103 straight away positive about only supplying QR and is taking the message forward . The other big brands are a work in progress . We are in discussion with a number of the major brands , but most have been slow to respond and providing unclear instructions on leash selection , which novices will find confusing .
There are two types of QR …
1 . A QR waist belt to which you can attach your standard leg leash – this QR waist belt has a toggle that you can pull to release the whole belt with your leash attached to it .
2 . A QR designed to attach to a buoyancy aid – this is a karabiner with a QR toggle mechanism – this can be attached directly to your buoyancy aid or a waist belt .
In our experience , both can work well for different situations . As we always use buoyancy aids on the Tideway , I prefer type 2 on this stretch of river , but we understand that not everyone wants to wear a buoyancy aid ( although the PLA strongly advises it ). Also , in some situations , e . g . intensive training in mild / warm conditions ( race training ), they can increase the risk of overheating and potentially fainting , so a waistbelt QR can be more suitable .
If you already have a SUP board and it came with a leg leash – it ’ s very easy to turn a leg leash into a QR leash by buying an inexpensive QR waist belt . QR waist belts are now widely available online for around £ 20 .
If you have not tried a QR leash , you may want to try one soon . They are , if anything , more convenient than leg leashes and certainly not difficult to get used to . Perhaps a leg leash is best for surfing , but SUP surfing probably accounts for less than 1 % of SUP participation , and I ’ m not a SUP surfer , so I wouldn ’ t want to comment .