Jun 30, 2022

Why you should use a SUP leash when stand up paddling!

Warum du eine SUP Leash beim Stand Up Paddling verwenden solltest!

To practice stand up paddling, you really don't need much: a SUP board, a paddle, and a body of water. In this article, you will learn why a SUP leash is an absolute essential for every stand up paddler's standard equipment, why you shouldn't go without one, and which types of SUP leashes are used on different bodies of water.

Is stand up paddling dangerous?

Many people who haven't tried stand up paddling yet ask themselves if this water sport is dangerous. On a windless day on a lake with nice weather and pleasant water temperatures, stand up paddling is arguably one of the most harmless sports that can be practiced in the water. However, if you think of flowing water or the sea, the dangers of stand up paddling increase. But before you think about tours in flowing water or Atlantic waves, you must master the basics and techniques of stand up paddling as if in your sleep.

Stand up paddling becomes dangerous, however, if you don't have the appropriate safety equipment with you and, for example, paddle without a SUP leash. You fall off the board, are underwater, and briefly lose your orientation. When you resurface, the light wind has already drifted your SUP a few meters away from you, and you are not swimming fast enough to reach the board again.

In the best-case scenario, you are not far from the shore – in the worst-case, you are in the middle of a lake and dependent on help. This scenario can be easily prevented by using a suitable SUP leash, and you won't even find yourself in a situation where the stand up paddle board drifts away from you. A suitable SUP leash is part of the basic equipment for every paddler and should be used from the very beginning, so that you internalize its use and don't even think about going on the water without one.

What is a SUP leash?

In stand up paddling, a leash is a tether that is attached to your body – depending on the design – at the ankle, below the knee, or by means of a waist belt. It prevents your SUP board from drifting away from you if you fall off the board.

If you fall off the board and it drifts away from you, you lose your "swimming aid" and your "buoy" for emergencies. Losing a SUP paddle is not quite as bad, because you can lie on your board and paddle back to the shore like a surfer. However, if you no longer have a board because you didn't use a leash, you have to swim back to the shore yourself, and that can lead to serious problems depending on the distance and conditions.

That's why a SUP leash is mandatory equipment for every stand up paddler!

What types of SUP leashes are there?

Depending on the SUP discipline you practice, you must make sure to use the right leash. It makes a difference whether you are paddling on a lake, on a river, or in the sea, because the dangers vary and the requirements for the SUP leash change accordingly.

The right SUP leash for the lake

For the lake, you should use a coiled leash. Some SUP manufacturers include this very leash for calm waters when you purchase a SUP board. You attach this SUP leash to your ankle using a Velcro fastener and ankle cuff – not too tight, but not too loose either, so that your foot cannot slip out in the event of a fall. It is up to you which foot you attach the SUP leash to. Once you have practiced turns and found out which foot you stand on in front, you can attach the SUP leash to the foot that traditionally stays in the back. This way, you run no risk of the SUP leash hindering you during a turn.

Alternatively, there are SUP leashes that can be attached below your knee, or even leashes with a waist belt.

The right SUP leash for the sea

If you are ready to venture into the first waves in the sea with an all-round or wave SUP, you need a different leash than for a lake. Coiled leashes – whether standard or with a waist belt – are not suitable for stand up paddling in the sea, as the board could "shoot back" and possibly hit you on the head.

SUP leashes for use in the sea are similar to leashes for surfboards, but the length of the tether must be adjusted to the length of your SUP board and should be as long as your board.

The right SUP leash for flowing water

On flowing water, the greatest danger when you fall from a SUP board is that the SUP leash gets wrapped around an obstacle in the water and pulls you under. On flowing water, coiled leashes with a waist belt are used, which feature an emergency release so that you can completely separate yourself from the board in an emergency with one quick move. Regular coiled leashes or surf leashes are not suitable for this use. Furthermore, in flowing water such as whitewater or streams, you should also wear a life jacket and a helmet, and bring plenty of paddling experience.

Conclusion on the SUP leash

Using a SUP leash makes the sport much safer, and you can easily avoid unnecessary risks while stand up paddling! At Glory Boards, when you buy your SUP board, you receive a comfortably padded SUP safety coiled leash for free!