Ocean & Earth Longboard Knee Comp One-XT - 9ft Leash

A leash is the only thing connecting you to your board after a wipeout. Its length is a safety question, not a comfort one: too short and the board snaps back at your head coming out of a wave; too long and it gets a run-up before it reaches you. The rule is simple — match the leash to your board length or go slightly longer.

A knee leash is a longboard-specific answer. On a long board you walk the deck from tail to nose, and an ankle leash sits exactly underfoot while you do it — you trip on it crossing and noseriding. A cuff below the knee moves the cord out of the walking zone.

Nine feet is the longboard standard: the board is long and travels further.

Who it isn't for. Pointless on a shortboard, where nobody walks the deck. If you ride a longboard without cross-stepping, an ankle leash is simply more comfortable. And a knee cuff takes getting used to — you feel it for the first few sessions.