Select to expand quoteburleighlocal said..
I would have thought a waist leash has more opportunity to get looped around your head/neck?
Oh dear. It's bad enough being dragged and popping the end of a digit off. Losing your head in the line up? 
Obviously not the Gold Coast
Surfing Mavericks on SUP's in this pic borrowed from a Half Moon Bay resident and SUP Surfer, captions were already on the photo.
Also found this humorous pic and explanation.
Yes, 18' of cord attached to my waist. The getting tangled is definitely possible but hasn't happened yet.
This is a shot of the last day I used it. We're talking a hand full of winter swells that require this setup.
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No waist leashed don't get tangled round your neck or bend you at absurd angles … just different feeling than being dragged around by the knees …. they are just safer to access .. and don't blow ACLs to dollrags .. I started using them 5 years ago after I had my 65 year old knees shredded at Padang 2 …. was not my idea I saw it on a travelling American SUPPer …. and have been wearing one ever since and only had to ditch it once after being caught on rocks at a West Bali offshore reef … don't need an extra long lease .. use a coil leash in smaller surf and a 12 footer on big stuff …
Select to expand quoteLynT said..
No waist leashed don't get tangled round your neck or bend you at absurd angles … just different feeling than being dragged around by the knees …. they are just safer to access .. and don't blow ACLs to dollrags .. I started using them 5 years ago after I had my 65 year old knees shredded at Padang 2 …. was not my idea I saw it on a travelling American SUPPer …. and have been wearing one ever since and only had to ditch it once after being caught on rocks at a West Bali offshore reef … don't need an extra long lease .. use a coil leash in smaller surf and a 12 footer on big stuff …
I did not post my opinion of warning against wearing a waist leash until Lynt does post it . I would be so scare to wear waist leash because I recently get caught twice around my ankle with ankle leash on shortSUP of 6'5" at 85 liters , it has been so painful so I wouldn't do it with much larger board and in much larger wave as well been attached on waist because it would be so endangered to be loop around neck.
In last I say I'm not able (anymore)to surf larger waves than I use to do daily and I know that there is no victory without casualties. In that kind of similar waves Surfin'J is surfing by French winter I better like surfing smaller board ( till faithful 
) with knee leash and better like to let knee leash slide off my knee in a long drag to the beach closeout. Just keep breath and make the count down 
Thanks for posting kami .i guess it's like anything there is different ways of positioning yourself to use these waist or even a ankle leash .
with the foot you push the board away from you and face your leg toward shore .as for the waist you would have to face your arse toward shore,getting tangled hurts like hell ,it's like having the sheet squeezed out of you and burns like a cigarette ,
I think if they all work ,It s just what you like and what suits you .If I was using a 85 litre board like you ,a ankle leg rope is no problem .
but ...some boys have big boards ...like me ...9.5 mana or 9.6 Hokua .i still use a ankle rope ,thankfully I have good joints .
and I am limited to the size I go out in ,...due to drag ..and no breaks in the surf ...there are some place where I can't even get out ,
peak breaks no problem ,I go around .
I got smashed at Gunnamatta in April this year on my 10" 6' PSH, the board whacked me in the face and nearly knocked me out, I had a large gash under my chin, I was three quarters dazed and spewing blood outta my chin and got washed onto the western end rocks.
My board was being washed into shore while my leggie was looped under some underwater rocks and I was getting dragged under with every wave.
Being still dazed I wasn't thinking straight and was trying to dive down and get the leash unhooked, every time i unhooked it, it would hook again. I finally woke up (before drowning) that I needed to quick release the leggie and let the board go.
I need a smaller board, I'm also 90 KGs any ideas?
Select to expand quotebigday said..
I got smashed at Gunnamatta in April this year on my 10" 6' PSH, the board whacked me in the face and nearly knocked me out, I had a large gash under my chin, I was three quarters dazed and spewing blood outta my chin and got washed onto the western end rocks.
My board was being washed into shore while my leggie was looped under some underwater rocks and I was getting dragged under with every wave.
Being still dazed I wasn't thinking straight and was trying to dive down and get the leash unhooked, every time i unhooked it, it would hook again. I finally woke up (before drowning) that I needed to quick release the leggie and let the board go.
I need a smaller board, I'm also 90 KGs any ideas?
Maybe take up knitting! 
Actually, a similar thing happened to me once in Indo. Scary...
I wonder if a smaller board would make any difference. When sh!t happens you just have to be lucky. But I am the same weight and love my 8'7 Flow but that would be a big step down in size.
Select to expand quotebigday said..
I got smashed at Gunnamatta in April this year on my 10" 6' PSH, the board whacked me in the face and nearly knocked me out, I had a large gash under my chin, I was three quarters dazed and spewing blood outta my chin and got washed onto the western end rocks.
My board was being washed into shore while my leggie was looped under some underwater rocks and I was getting dragged under with every wave.
Being still dazed I wasn't thinking straight and was trying to dive down and get the leash unhooked, every time i unhooked it, it would hook again. I finally woke up (before drowning) that I needed to quick release the leggie and let the board go.
I need a smaller board, I'm also 90 KGs any ideas?
practice ripping your leash off often…I always grab the loop on the leash and tear it off a few times just to get used to feeling for it and ripping it. It needs to be second nature how to release it and not grasping around when the bad happens.
Select to expand quotebigday said..
I got smashed at Gunnamatta in April this year on my 10" 6' PSH, the board whacked me in the face and nearly knocked me out, I had a large gash under my chin, I was three quarters dazed and spewing blood outta my chin and got washed onto the western end rocks.
My board was being washed into shore while my leggie was looped under some underwater rocks and I was getting dragged under with every wave.
Being still dazed I wasn't thinking straight and was trying to dive down and get the leash unhooked, every time i unhooked it, it would hook again. I finally woke up (before drowning) that I needed to quick release the leggie and let the board go.
I need a smaller board, I'm also 90 KGs any ideas?
Drop a foot in length .Im 97 kg ..I use 9,6 Hokua x32 and 9,5 mana .the manas a great throw around unit .in smaller wave Hokua for bigger wave ,or 9.5 GTW .Gerry Lopez .145 litre .I love the Mana.there is a 130 litre 8.10.very fast rocker on these boards ,coming from the 10.6 you might enjoy them .JP VISION also great boards ...to many out there to choose ...go shopping . 
glad you survived ...scary event for you .....the ocean is power . ..it takes no prisoners ..
OK enough written by people who haven't used a waist leash …. I WILL HAVE POSTED TO THE PERSON … who has so far…. or will post on this site ….. a more ridiculous reason NOT to use a waist leash than the "neck choking, death promoting Ones already posted …
Must be reasonable excuses and not overtly flippant …
