Snowboard LEASH - is like a SEAT BELT! - WEAR 'EM ALL THE TIME

[CarvingScooby]

There is another talk about leash here but I decided to start a new thread here as I want to share how important this LEASH is! I never thought any other reason than preventing from running/falling board... ooh I was so wrong!!

That day:

As my front binding accidentally release and ejected the front boot, the board wants to rotate side ways on its base. The leash that was attached to the front binding and my front leg was holding the board to rotate completely preventing making my rear boot that is still attach into the rear binding as the axis of the rotation.

Imagine this if the leash wasn't there attached to my front leg, the rear boot would twisted inward 180* or counter clock wise following the board rotation. This mean my rear foot likely will be ripped out of my ankle and face backward. Yeah you guess it right, guarantee I wont be back on the slope for the rest of my life... worst case I probably won't walk without crutches.

NOTE:

The force of the rotation was so violent that my REAR TD2 Toe Bail binding was twisted as the binding try to rotate around the boot.

What's left was sore right ankle and right shoulder, yeah I was lucky.

Be safe, enjoy the snow.

RT

[John E]

Seem like this would only protect your "rear" leg (unless you used 2 leashes). Also, it seems more likely for the rear binding to let go unintentionally - since your engage & disengage every run.

Interesting thought though.

[Corey]

I choose to run leashes on my boards for various reasons (and one hill won't let anyone on the lift without one), but it won't do much in a severe crash. I tore the plastic buckle apart on one when I had a front foot release. It was a pretty minor crash, I didn't even realize my front foot came out until I stopped. The buckle just shattered from the load.

I was rather surprised at how few people used leashes at SES. Only 20% or so used a leash.

[RideGuy]

Seem like this would only protect your "rear" leg (unless you used 2 leashes). Also, it seems more likely for the rear binding to let go unintentionally - since your engage & disengage every run.

Interesting thought though.

From personal experience rear foot ejections are not that bad. I would hate to get a front foot ejection.

I wear a leash every time I'm out. I've never really thought of riding without it.

[Jack M]

Haven't worn a leash since 1990. No issues. YMMV.

[Guest]

Same here, can't remember when I last wore a leash. I don't think they are all that necessary, imo. Just make sure your gear is set up properly and you're all good.

[lowrider]

Haven't worn a leash since 1990. No issues. YMMV.

Is this leash issue some kind of new flame war we need the new mods to chime in on ?

[leeho730]

Like helmet I say. Each to their own (like I stated on the previous post), we are all adults so unless ski area forces we should do what we want and be responsible for consequences. It's not like safety belt which is enforced by the law.

Edited March 13, 2013 by leeho730

[lowrider]

Our local bump dictates everything. Leash, helmets for lessons, park, safety bindings,the only thing they don't limit is the no. of tickets they sell and the length of the lift lines.They always say that their insurer demands it but sometimes it seems they just get off telling people what to do. They even have a sign that tells you exactly where you have to raise the chair lift safety bar, they yell at you if you lift it 10 feet too soon. Anybody looking for some enforcement type personalities i can point you in their direction. available soon as local bump closes in two weeks.

[leeho730]

I have to sympathise with the ski resort on some of those... For example a snowboarder got injured in the park in 2007 and got 14 million dollars in damage from the resort (http://www.denverpost.com/skiing/ci_5682314). There has been some chairlift accidents, most famous one being Vail skier dangling upside down with exposed backside. People can sue resorts for all sorts of damage nowadays and resorts have to protect themselves as well.

What can I say, we're living in increasingly politically correct societies where every snickers bar says it contains peanuts.

[west carven]

what your too cool to not wear a leash? it's about personal responsibility.

Edited March 13, 2013 by west carven

[BlueB]

From personal experience rear foot ejections are not that bad. I would hate to get a front ejection.

This ^

And from that point, Scooby is right! Even if lesh helped just a little bit to stop the board twisting your rear leg around, it's a bonus.

I was very pedantic about having the leash... But, for teaching, especially beginners, it's impractical, so I stopped. No other instructor uses it... :( Sad as we should set the example. I'll go back to having it.

My leashes vere very smart - made out of steel cable with plastic tubing over it and fast clip to the boot buckle directly. They acted as leash, carry strap and locking cable!

As for the runaway boards, I see one every 2 weeks at least! It is almost always the result of someone trying to use the bord as a sled.

[nils]

I wear a leash EVERYTIME!

Last week, I was riding my big swallowtail in knee high powder, and the TD2's I had just mounted and reset to my boots after lending, just opened on my front foot during a big backside turn on a steep slope..the back foot released shortly after during the crash, and I ended up rolling down protecting my head from the board...the board landed flat on the base and started to go down quick before beeing stopped shortly after by the leash!..Relief! If I hadn't had the leash: the board would have increase speed and maybe travel 500/600m and crash in a forest where I would never find it again! ( or kill someone in the process)

I started using back the leash in 2002 after a scary board loss in a chair lift. I had just received my TD1's and did not retight the sole length screws after a few runs: Having just the front foot locked on the chair, I removed my foot from the support getting ready for the arrival of the chair lift...board just went down like a gliding plane about 10m high, falling on an almost flat spot in snow/rock area...took me 15 mins to get it back and luck! no one was near or no slope was just under me at the time of the fall...

Now I use blue loctite, leash and double check things before each day of riding!

Nils

[philw]

what your too cool to wear a leash? it's about personal responsibility.

QED. "Personal" means it's up to me, not up to you how I should discharge my own responsibility.

[lowrider]

Once saw a ski with boot sole only attached ( so ski brake inoperative) just missed a ski instructor and four year old student. Only a safety strap not a ski brake would have prevented this. At the top of a 300 foot hill a nice Coiler knocked from it's resting place accelerate down the hill and struck a support post in front of the chalet. It took a few people to protect the owner of the board from being lynched.(no one was injured) Being aware of a hazard or being oblivious to a hazard is the difference. Being educated is being responsible. I believe in educating people in a friendly manner not the sledge hammer approach. Leash, helmet and butt protection for our lovely east coast ice are all tools that i use.

[Cousin of Beagle]

The leash that was attached to the front binding and my front leg was holding the board to rotate completely preventing making my rear boot that is still attach into the rear binding as the axis of the rotation.

Imagine this if the leash wasn't there attached to my front leg, the rear boot would twisted inward 180* or counter clock wise following the board rotation.

The purpose of the leash is to stop a runaway board.

A leash is not designed to keep the board on your feet if a binding fails.

[BlueB]

A leash is not designed to keep the board on your feet if a binding fails.

But it srtoped theboard from over rotating and saved his leg, in this case. That is all that counts...

[OhD]

Leashes or brakes have been the rule almost everywhere I've skied or boarded for 45 years. Same as seatbelts in my cars. If you don't use one, you would be well-advised to carry a hefty no-fault liability policy (useless for carrying your board or securing it to a rack so some moron doesn't knock it over and launch it down the liftline run from the mid-mountain lodge). If both bindings fail and your board hurts someone, you might avoid damages if you can prove that the fault is entirely that of the manufacturer. If you screw up and drop your board off the lift or lose it while trying to get mounted (especially if you installed and set up the bindings) without a leash, well best of undeserved luck to you. It is a matter of personal responsibility to take reasonable precautions to protect others from the consequences of your errors and failure of your property. That's one reason lawyers eat so well - idiots who fail to exercise personal responsibility (especially where they have been specifically advised to do so in writing) are easy prey. If you could get everybody on the hill to sign a release waiving all rights to sue you for any damages regardless of your fault, you might not have to worry about personal responsibility and the many behaviors that flow from it. Good luck with that, too.

The propensity to worry may be an evolutionally-cultivated trait characteristic of species which have survived to evolve. Could be that we no longer need it, having big brains and highly-refined technologies. Wanna bet?

[eastcoastcarve]

In my 20+ years of riding I have warn a leash on and off at different times with varying results.

Problem 1) The 3 times the toe bail came open I ripped the leash off the board. (cord, webbing and thin steel cable styles). It was always the front foot that come out and the back foot stayed in.

Problem 2) The other 2 times I became detached from my board I actually broke the binding and although I still had a binding and leash attached to my leg my front foot was not attached to my board. Again back foot stayed attached.

Most run away boards I have seen are the result of people horsing around (sledding on boards, pushing a friend holding a board or just dropping a board on the ground before you are ready to buckle in) and in most cases the leash is not attached at this point anyway.

In all honesty I have seen more runaway Ski's in my 20 years of riding and those sucker have breaks built in.

[darko714]

I always use a leash. But nothing is idiot-proof.

At Mt. Hood in August of 2010 I had just finished riding and was preparing to 'download' on the lift back to Timberline, and I absent-mindedly unhooked the leash, dropped it, and then popped out of my front binding. There was a bit of an incline, and my board instantly slid out of my reach. I watched helplessly as it coasted down past the Palmer lift, gracefully rounded the porta-potties, and mainlined into one of the rocky, snow-filled gorges that snake down from the glacier. The board hit a rock, and flipped end over end and crashed on more rocks. There was an ugly gouge in the edge, and a couple of dings to the topsheet, plus the hike down and back up to retrieve the board.

[Keenan]

It's part of the Skiers Responsibility Code "Always use devices to help prevent runaway equipment." I'm surprised that more ski areas don't reinforce this. Crystal Mtn., WA won't let you on the chair without a leash, it's a liability issue. Having said that, I keep forgetting to buy one.

[dingbat]

Our local bump dictates everything. Leash, helmets for lessons, park, safety bindings,the only thing they don't limit is the no. of tickets they sell and the length of the lift lines.They always say that their insurer demands it but sometimes it seems they just get off telling people what to do. They even have a sign that tells you exactly where you have to raise the chair lift safety bar, they yell at you if you lift it 10 feet too soon. Anybody looking for some enforcement type personalities i can point you in their direction. available soon as local bump closes in two weeks.

You'd be surprised what the insurance companies ask for. As for the signs, In the U.S., they are required by many states to conform to the A.N.S.I. B77.1.2011 standard for Passenger Ropeways - Aerial Tramways, Aerial Lifts, Surface Lifts, Tows and Conveyor- Safety Requirements. Signs are covered under annex D. There is not much room for creative interpretation when it comes to what signs are required on a lift, and where they must be located. Fig. D-14 on page 156 of the standard covers the sign you are most likely referring to. In Massachusetts, retaining our licence to operate lifts is contingent on being in compliance with the standard. And yes, from a regulatory and liability standpoint, we are required to police guest's behaviors on and around the lifts as well. I would venture a guess that the Canadian standard is similar.

Edited March 13, 2013 by dingbat

[lowrider]

You'd be surprised what the insurance companies ask for. As for the signs, In the U.S., they are required by many states to conform to the A.N.S.I. B77.1.2011 standard for Passenger Ropeways - Aerial Tramways, Aerial Lifts, Surface Lifts, Tows and Conveyor- Safety Requirements. Signs are covered under annex D. There is not much room for creative interpretation when it comes to what signs are required on a lift, and where they must be located. Fig. D-14 on page 156 of the standard covers the sign you are most likely referring to. In Massachusetts, retaining our licence to operate lifts is contingent on being in compliance with the standard. And yes, from a regulatory and liability standpoint, we are required to police guest's behaviors on and around the lifts as well. I would venture a guess that the Canadian standard is similar.

The part that pissed me off most was they moved the sign about 10 feet after being in the previous spot about 20 years. And then they screamed at anyone not dancing on the new mark. (I'm sure you know the type.)

[dingbat]

If they went through the trouble to move it, there was probably an incident you are not aware of, or their insurer is cracking down on them for one reason or another, or the gov. inspector is busting their chops over it. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess they moved it 10 feet closer to the unloading area.

Yeah, I know the type. I manage a whole staff of them. When I ask them to police something like this, no matter how polite they are, they end up getting berated and belittled by every other person on the lift, who feel that they have some sort of right to behave however they like just because they purchased a ticket or have been skiing at the area for x number of years. So yeah, lifties end up getting a little surly. Not helping matters is that lifties' pay is usually crap. If it bothers you that much, go take your business somewhere else, or hike the backcountry. Otherwise, If you choose to ride their lifts, you choose to ride them the way they require. I'd suggest you just let it go and enjoy your runs.

[lowrider]

I always enjoy my rides!