Kite quick release and safety leash

A kite quick release is a mechanism on the chicken loop that disconnects the kite from your body when you push its release handle away from you. The safety leash is a short, strong line from your harness to the kite's safety system that keeps the kite attached after that release. Together they form the part of the kite safety system you should understand before your first session.

The chicken loop is the solid rubber loop you hook into your harness. A hard rubber tongue on the loop, called the chicken finger or chicken bone, goes through the hook of the harness spreader bar so you do not become unhooked by accident. The quick release opens this connection on purpose.

Three stages of protection

Kite bars are built with a three-stage safety system. Each stage does something different, and each one is meant for a different situation.

Quick release on the chicken loop

The quick release is activated by pushing its handle away from you, towards the kite; North calls this the industry-standard push away release. The chicken loop opens and the kite loses its pull. What stays under tension is a single line, the re-ride safety line, which runs through the bar.

A stopper ball on the safety line keeps the released bar from sliding all the way to the kite and tangling the lines. It also helps during self-landing, when you need to get the bar back for a relaunch and during self rescue.

The release mechanism is standardized. Bars and leashes from Duotone have met the ISO 21853 standard for kite bar quick-release systems since 2020, and CORE marks the quick release on its bars ISO 21853:2020.

If you want to see how the bar, lines, and release fit together, the guide to the kite bar and lines walks through the whole control system.

Kite leash

The safety leash attaches one end to your harness and the other to the kite's safety line or safety system. After you activate the quick release, the leash greatly reduces the kite's pull, but full separation only comes with a second, separate release on the leash itself.

The leash has two jobs. It stops the kite from becoming a danger to other people on the water after you let go of it, and in a real emergency it gives you the option to get rid of everything.

IKO says the kite leash with its quick release should be attached to the front or side part of the harness. Some leashes are made for the wrist instead.

A board leash is a different thing: IKO advises never using one, because it can cause injuries to the head, back and spine.

Test before every session

Safety triggers should be tested before each session, on land, in a safe situation. The point is to know that the mechanism moves freely and that nothing blocks it.

1. Check that the quick release, the safety line, and the tube the line runs through are fully functional and free of sand and dirt.
2. Push the quick release handle away and confirm that the chicken loop releases cleanly.
3. Check that the safety line moves freely in its channel.
4. Test the leash release and confirm it opens without sticking.
5. Look over the lines, pigtails, bridle, chicken loop, and leaders for knots, wear, or fraying, and check the lines for tangles.
6. Make sure the space in front of you is clear of people, obstacles, and power lines downwind, at least 200 ft (60 m), preferably more.

Testing on land also means you learn what the release feels like before you need it on the water. I would test it every single session, even when the conditions look calm.

What not to do with the safety system

The most common mistake is the so-called suicide leash. It is a kite leash attached above the chicken loop or directly to the chicken loop, the way some professionals set it up. The problem is that the chicken loop quick release can no longer be used, so one of the three stages is gone.

The second mistake is modifying the safety system away from its original specification. When you repair or replace a part, you need to understand what effect it has on the rest of the system.

The third is using a bar from another kite or another brand. Use the bar the kite's maker specifies: Ozone's manual says bars of other brands are not compatible with its kite and the release would not work, and IKO warns that the wrong type of bar can compromise control and the safety features.

Two more items belong in your setup. IKO highly recommends always carrying a line cutter in your harness, and harnesses should have a handle at the back.

Care and replacement

Rinse the bar and the quick release with fresh water after every session. While rinsing, move the safety line back and forth in its channel so salt and sand do not build up. Do not store the gear wet in direct sunlight.

Quick releases have a limited lifetime and must be checked and replaced. Ozone, for example, requires a mechanical quick release trim loop to be replaced after 150 hours of kiting, and the quick release or leash earlier at any sign of wear. Duotone says to replace a leash as soon as you see damage, corrosion or a stiff, sticky release.

If you are buying a used bar, check the release carefully before you ride it. The guide to buying used gear covers what to inspect.

Where this fits

The quick release and leash are one part of the wider safety picture. How you handle a kite that has gone down, and how you get back to shore, is covered in self rescue. The full overview of safety topics, from wind to equipment checks, is in the kitesurf safety hub.

Understanding the three stages before you start also makes the first lessons easier. If you are still deciding whether kitesurfing is for you, the answer to whether kitesurfing is dangerous or hard puts the safety system in context.