Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

The danger of leashes

Forum for kitesurfers
User avatar
Toby
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 50281
Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2001 1:00 am
Kiting since: 2000
Weight: 95 kg
Local Beach: Cumbuco, Brazil
Barra do Cauipe, Brazil
Favorite Beaches: same
Style: Airstyle
Gear: Rebel 2015 18
Brand Affiliation: None.
Location: World (KF Admin)
Has thanked: 826 times
Been thanked: 2354 times
Contact:

The danger of leashes

Postby Toby » Sat Feb 15, 2014 6:33 pm

I already heard that this can happen...but now I saw a photo.
This happened to Nigel Walker after an unhooked kiteloop, the bar got pulled out of his hands.
And somehow the leash got stuck in his arm. They had to ultrasound it to get it out and not hurt anything.

Manufacturers, please make it as safe as possible for us!
Attachments
leash 2.png
leash 2.png (438.42 KiB) Viewed 3232 times

BWD
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 3848
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2003 3:37 am
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 81 times

Re: The danger of leashes

Postby BWD » Sat Feb 15, 2014 7:24 pm

So. 10 years ago a lot of leashes had snap hooks instead of carabiner hooks. They broke in bad crashes so no good when handle passes got popular. They switched to carabiner style instead of using larger, more expensive snap hooks.
New style is more convenient but also works as a meat hook.
It would be better to go back to snap hooks but stronger.
An alternative could be to larkshead all leash connections except the QR itself so if you needed to undo it quickly you would have to use the QR.
the topic comes up every year...

User avatar
NYKiter
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2057
Joined: Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:17 pm
Style: Wave
Gear: .
Has thanked: 11 times
Been thanked: 26 times

Re: The danger of leashes

Postby NYKiter » Sat Feb 15, 2014 7:36 pm

WOW
I use this instead, much easier to clip in during solo launches...

Image

tomatkins
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1123
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2004 11:53 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: The danger of leashes

Postby tomatkins » Sat Feb 15, 2014 7:41 pm

The shackle was snapped onto the ring, and the ring was attached to: ?

tomatkins
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1123
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2004 11:53 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: The danger of leashes

Postby tomatkins » Sat Feb 15, 2014 7:43 pm

The trigger shap shackles like the one shown here were the ones that either broke or jammed open and this is why they went to the kind of shackles that can "fishhook" into hands, arms, etc.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2354084

http://www.nwkite.com/forums/t-10753.html

Which brand for new kite leash?

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2354084
Last edited by tomatkins on Sat Feb 15, 2014 7:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.

BWD
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 3848
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2003 3:37 am
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 81 times

Re: The danger of leashes

Postby BWD » Sat Feb 15, 2014 7:55 pm

They switched to carabiner style instead of using larger, more expensive snap hooks.
Snap hooks as well as carabiners are available in many sizes.
Bigger or better metal would not break. But nothing's perfect.

User avatar
nikalaitzian
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 721
Joined: Tue May 01, 2007 1:11 pm
Kiting since: 1999
Local Beach: Loutsa Nissakia,Oropos,Vouliagmeni
Style: wave,bigair,megaloops,hydrofoil,wingfoil
Gear: Epic kites,BTS kiteboards,cohete surfboards,SAB,GAC hydrofoils
Brand Affiliation: Epic Kites,GAC
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 5 times

Re: The danger of leashes

Postby nikalaitzian » Sat Feb 15, 2014 8:15 pm

i saw Hadlow using this 6 years ago.since then i havent changed a shackle...a bit difficult to attach but super strong and safe...oh i forgot to mention that the "sausage" type leashes are the only ones that are safe..a co kiter lost his thump when the leash got it with an "under" the line knot :shake:
Attachments
wichard-swivel-eye-snap-shackle-hr-main.jpg
wichard-swivel-eye-snap-shackle-hr-main.jpg (28.56 KiB) Viewed 3067 times

boardjockey
Medium Poster
Posts: 102
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2013 5:27 pm
Local Beach: MAUI
Style: all
Gear: Cabrinha, Naish, North, Ozone
Location: Maui
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: The danger of leashes

Postby boardjockey » Sat Feb 15, 2014 8:36 pm

ouch! that has got to hurt like hell. this can also happen in free climbing on rare occasions. i have heard stories of lead climbers left dangling by the achilles after a fall.

I like my Cabrinha leash… no carabiner

matth
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2135
Joined: Wed Apr 03, 2013 1:18 pm
Local Beach: Revere, Nahant, Chapin, West Dennis, Hardings , Kalmus, First Encounter, Dog, yerril, Wing
Favorite Beaches: Wing, West Dennis, Kalmus, Chapin, Revere, Nahant, Dog, Horse Neck, Good Harbor, Yerrill
Style: Freeride
Gear: 7m Slash, 10m Pivot, 10m Slash, 12m Pivot. Firewire Vadar, Duotone Profish, Crazyfly Raptor ltd
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 81 times
Been thanked: 100 times

Re: The danger of leashes

Postby matth » Sat Feb 15, 2014 10:05 pm

Norths leash has a rubber boot that you can slid up to cover snap hook. I will have to make a mental note to always slid into position.

longwhitecloud
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 3676
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2009 3:15 am
Style: Master Baiter. Oracle of windsport.
Gear: 2 sets of Flysurfer VMGs 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 15, 18. Foilboards ( Masts 75 90 110 125 Wings 880 950 1100 1350 1750) all with Ronix Ones attached. Soon to retire to Wingfoiling.
Has thanked: 108 times
Been thanked: 175 times

Re: The danger of leashes

Postby longwhitecloud » Sun Feb 16, 2014 5:57 am

jeez... lock in that hook huh

i got a pic of me like that in similar position about to be stitched up after leash wrapped my arm and "peeled" off about 10cm2 of my arm skin and fat - just muscle showing bleeding everywhere..i dont advise it ..has cause long term problems....


Return to “Kitesurfing”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Majestic-12 [Bot], vp, Windalex and 130 guests