UKC

Random musing; any reason that using cable ties as fuses or breakaway leashes would be a bad idea (ie connect the leash to the ski with a tie that could break under strain)? I've got a set of brakeless dynafit bindings and the leashes that came with them don't have a fuse in them. Concern being getting buried and being permanently attached to the skis...

I'm not sure there's really a sweet spot between doing the job you need them to do so they don't run away in a crash and being weak enough for a severely constricted, potentially injured person to break at will.

jk

Don’t worry, you don’t need breakaway parts for ski leashes. In fact, If you use such then it’s best not to use leashes at all as then they are too weak. 

Before I switched to NTNs, I used leashes. And to be honest I did ”practice” falling. So broke a fair share of leashes, ripped out the leash connection point from my boots and so on. Never tested them in avalances, but got sluffed a few times. And on the bigger ones the leashes did break. 

For strap/cord, don’t worry they’ll break. For wire, well either the boot or binding will break (or binding will rip off from the ski). Were I still to use (steel) wire leashes, I might think about using a key ring on the boot (to protect it), as a release component. Helps with clipping the leash as well. 

B&D equipment do a springy coil sort of leash with 2 choices of rated breakable link. Long enough that your skis are still attached to you when messing about with skins etc. Also puts skis a little further from your body away in the event of a wipe out, and the springy part actually works to absorb the shock of a fall, meaning that it is less likely for the plastic link to break from the impact force alone. It would take a sustained force at 40kg or 60kg to break the connector. I've only had the skis release once, and the links held just fine. It is a tidy package. Think Jon at The Piste Office sells them. 

I had a big crash last year, one of those cartwheel down the hill jobs with skis flying everywhere. The wire dynafit leashes didn't break, and the skis certainly hurt when they repeatedly hit me. The leashes did their job (I still had my skis), but it left me wondering about putting in a weak link somewhere to protect me and the boots. It also left me wondering about if the leashes in their current form really would break in an avalanche. I suspect not. Do you think that they would?

If you did the head-feet-head-feet thing and they didn’t break, then they would prolly stay on in an avy. 

But as stated, mine never kept intact. So If in doubt, add the key-ring and call it good. 

can't you get brake to fit your bindings, they'd be much safer.

Might just do that, thanks.