Definately you want a piece of material in there that will break away if you really hang it up bad - like on an old cable or a wreck that you can't back off of. I use a piece of 150 lb seine twine about 18" long, and tie two simple loops in each end, one loops over the ball, the other your snap. The loop is only about a 60% knot, so I break off at less than 100 lbs pull, something I can do without ruining my gear. I also clip the release into the twine - saves wear on my wire, although you might lose your release when you lose your ball, depending upon where it breaks. Still, hell of a lot better than cutting wire - balls are cheaper.