# board leashes



## Chris (Feb 6, 2012)

i was wondering if you guys use board leashes, i used to but they always got in the way. I heard at some ski resorts you cant ride with out them


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## nickwarrenn (Feb 11, 2011)

I did when I started but then again, I also memorized the skier alpine code.

After my first week, no.


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## Pow?POW! (Dec 22, 2011)

na their pointless, and luckily there's no place by me that requires them either.


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## jely1990 (Dec 30, 2011)

I do cause the resort I go to requires them.


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## nickwarrenn (Feb 11, 2011)

jely1990 said:


> I do cause the resort I go to requires them.


Do they check for them?


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## Ttam (Jan 20, 2010)

Fuck no. You think I want my 700 dollar setup running downhill into a tree? I can manage.


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## jely1990 (Dec 30, 2011)

nickwarrenn said:


> Do they check for them?


No, but it's in their rules so I'd rather not go through the hassle of not having one and ski patrol noticing and stopping me.


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## IdahoFreshies (Jul 9, 2011)

been discussed numerous times, but generally it is almost redundant, so unless you are brand new and listen to what the man at the rental shop said and use it or your nazi mountain requires it (most dont) most people here dont use them. along with being a hassle to take on and off, another thing i dont like about em that i dont hear mentioned too much is that if you are riding the deep and your feet sink or get stuck or fall in a tree well or whatever and your board is buried on snow and you need to get it off, the clip on the leash can be a massive pain in the ass to find and un clip with your board under 2+ feet of snow.


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## djsaad1 (Nov 7, 2008)

I was in argentina a couple years ago and they wouldn't let me up until I got a leash, it was quite obnoxious.


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## mtl20 (Feb 8, 2012)

i do, my mountain require it and they do check for them, my friend last year had to go back buy one. Never understood the purpose of it to be honest.


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## RJRJRJ (Feb 12, 2012)

I dont use one because its a pain in the ass to use, especially with gloves on. A couple of weeks ago though, I was on the mountain and somebody's board got loose. That think went flying downhill faster than I would have ever imagined. It hit a small jump and went flying through the air and hit the side of a building. Could have easily killed somebody if it hit them.


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## rc_moe2000 (Oct 1, 2011)

It depends on where you are at. I don't ride with one on my board, but I keep one in my pocket just in case. That way you don't have to go to the resort shop and buy one for $8-$10. But I have found most hills in Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois require you to have one. I was even stopped in Holiday Valley for not having one.


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## MarshallV82 (Apr 6, 2011)

That has nothing to do with a leash, if some douche takes his board off he'll take the leash off too.
They are stupid, period.


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## nickwarrenn (Feb 11, 2011)

I saw an awesome leash a few years back, I forget the name though. Anyway, it was corded and stretchy, and attached around your skin so you could carry your board around without having to take the leash off. Pretty cool I thought.


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## glm (Aug 12, 2011)

MarshallV82 said:


> That has nothing to do with a leash, if some douche takes his board off he'll take the leash off too.
> They are stupid, period.


Echoing what you said. How is there a purpose for leashes? if your binding broke, it would slip off, if you have just got off of the gondola, you can't have your board behind you like a ball and chain, and no other scenario I could think of makes use of the leash. Sounds like someone ho knows nothing about snowboarding made that rule...


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## volboy23 (Nov 30, 2010)

I think anybody smart enough should be able to deal without having one. I did see one dumba** this past weekend who probably should of had one, although as the comment above noted he might have taken it off as well. I was coming down a black trail, so the people should know what they are doing, and see a guy on the side messing with his board. I just figured he was checking the bindings where he fell and was going to get up, next thing I know his board is sliding down the hill. We both watched and hoped it would jump the side of the trail and run into a ditch, but no such luck. It kept bouncing in the trail and ended up running about a 100 yards down the slope when it hit a skier in the ankles and took him out. It is a good thing they have solid boots, otherwise his ankles would have been done. The board kept going and made it another 100 yards to the bottom of the trail. This is the only case where I have seen issues with someone losing their board. The skier ended up being fine, just got up and dusted himself off and rolled on with his day. I didn't see what happened to the boarder, but hopefully they gave him the boot for the day, this was on the second run of the morning after open.


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## aiidoneus (Apr 7, 2011)

Anyone responsible enough to properly use a snowboard lease is also most likely responsible enough to make sure if they take off their board they don't lay it flat based at the top of a run.

From time to time I see people that have a leash and want to adjust their boots or something, sure enough they end up taking the leash off anyway.

You could argue that even responsible people make mistakes, and it may prevent it. But, I think 9/10 it is some monkey who would have found a way to toss the board down the hill even if it was super glued to their feet.


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## Snowrat (Jan 3, 2012)

The basic history is that they were necessary when there was a "movement" toward the old step-in / quick release bindings. I see some of them out there still. Leashes are most definitely necessary for these, and many hills just don't want to make a distinction between when they're necessary and when they're not. So, for the rare case I find myself on a hill that requires them, I ride with a "stealth" leash that runs from a point on the toe of the binding to a point on the highback. When strapped in with the snowpants bunched up at the ankle, the lifties don't notice.


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## Kapn.K (Jan 8, 2009)

I've got two nice telephone cord style. Never used them. I've been to a few resorts that I heard, required them. I bought them before the trip so I wouldn't be stuck with the limited resort selection if I was forced to buy one. Nobody's ever said anything so I've never used them. 
Steve


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

Michigan law requires it. I keep one in my pocket in case I get checked. Even then, all I do is attach it to my binding only.


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## Death (Oct 21, 2010)

This is a topic that really bothers me. Bindings are not meant to pop off, but some places force snowboarders to wear them, but then skiis, which are meant to come off when you fall are not forced to wear them, WTF.

All the local resorts around me used to enforce snowboard leashes like 10 years ago but have all stopped since snowboarding picked up the esteem it has today. With that said, I still own like 5+ leashes because if I showed up without one, I had to go into the proshop and buy one before I was allowed to go up the lift (and they seemed to check more for leashes than actual passes).


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## roboelmo (Nov 30, 2010)

I use to, when I started and when my local hill required them. They use to alway check when you were riding the T-bar. But now they don't have a t-bar, so no one really cares.

I find leashes kind of pointless now a days. It only noobs which decide to unbind both bindings and not make sure the board is digged in; that loose their boards.


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## LuckyRVA (Jan 18, 2011)

A few smaller hills around me require them. So, I keep it in my backpack just in case. I was only ever checked once.


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## buddhafist24 (Dec 31, 2008)

I used to but then realized how stupid they were. I keep one in a pocket in case I get hassled. I was just out in Aspen for a week and never had anyone say anything.


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## aiidoneus (Apr 7, 2011)

Death said:


> This is a topic that really bothers me. Bindings are not meant to pop off, but some places force snowboarders to wear them, but then skiis, which are meant to come off when you fall are not forced to wear them, WTF.
> 
> All the local resorts around me used to enforce snowboard leashes like 10 years ago but have all stopped since snowboarding picked up the esteem it has today. With that said, I still own like 5+ leashes because if I showed up without one, I had to go into the proshop and buy one before I was allowed to go up the lift (and they seemed to check more for leashes than actual passes).


Not that I agree or disagree with leashes, but skis have two spiky things that spring down when the boot is released to prevent them from sliding down on the base. This is why when skiers crash they usually have to awkwardly walk up hill to grab their skis.


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## sabatoa (Jan 18, 2011)

I attach mine to my binding only, just for show.


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## Death (Oct 21, 2010)

aiidoneus said:


> Not that I agree or disagree with leashes, but skis have two spiky things that spring down when the boot is released to prevent them from sliding down on the base. This is why when skiers crash they usually have to awkwardly walk up hill to grab their skis.


Ya, I used to ski so I know about them. But honestly, I see skis popping off every single time I'm out and I've maybe seen 1 or 2 runaway snowboards in the 19 or so years I've been on the slopes.


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## mrjimyjohn (Dec 18, 2010)

most of the hills (i don't dare call them mountains) in Ontario require a leash. however, nobody ever checks, and I don't use one.


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## tekuboarder (Jan 4, 2011)

I only wear a leash when i get caught without one. I remember some resorts in Quebec do require a leash and they did check often. Crystal Mountain in Washington would systematically check me every time I rode there. I would forget my leash and would have to go to the pro shop and by one, of course they only had one model and it cost WAY too much for a tiny piece of string with a hook. Thankfully now I am in France and resorts here don't check at all. They barely have anyone checking your lift ticket (since most resort work with an rfid chip).


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

Death said:


> Ya, I used to ski so I know about them. But honestly, I see skis popping off every single time I'm out and I've maybe seen 1 or 2 runaway snowboards in the 19 or so years I've been on the slopes.


But again, the brakes on the skis prevent them from sliding downhill so there is not danger to others. Those 1 or 2 runaway snowboards pose a danger when they are flying downhill.

Now the question is though, why were those boards flying downhill? Likely from people who completely unstrapped for whatever reason which means they would have detached the leash as well so the leash argument is nullified here which is why this law is stupid.

I've seen hundreds of skis pop off since I've been snowboarding, but have not seen a single one flying downhill. Even the people using old ass skis use modern bindings with brakes.


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## LuckyRVA (Jan 18, 2011)

Leo said:


> I've seen hundreds of skis pop off since I've been snowboarding, but have not seen a single one flying downhill. Even the people using old ass skis use modern bindings with brakes.


A few weeks ago I was riding with my buddy on a fairly steep slope (double black at Hunter Mtn), he ate shit pretty hard and his ski popped off without the binding mechanism actually releasing so the little prongs didn't stick out. His ski went racing down hill for another 50 yards or so. 

Also, I had always been told that the snowboard leases were for when you were on the lift in case your boot slips out of the binding while in the chair. I feel stupid for even passing on that ignorance.


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## honeycomb (Feb 6, 2011)

They were required and they would check for them around here back when the resorts rental boards were clickers and switch/morrow(?) step ins. Once they changed their rental boards to regular bindings(2000ish) they took the leashes off the rental boards and I've never seen one on the hill since.

Step-ins for rentals wasn't the best idea...saw quite a few ghost boards riding away...


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## jdmccright (Apr 8, 2011)

Seems all NC mountains now required them but I have never been checked. Keep one that came with my binding in my pocket just in case. Still its kinda stupid to have signs posted about leashes when not even your ski school instructors wear them. In my own opinion I think its like requiring a pad lock on your helmet so it want come off when you fall and become a cannon ball down the slop.


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## PtDoughnut (Dec 16, 2011)

LuckyRVA said:


> Also, I had always been told that the snowboard leases were for when you were on the lift in case your boot slips out of the binding while in the chair. I feel stupid for even passing on that ignorance.


HA! last weekend at my local hill my buddies Tech nine bindings lost some hardware on the ankle strap and as we were going up the lift his board fell off. I have never seen him move so quickly, Jumped right out of the lift luckily we were on a low spot and his board landed on his bindings so it didnt move. Him flying down the hill riding the board on his ass was the best part. :thumbsup:


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## LuckyRVA (Jan 18, 2011)

PtDoughnut said:


> HA! last weekend at my local hill my buddies Tech nine bindings lost some hardware on the ankle strap and as we were going up the lift his board fell off. I have never seen him move so quickly, Jumped right out of the lift luckily we were on a low spot and his board landed on his bindings so it didnt move. Him flying down the hill riding the board on his ass was the best part. :thumbsup:


Wow, that has to be a 1 in a million failure. Imagine if that happened while he was riding though.


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## jyuen (Dec 16, 2007)

i keep my leash in my pocket in case the nazis come for me


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## stevetim (Dec 26, 2007)

Have never even seen a leash in Colorado, Utah, or Cali/nevada?


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## FL_Boarder (Oct 28, 2011)

I don't wear it for several reasons but I do carry it in my pack in case someone were to ever say something about not having one then I could simply clip it on and continue to ride.


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## TBomb (Dec 29, 2010)

LuckyRVA said:


> Wow, that has to be a 1 in a million failure. Imagine if that happened while he was riding though.


I had the ankle strap on my rear foot binding come loose on my Union Force's. Evidently frequent skating + Union thumbscrews = loose hardware. Went to strap in at the top after getting off the lift and the strap came off in my hand. I rode all the way down strapped in only with my toe strap on that foot. It made turning toeside a bit of a challenge, but I got to work on riding switch on my heelside 

Anyway...I don't use a leash either. They are pointless.


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## jello24 (Apr 10, 2010)

I wore one on my very first day riding, but I took it off halfway through the day because i found it completely pointless.

From the moment i get past the pass check to the time i ride out 5some hours later, my front foot never leaves the binding anyway, so what's the point. and if I do take off the binding, i make sure to put my board with the bindings down so they don't roll away.

It's all common sense really. I've seen 2 runaway boards on my way up a chairlift however and i've always wondered how someone can be so stupid and irresponsible to let their board get away.


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## hikeswithdogs (Sep 23, 2011)

I've seen idiots set their snowboards on the ground(base side down)on a slight incline and then turn away for a minute to talk to their buddy while their board slowly accelerates down the hill out of control.

Long story short if you have to set your board down without your foot in one of the bindings put it on the ground bindings facing down!


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## boardwalkercom (Feb 16, 2012)

They are a pain, but I made a practical one called board-walker, which you can use with gloves


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## boardwalkercom (Feb 16, 2012)

you know, a leash can do other things check out board-walker.com


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## IdahoFreshies (Jul 9, 2011)

boardwalkercom said:


> you know, a leash can do other things check out board-walker.com


how about no thanks, nobody likes leashes and we certainly dont need to drag out boards behind us like its a dog. it really does not take any effort to carry a board and i would rather not have people kicking it or tripping on it as i gets dragged behind me. please dont try to sell us that stupid product. thanks


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## SimonB (Oct 13, 2010)

What a ground-breaking product!!! 

It's not like I didn't do the EXACT same thing with my K2 HC 156, back in 1992... with the factory-provided leash.

edit: damn, just realized it was 20 years ago....


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## powseeker87 (Jan 28, 2012)

Death said:


> This is a topic that really bothers me. Bindings are not meant to pop off, but some places force snowboarders to wear them, but then skiis, which are meant to come off when you fall are not forced to wear them, WTF.
> 
> All the local resorts around me used to enforce snowboard leashes like 10 years ago but have all stopped since snowboarding picked up the esteem it has today. With that said, I still own like 5+ leashes because if I showed up without one, I had to go into the proshop and buy one before I was allowed to go up the lift (and they seemed to check more for leashes than actual passes).


not against your argument but when a ski pops off the two little spikes pop out of the bottom and slow the ski down to a stop. A snowboard does not have such a thing so that is why some places require them. They are not against snowboarders just watching out for safety. I hate leashes too though so i don't wear one anymore.


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