Esea Strap - the original SUP carry leash

What we say

Do you find your SUP big and heavy and awkward to get to the waters edge? If so then it’s well worth checking out the Esea Strap. A simple, cleverly designed dual function ankle leash that transforms within seconds from a standard flat water leash into an over the shoulder carry strap. Whether your board’s hard or inflatable, 9ft, 12’6ft or somewhere inbetween, an Esea Strap will fit, helping to not only keep you safe when afloat but also help you carry your board to the waters edge.

At first glance the Esea Strap looks more like a windsurf uphaull (for the windsurfers amongst you!) than a SUP leash or carry strap. But just like a standard leash the Esea Strap has a velcro and string attachment at one end to attach to your board, and an ankle fastening at the other. The ankle attachment is made from quality webbing and velcro with a soft neoprene lining, making it comfy to wear. It can be worn on either ankle and the handy loop makes it easy to take on/off. It’s a bit more bulky than your standard leash because incorporated into the ankle attachment is a small velcro pocket housing the extendable carry strap. But once on your ankle you don’t notice it’s larger size and it feels much like wearing a standard leash.

Converting the leash into the carry strap is really quick and easy, especially if already adjusted to the correct board nose size.There is no need to detach the leash from the back of your board. Just undo it from your ankle, remove the strap from the pocket, loop it over the nose of the board and position the strap over your shoulder. With the board well balanced the carry strap certainly makes carrying a large SUP easier, and the thick neoprene provides comfy padding when repositioned over your shoulder. Not having to rely on the centre carry handle means no more achy fingers and forearms! Plus the added benefit of leaving your hands free to carry extra items such as your paddle, bags etc… A big help when heading to the beach with the family loaded up! Having the leash up out of the way also means there’s less chance of snagging it on bushes or damaging it trailing it along behind you like is often the case with a traditional leash.

There are 4 sizes of Esea Strap available (Size 1 – 9’-9’10, size 2 – 9’11-10’8, size 3 – 10’9-11’6, size 4 11’7-12’6) and the nose loop is adjustable so you should be able to find the perfect fit for your board whatever shape or size, inflatable or hard. But if it doesn’t fit they guarantee you a full refund which is always good to know! The SUPboarder team tested the Esea Strap on a wide range of review boards and it worked great every time when adjusted correctly.

Changing the carry strap back into a leash is just as quick and easy. Just unloop it from the nose of the board, fold it up and return it to the pocket in the ankle attachment. Super simple once you’ve mastered the best way to fold it!

Instead of your usual plastic coated leash rope, the elasticated leash centre means that when under tension it springs back. This clever design allows it to sit neatly on the deck of your board when being used as a leash, but also stretch to the required length for a carry strap. But it’s worth remembering that this spring back will also occur in the water when under tension e.g in the waves, and therefore the Esea Strap is designed to be used as a flat water leash only, much like a conventional coiled leash, and not in the surf where a straight leash is more appropriate. If you prefer to wear your leash around your calf or waist, then adaptors are available to buy as an extra. (£9.99-£11.99) The Esea Strap weighs 0.3kg and does get a bit heavier when wet due to the extra webbing. But for general paddling we don’t really see this as a problem and the elasticated leash means with a bit of thought you can easily keep your leash on the deck and dry throughout your paddle.

We can think of many times when an Esea Strap could come in handy… carrying your board from the carpark, across the beach, down the slipway or portaging around a lock. But the great thing about the clever, integrated design of the Esea Strap is that your carry strap is always with you, ensuring help is at hand wherever/whenever you need it. Also being able to convert the carry strap into a leash and take it with you takes the worry out of having to leave it on the beach like you would with more bulky SUP carrying devices such as SUP wheels (and not knowing if they’re still going to be there when you get back!)

The Esea Strap does the same job and is approx the same price (£29.99) as your average standard leash but with the added benefit of being a carry strap too. 2 products in 1! So if you enjoy flat water paddling but find carrying your SUP to and from the waters edge a bit of a struggle, then the Esea Strap could be a great little product for you. And for your mate too if it means you no longer have to carry their board as well!

Simple, well designed and in stylish cardboard packaging, it gets a big thumbs up from the SUPboarder team. We’ll certainly be using it for family SUP adventures this summer.