In news that surfers the world over have been waiting for, surf accessory company Modom have teamed up with American company Sharkbanz to create a shark deterring leash.

Sharkbanz have been producing a band that is worn on the wrist or ankle for some time now, and is hugely popular among Iron Man competitors in Australia and America looking for a peace of mind when swimming in the ocean.

Sharkbanz and Modom have now combined to put the technology found in the wrist and ankle bands into a leash. Whilst nothing is a 100% guaranteed when it comes to being in the water with sharks, they have seen promising results in testing. The technology has been tested extensively on over ten of the most common predatory shark species such as Bull and Blacktip, which are responsible for the majority of "hit and run" attacks.

After Mick Fanning’s encounter with a shark in last year’s World Tour stop at J-Bay there’s word that every competitor in this year event will be offered a band and leash for peace of mind during their heats. 
The best news yet though is that these bands are completely free of electric, chemicals and any other possible pollutants, relying on magnets to deter the sharks, and in the process don’t harm them in any way.

It’s good to remember the oceans are their home, and we are lucky to be able to ride the waves among them.

For more information, watch the videos below.




Luckily there are no sharks in Europe, so this band won’t have any use in Europe. If you have some time off and want a shark free break then stay at our Peniche surf lodge. Peniche lies 90km's north of Lisbon, with the town known as being home to Portugal's most famous wave, Supertubos. On the other side of town is an area called Baleal and its beach Cantinho da Baia, one of Portugals best beginner and intermediate surf beaches offering up fantastic walls to practice your skills.      





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Photo by: sharkbanz/Instagram