Short answer: for kiting you need one leash, the short safety leash that connects your harness to the kite's safety line, and every North Navigator and Navigator Pro bar ships with it (the Standard Leash, $46.80 on its own). You only buy a longer handle-pass leash if you ride unhooked. For winging you need two: a wing leash, wrist or waist, and a board leash. North's Waist Wing Leash is $42 and its Waist Board Leash is $90, as of this post. The table below is every leash we sell and what it is for.
Kite leashes
A kite safety leash does one job: when you pull the quick release, the bar flags out on one line and the leash is the only thing keeping the kite with you. Its length decides how it rides. North makes two; Mystic makes three.
| Leash | Length | Built for | Price, as of this post |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Standard Leash | short, elasticised | hooked-in riding; included with every Navigator and Navigator Pro | $46.80 |
| North Handle Pass Leash | long | unhooked and wakestyle; needs the $18 Freestyle Leash Ring on the bar | $78 |
| Mystic Kite Safety Leash Short | 45 cm | freeride and waves, riders who never unhook | $53.99 |
| Mystic Kite Safety Leash Long | 100 cm | freeride, all-round | $71.99 |
| Mystic Kite HP Leash Long | 130 cm | unhooked and freestyle; double-lock carabiner with swivel rated 1,100 kg | $89.99 |
North's leashes carry the same TPU quick-release handle as the bar's main release, and the Standard Leash has a swivel so it does not twist. Mystic's three all use the brand's 2.0 compact quick release and a neoprene-covered carabiner. The lengths are the point: a short leash stays out of the way when you are hooked in; a long one gives the slack you need to pass the bar behind your back, and gets in the way the rest of the time.
One thing worth knowing before you order a harness: the Mystic Star Waist Harness ships with a handle-pass system and an Ace spreader bar. Most Mystic harnesses ship with neither.
Wing leashes
A wing leash keeps the wing with you when you let go of it, which you do on every fall and every transition. Wrist or waist is preference: the wrist version is simpler, the waist version keeps the cord off your arm. North's Pro wings (Nova Pro, Mode Pro, Loft Pro) list a wrist leash in the box; the Nova's product page does not list one, so budget for it.
| Leash | Spec | Price, as of this post |
|---|---|---|
| North Waist Wing Leash | belt plus 137 cm (54") bungee leash, fits up to a 132 cm (52") waist, 2 attachment loops | $42 |
| Mystic Wingleash Waist | waist leash | $35.99 |
| Mystic Wingleash Wrist | wrist leash | $59.99 |
Board leashes for winging and foiling
The board leash is the one you do not skip: a foilboard with a wing on it drifts downwind faster than you swim. North and Mystic both make them for the ankle, the calf and the waist. Coiled cords stay out of the water and clear of the foil; calf and waist cuffs keep the cord higher than an ankle cuff does.
| Leash | Spec | Price, as of this post |
|---|---|---|
| North Waist Board Leash | belt plus coiled 183 cm (6') 5.5 mm cord, fits up to a 145 cm (57") waist | $90 |
| North Quick Release Board Leash | coiled, clips onto the Waist Wing Leash belt, Navigator-style quick release | $76.80 |
| North Calf Leash | coiled 6' x 7 mm, wing, surf, SUP | $58.80 |
| North Coiled Ankle Leash | coiled 6' x 5.5 mm, prone foiling | $70.80 |
| North Ankle Leash | straight 6' x 6 mm surf leash, double swivels | $46.80 |
| Mystic Wing Boardleash Ankle | 5' or 6' | $41.99 |
| Mystic Wing Boardleash Calf | 6' or 7' | $59.99 |
| Mystic Wing Boardleash Waist | waist | $83.99 |
The tidiest wing setup is one belt doing both jobs: North's Waist Wing Leash belt has loops for the wing leash on either side, and the Quick Release Board Leash clips to the same belt. That pair is $118.80 and nothing is on your wrist or ankle. The cheapest working pair is the Mystic Wingleash Waist and Wing Boardleash Ankle, $77.98.
Honest limit: we have no breakage or wear data on any of these leashes, so this is spec and box contents, not durability. Two things the spec does not say and you should check anyway. First, the Handle Pass Leash does not include the Freestyle Leash Ring; the ring comes with North's Freestyle Loop and the Freestyle Navigator, and is $18 on its own. Second, every leash here is a kite or board retention leash; none is a flotation device, and North's inflation rule, attach the wing leash before you take the pump off, exists because a loose wing leaves faster than a loose board. For the rest of the setup, the wing size page and the gear advisor will build the list from your weight and your wind.
FAQ
Does a North kite come with a leash?
The kite does not; the bar does. Every Navigator and Navigator Pro control system includes the Standard Leash, and the Freestyle Navigator includes the Handle Pass Leash and the ring it needs.
Do I need a long leash if I never unhook?
No. A short leash is the right one for hooked-in freeride, surf and foil. Mystic says the same of its 45 cm Short: for riders who are not unhooking, it stays out of the way.
Which board leash for a beginner winger?
A coiled calf or waist leash. The cord stays above the water and away from the foil, and a 6-foot coil gives you room to fall clear of the board. North's Calf Leash is $58.80; Mystic's Wing Boardleash Calf is $59.99.