossible to catch water
(similar to our Summer vibes leashes )
https://www.summer-vibes.com.au/collections/leashes
examples of DK-v-SV below;
[DK]
[Summer vibes]
cheers!
Branchy...
Thanks for that info , very helpful.
Can you cut a slit in the "finger loop" to allow the water through?
seaslug wrote:Can you cut a slit in the "finger loop" to allow the water through?
For sure that will ease the issue of the loop catching water. If you cut it all the way that will alleviate the issue, however it may be slightly harder to undo the leash in an emergency...
haha, think I will stick to either Creatures or O&E
I'm taking your s-wings futures PRO440 Orange to Maldives, going to try them out in my 6'6 Webster Wacko thruster
seaslug wrote:haha, think I will stick to either Creatures or O&E
All good. Whichever brand you go with, I'd suggest you go with an open loop (as seen on the Summer vibes versions - as they catch less water) , rather than the folded style (By folded I mean like the yellow one above or the red one below)...
Enjoy the trip!!
I’m sure there is a leggie thread somewhere but I couldn’t find it . I usually give my legropes away after 12 months . I was using O&E leggie for awhile but after a few broke off at the join ( older model ) I switched to dakine which I had used once before and found them to be a good product . In the last 6 months however on 2 occasions in weak waves the whitewater has been enough to blow the leash from my ankle . I put this down to the velcro deteriorating and gave the leash away , wasn’t more than 6 months old . On two other occasions in 6 foot waves , the impact of the lip on to my ankle has blown it off . This never used to happen and I’m not sure if it’s the quality of the velcro isn’t as good or just unlucky . I’ve since switched back to O&E as their new leashes are supposedly all one piece . Anyone had similar issues with velcro ? I know the majority of brands get china to make their products .