The very first surfboard leash was made from surgical cord that attached to the inventor's board with a suction cup. The innovator, Pat O'Neill, was so excited about the surfboard leash he had made that he gave them away to his competitors. He wanted to popularize the practice of leashing your surfboard to your ankle. Unfortunately, the leash he wore disqualified him from the competition he was competing in at the time, the Malibu International Surfing Competition.
Even though his controversial surfboard leashes left him out of contention in that competition, within a year using a surfboard leash was a common practice; one that continues to this day.
Leashes have come a long way since 1971, and now they offer quick releases and swivels to keep them from becoming tangled around your ankles. Different lengths, thicknesses and materials all have been innovations along the way.
Now a group of students from Santa Barbara City College hope they have invented the newest industry changing enhancement to the surfboard leash. They have designed a leash that self-adjusts to the correct length.
If this feature works well, it could quickly be snapped up by current leash makers because surfers want different lengths for their leashes depending on the size of the waves they are surfing, and big waves are known to stretch leashes. We wish them luck with their new invention and hope it finds a home in the industry.
When you are looking for surfboard leashes, please contact us. We have an incredible selection of surfboard leashes in our convenient online store.
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