I saw a vidoe a while ago, where someone was beingmdraged and couldn't get to their leash.
I guess it was in suicide mode and had no depower, but then she was dragged backwards and couldn't get to it.
So where do people attach their safety leash and why.
IMO if you aren't doing handle passes then you are putting yourself at pointless risk attaching your leash to the back of your harness....
I see so many new kiters with their leashes attached to the slider/handle at the back of the harness because 'thats where others put it'
Test it out with your mates, try pulling them hard by their harness at the back, see how hard it is to find the release.. Then imagine that underwater or being washed in waves.
I was smashed by the rear attachment of a leach once - i released to safety but the lines were twisted and it didn't go, spun me around and dragged me backwards through the water - thankfully after a couple of loops, the kite dragged a wing tip on the water which allowed it towards the window edge and I was able to turn around and get it sorted.
I can confirm that once I was turned around i couldn't reach the 2nd release - Been using a short leach hooked on the front ever since and will never go back...
Select to expand quotetgcp said..
IMO if you aren't doing handle passes then you are putting yourself at pointless risk attaching your leash to the back of your harness....
I see so many new kiters with their leashes attached to the slider/handle at the back of the harness because 'thats where others put it'
Test it out with your mates, try pulling them hard by their harness at the back, see how hard it is to find the release.. Then imagine that underwater or being washed in waves.
+1
Short leash attached to the front of your harness is as safe as it gets.
Definitely front!! If you don't have a point to attach it to, you can attach it to the spreader bar.
Super safe, and what you crash unhooked you are getting pulled from the front rather then the back!!!!!!!!
Thanks.
I found this also
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/Short-vs-long-safety-leashes/
Odd that the IKO is stillgoing for the rear mount leash
Select to expand quoteFoS said..
Thanks.
I found this also
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/Short-vs-long-safety-leashes/
Odd that the IKO is stillgoing for the rear mount leash
Not odd at all.
long leash is handy to make a bundle out of your kite and bar to catch the bus home after a downwinder.. If not for that I'd go a short leash.
Select to expand quoteDl33ta said...
long leash is handy to make a bundle out of your kite and bar to catch the bus home after a downwinder.. If not for that I'd go a short leash.
Use your harness instead 
Got the boardshort harness, things could get embarresing if I took those off for a bus ride 
Even unhooking, when you first start learning tricks, if you attach it to the front and then wrap it in the opposite direction you are going to pass, then at least if you miss the pass the leash will pull you through the rotation so you can land on your board.
Front, if you doing handle passes get a long leash.....left or right side depending on which handed your are.....! 
Hey Peeps,
Many of the big brands are now shipping their bars with a short leash and the longer handle pass leash is becoming an upgrade or option. If your brand doesn't come with a short leash and you aren't handle passing, then drop into your local friendly retailer and choose a short one that they stock. You can even get advice as to how and where to set it up on your harness.
DM
Mine is on the back. I had to release last year and it was no problem getting to it.
Select to expand quoteglendog said..
Mine is on the back. I had to release last year and it was no problem getting to it.
Its only not a problem unit its a problem. You have zero chance of getting a rear mounted safety if being dragged by a sizable wave. ZERO chance.
None. No chance. It will be impossible. You will drown in that worst case scenario.
If the wave is powerful enough its freaken hard to reach a front mounted safety!
I attach my safety to the ring on my left hip so i can always grab with my left hand if needed. Been a long time since i have used the safety in earnest so am wondering if anyone can see a flaw in this setup. Thanks!
The ring is woven into the harness by the way. Its not a sliding ring.
hi dave
a friend of mine had the classic crash and out of control so fired safety, but wrapped tip (think kite was a bandit) or something and she was getting dragged underwater with death loops. happened in 25+ knots in brazil on a kite she was not super familiar with.
she had the safety attached to a buckle in the same spot as you've got there, and so was getting pulled side on underwater, but before she could release kite that buckle tore through the webbing.
it was an old harness, but still something worth considering ie. probably worth leaving there, cause if buckle goes, it might get you out of the ****. But downside could be a long swim in if it breaks when you are fairly controlled and thinking about relaunching.
cheers
maz
Thanks Maz, never thought about the strength of the ring atachment. As you say it could be a good thing if it ripped when you were in the **, but not if you werent! I think its attached to the same webbing as the rear thick grab line that people normally attach to, but will have a closer look.
Appreciate your comments!
Select to expand quotePlummet said...glendog said..
Mine is on the back. I had to release last year and it was no problem getting to it.
Its only not a problem unit its a problem. You have zero chance of getting a rear mounted safety if being dragged by a sizable wave. ZERO chance.
None. No chance. It will be impossible. You will drown in that worst case scenario.
If the wave is powerful enough its freaken hard to reach a front mounted safety!
Im in boots, im drowning anyway. And dead set its a piece of piss to pull the safety if its mounted on the back. Ever heard of roling over?
2 weeks ago my long leash attached to the back got wrapped around one end of the bar. the result was a few (death)loops as I let the bar out. couldn't figure out what was going on for a while. had to pull the bar in to get out of trouble which was very counter intuitive.
have bought short leash since which is now attached on the front, much better setup IMO.
Select to expand quoteglendog said...Plummet said...glendog said..
Mine is on the back. I had to release last year and it was no problem getting to it.
Its only not a problem unit its a problem. You have zero chance of getting a rear mounted safety if being dragged by a sizable wave. ZERO chance.
None. No chance. It will be impossible. You will drown in that worst case scenario.
If the wave is powerful enough its freaken hard to reach a front mounted safety!
Im in boots, im drowning anyway. And dead set its a piece of piss to pull the safety if its mounted on the back. Ever heard of roling over?
Words of experience and inexperience !
Select to expand quoteFoS said...
I saw a vidoe a while ago, where someone was beingmdraged and couldn't get to their leash.
I guess it was in suicide mode and had no depower, but then she was dragged backwards and couldn't get to it.
So where do people attach their safety leash and why.
Watch Hadlow 5 time world champ
Getting a close drowning at Cape Town
If he was a couple of hundred Mtrs offshore he would be close to being gone
Possibly the most accomplished kiter with a huge array of technical tricks yet he couldn't simple pull his secondary
I'd say the front at worst your prominent hand hip
Select to expand quotecauncy said..FoS said...
I saw a vidoe a while ago, where someone was beingmdraged and couldn't get to their leash.
I guess it was in suicide mode and had no depower, but then she was dragged backwards and couldn't get to it.
So where do people attach their safety leash and why.
Watch Hadlow 5 time world champ
Getting a close drowning at Cape Town
If he was a couple of hundred Mtrs offshore he would be close to being gone
Possibly the most accomplished kiter with a huge array of technical tricks yet he couldn't simple pull his secondary
I'd say the front at worst your prominent hand hip
Have you got a link to that (was it a long time ago)?
Hadlow normally (often?) rides with a front or side safety (often front mount to spreader bar back when he was with Flexi but looks like hip mount now with North).
Select to expand quoteweebitbreezy said...cauncy said..FoS said...
I saw a vidoe a while ago, where someone was beingmdraged and couldn't get to their leash.
I guess it was in suicide mode and had no depower, but then she was dragged backwards and couldn't get to it.
So where do people attach their safety leash and why.
Watch Hadlow 5 time world champ
Getting a close drowning at Cape Town
If he was a couple of hundred Mtrs offshore he would be close to being gone
Possibly the most accomplished kiter with a huge array of technical tricks yet he couldn't simple pull his secondary
I'd say the front at worst your prominent hand hip
Have you got a link to that (was it a long time ago)?
Hadlow normally (often?) rides with a front or side safety (often front mount to spreader bar back when he was with Flexi but looks like hip mount now with North).
You can see it at about 1:32
Leash attaches to his harness at the left hip
From memory it was 3/4 years ago
Pretty sure it was on the kite show ,part of kite world mag, I'll try and look it up, great viewing though the kite show series
Select to expand quoteDave Whettingsteel said..
am wondering if anyone can see a flaw in this setup. Thanks!
Hi Dave, I've had this D-Ring snap clean off from a few months old Ion/North harness before (while shooting a safety video). I'm hoping the stitching around it is made stronger now...but since this incident I use a very short leash attached to the hook
My small leash is no attached to the bar, next to where the strapping holds it to the harness.
Until i get bar passes this is where it will stay.
My impression from this thread, is lots of people have not a situation where they where being dragged full power backwards.
And until that situation hits, the leash at the back is fine.
Thanks everyone
Select to expand quoteFoS said..
My impression from this thread, is lots of people have not a situation where they where being dragged full power backwards.
And until that situation hits, the leash at the back is fine.
That's like saying I won't wear my seatbelt in the car since I never had an accident.... 
Select to expand quotecbulota said...Dave Whettingsteel said..
am wondering if anyone can see a flaw in this setup. Thanks!
Hi Dave, I've had this D-Ring snap clean off from a few months old Ion/North harness before (while shooting a safety video). I'm hoping the stitching around it is made stronger now...but since this incident I use a very short leash attached to the hook
Thanks for passing on your experience Chris. Not good if the ring pools out when you dont want it too, but that is also not a bad thing in a crisis either.
I i worry a little about having too much stuff connected to the hook. That may be irrational, but it concerns me.
Again, appreciated
