If you’re into Downwind Paddling Unlimited 14ft - 19ft ocean SUP’s Balin are now producing the DOWNWIND LEGROPE yes the Downwind Legrope I love the name.
The Downwind leg rope is only 25 inches in length from rail saver to the ankle strap & will stretch up to 6½ft - 7ft. STOKED
Keen Points
1. Just sits on your SUP
2. No more tail drag
3. Doesn’t get tangled around your feet when changing from balance stance to surf stance when on a ocean runner due to the coil
4. Great for legrope plug in centre of your unlimited SUP
If you’re serious about ocean Downwind Paddling ring BALIN 03 5986 6069 ask for the Downwind Legrope retails around $50
See ya in da ocean
DW
Just sit on your SUP
No more tail drag
Only 25 inches in length
Over time, with a fair amount of use, the inside of the coil will get little hair-line cracks, which lead to leash failure.
Obviously, the inside of the coil is shorter than the outside of the coil, and when you stretch it out straight, the inside of the coil if far more "stressed out" than the outside.
Just something to watch out for in the longer term.....
Another thing to watch out for, is the short piece of chord which connects the leash to the board (or board plug). Sand can get trapped in the chord, and constant wearing against the stainless steel pin in the plug, can lead towards fraying of that chord, and chord breakage.....
We've seen the (2nd) worst case scenario of leash failure in heavy down wind conditions.
Nobody want to see the THE worst case scenario. Check your equipment, and have other back-up plans in place.
like to see how you would go with your legrope connected in the middle of your 17 foot board in 25 knots. see if ya can harden the f up then........
Very nice.. John at Balin has been great with me and always happy to do all this new stuff.. It's interesting that with that set-up you'd put the cuff on your front foot.. and not the rear foot like a normal leggie.
IMO.. that set-up would be fine for most flat water and gental down-winding conditions but when it gets wilder I'd be wanting a longer leggie that's attached to the rear like normal one so in a big fall I can fall well away from the board.
Also being 6'4" tall just treading water beside the board this type leggie would be streatched to near it's max.. Have you found it to be long enough?
DJ
not worried about the curly wurly leg rope.
its putting the attachment up the board thats dwnright dangerous.
if you want to see how it goes, take your 17 foot board out in some surf and jump in amongst the breaking waves.
then you see why they should attach toward the tail.......
DW, that might correct for some places. Ok if its definetly pretty flat.
What if you are halfway down your downwinder and have an injury and have to make you way to land and the only way in is through the surf?
What if the seas rise quickly and you find yourself in 40-50knts? Its just like surf, isnt it DJ......
Come on think?
Thanks Downwinder. I was just putting a little warning out there to observe your equipment. The coil style is good. Some manufacturers have been doing larger coils.
I think the leash is a touch short for someone like DJ.
But I prefer a normal straight leash, heavy duty. Yes, it drags out the back, but I maintain the leash does not slow you down.
I'll do my 400m course tonight a few times tonight, with different fins, and with & without leash, and get back to you here.
I'm using a 10ft leash on the 14 Naish. You stand about 7' up the board, so it only leaves a 1'6" (2x1'6") loop in the water. I've never had an issue with standing/tripping on the normal leash.
If you watch this video just only look at the Downwind Legrope in action doing its thing. Naish I guess have not done it. Put a legrope plug in middle of the board because in Hawaii don't like to copy one another designe. But if you look at two Australian SUP companies they've copied the SIC rudder system where as Naish have designed there own. & I think the Naish rudder system is better than the SIC. But me personaly I beleive SIC make the best Downwind boards on the planet (way ahead of the rest).
Thanks for this post Downwinder - I will definately be moving across to this Balin leggie as it looks really good.
I have moved over to a system where I have my leggie on my front foot (my left rudder foot) and I am liking it. When I get to the wave zone (if there is one) I then move it back to my back foot.
No matter where you put the leggie you do not want it to be long. Any leg rope in the water is a potential snag and it will get caught in your rudder system eventually. The coil leg rope enables you to have all of the leg rope on the board and will also give you some extension.
Yer maybe one day I race ya.
Only been in one race, the Robe Inurgrial challenge, top class field too and yep, you guessed it, I won......
Pretty good pace but I think, 22mins for just under 5km.
Won't be connecting my leg rope in the middle.
You know its a big world out there and there is always someone else out there who is faster......
Thanks Downwinder for letting us know that this legrope is available - i'd like to give one a try. I've been using one of the half coil/half straight leggies which I find much better than a straight one as there's not nearly so much drag, but being attached to the tail, it still stretches out a long way if you fall off and can take a bit to pull the board back in if you fall off in strong winds.
Geez the modesty on these forums blows me away.
Has anyone ever heard of the word Humility???
Sorry to sound negative (especially after my boogie board comment) but I skimmed through the video and didn't see you fall off at all. Do you have some footage of the leash actually doing stuff?
Im starting to like this idea of the leggie attached in the middle of the board. If you were to fall off and the leggie did break you would still have around 1/2 a board length to catch the board before it gets away from you (once it is gone you won't catch it!). When its attached to the back of the board there is no room for error if it breaks at full stretch - the board will be gone. I think I might try this out...
Agreed Jed. I run a fixed fin with plenty of rake, so I've never had the trouble of it catching the leash.
I never said, "forget the coil" though. Just watch out for the cracks, maybe 2+ years down the track. Also, for all SUP users, regularly check that little piece of chord between the board, and any leash.
Let the time trials begin.... about to head off !!
I reckon the balin leg ropes are a great idea, thanks for posting downwind - I'll get myself one.
BTW if I ever get myself in any more trouble on this forum in the future will you bat for me?
I meant to say "leash drag does not slow you 'very much'..."
Tests tonight were showed maybe 2-3 seconds over 400m. Hard to tell with fatigue.
So I would say, enough difference for serious racing, but probably not enough difference for a leisurely paddle with your mates. Unless you and your mates are deadly serious about beating each other !! 
Simon
