The honest answer: If you can't remember when you bought it, replace it now.
A leash looks fine until it doesn't. The cord degrades from UV and salt over time — the elasticity breaks down, the cord becomes brittle, the swivel corrodes. None of this is visible until the leash snaps under load. In heavy surf, far from shore, that is a serious situation.
Five signs it's time
- The cord feels stiff or has lost its stretch — it should feel elastic, not rigid
- Visible nicks, abrasions, or white stress marks on the cord
- The velcro cuff no longer holds firmly
- The swivel is corroded or no longer rotates freely
- The rail saver is fraying or splitting at the edges
Any one of these is enough. You don't need all five.
How to make it last longer
Rinse it with fresh water after every session. Salt crystallises inside the cord and around the swivel, accelerating wear from the inside out. Hang it dry out of direct sunlight. Don't store it coiled tightly that creates kinks and stress points in the cord material.
Thirty seconds after a surf. That's the difference between a leash that lasts a year and one that lasts two.
The leash as something worth caring about
Most surfers treat their leash as a utility item, something to grab without thinking. But it's attached to you for every session. It's in every photo. It's the one piece of gear that connects your body to your board. The quality of it matters. The way it looks matters. A leash made with intention is worth the attention.
You spend weeks choosing your board. The leash should be worthy of it.
Thala leg ropes, four colourways, tone-on-tone across every component.