# best long line



## Laney Lejeune (Apr 22, 2011)

My hands got tore up from my long line, wondering peoples opinion on the best made one, and where to buy it from.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Laney Lejeune said:


> My hands got tore up from my long line, wondering peoples opinion on the best made one, and where to buy it from.


Depends what you're using it for, and what "feel" you like (synthetic, cotton?). Is it for tracking, or what?



I have several of these all over the place: http://leerburg.com/729.htm as kind of all-purpose long lines.


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## Laney Lejeune (Apr 22, 2011)

I have been using it for my dog to do aggitation work but hold him back so he wont get a bite at first. When I let him go out on it, it burns the hell out of my hands and messes up the skin. I have heard biothane is good, right now I have nylon.


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## Jon Harris (Nov 23, 2011)

try gloves :-D


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2008)

Laney Lejeune said:


> My hands got tore up from my long line, wondering peoples opinion on the best made one, and where to buy it from.


 
One inch tubular nylon hands down! Not flat nylon, cotton burns, the ribbed stuff that companies make is well...anyway, Tubular nylon and good for anything...storage is awesome, balls up and put anywhere


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## Lori Gallo (May 16, 2011)

http://www.rei.com/product/752375/bluewater-1-climb-spec-tubular-webbing-package-of-30-ft

I use this to make my own.


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## Faisal Khan (Apr 16, 2009)

Buy webbing from a store like REI (comes in various widths, tubular or flat) + snap hooks from Home Depot and make your own. Very easy and BIG $$ saving. I never buy a pre-made long line, build my own for example a 33 foot tracking line costs about $10 and is better than a ready made one costing $50 or more.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Laney Lejeune said:


> I have heard biothane is good, right now I have nylon.


Biothane is okay when it's dry, but when it gets wet, it's extremely slick and difficult to hold to. Even more so than leather, at least for me. Using gloves (like the snug fitting all purpose or gardening gloves you can get at a hardware store) is a good idea too. A tubular cotton lunge line for horses isn't bad either if you don't want to make your own.


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## mel boschwitz (Apr 23, 2010)

K9noz makes a biothane with little nubs that act as grippers if wet biothane is a problem for you. I use his lines for trailing but no reason you cant use it for anything you wish. Prices are very reasonable, and the customer service is the best.


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

Over the years I've found retired rapel line works the best for me. Very strong, won't twist around small bushes and trees. Dries easily when used in wet weather. I've found suitable for any thing we we might need a long line. we do wear gloves when working with it. 

DFrost


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## Jackie Lockard (Oct 20, 2009)

Love the tubular nylon as well for protection, it just sucks in the rain. Gets very heavy, collects water/mud, BUT great on the hands. 

I have a biothane line I use for tracking and love it.


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

all i can add is--gloves. used rapel line david suggested is good, biothane does get slippery when wet. i wonder if the nubby garden gloves might work basically the same on a smooth biothane vs buying the "nubby" biothane (and i would still wear gloves)? thoughts on this?

lastly, just be SURE your line is clear (from ankles/wrists/whatever)--i have an ankle scar to prove one should NOT send a dog before clearing the line. 8 weeks to heal


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

re: "My hands got tore up from my long line"
b4 you blame the material i suggest u do a real accident analysis and look at the whole picture and chain of events that made it happen; not just the end result ...
examples :
what were you doing ?
what kind of line ?
how "long" was it ?
how were you holding it ?
did you choose the right length ?

i like/use tubular nylon and nubby biothane too, but for slightly different purposes.....flat straps suck, both in your hands and when used on a dog harness (which is why i change harness straps to tubular nylon and wonder why very few are made with tubular nylon to begin with )

- but start with the problem and see if material woulda prevented it and if material was the cause ... maybe yes maybe no

i use LOTS of different lead lengths and each is very specific to what i'm working on. cheap to make compared to buying. 
- my problems have usually come from using a longer line than was necessary, and i only use a loong line when i am starting the dog out away from me but need safety, so the line is already out, down and clear

another example : look at that recent vid of the bulldog test and you will see a line being used that was too long imo ... they probably chose that length - "cause it was handy" 
ymmv....


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## Jon Harris (Nov 23, 2011)

we do a lot of long lead searches 30 foot lead

something that has always been an issue was keeping the slack just right so you dont pull but dont tangle of loose lead.
Now this may be sacrilege but I started using a long flexilead, You know the retractable type. It is for big dogs 30 feet and all flat web. The tension on the leash is just right and the leash stays taught but not too tight and it is a snap to keep from tangling. Of course you can lock it with the press of a button Im getting to really like this for a long lead search


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

Jon ... not a sacrilege at all 
i remember posting about a pic of a mwd handler wearing a black "probably milspec" shoulder flexi too, and was asking how it held up in dirty environments ..... no answer back

imo good equipment all depends on who's using it; not the equipment itself


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Faisal Khan said:


> Buy webbing from a store like REI (comes in various widths, tubular or flat) + snap hooks from Home Depot and make your own. Very easy and BIG $$ saving. I never buy a pre-made long line, build my own for example a 33 foot tracking line costs about $10 and is better than a ready made one costing $50 or more.


Or if you are like me and not at all handy, do like Faisal says but then take the line & snap to a shoe repair shop & have them sew it on. It only costs around $5. to have them sew in the snap.


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## Steve Estrada (Mar 6, 2011)

I'm with Faisal except I use some of their clips also. I use to warn people about the long line saying it will cut you and the positive side it will cauterize also. ;-) not funny when it happens. The real solution is gloves, be safe!


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## Jon Harris (Nov 23, 2011)

the one i have ( looking at it right now) is a Flexi Giant XL made in Germany. It is dusty here. It get dirty and wet and then muddy but it has never jammed or failed to retract on me.

Dog has learned just about where the end is so he goes out to the end and doest pull much after that.

makes it so nice not to be dragging the line behind me or trying to real in back in when a direction change throws a few feet of slack in it. It is 8 meters long


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## Steve Estrada (Mar 6, 2011)

I find the Flexible to be a great tool although their is many naysayers, bbut I just figure they don't know how to use it.


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## Jon Harris (Nov 23, 2011)

I use the flexi in my open area searches.. In these it is not so much of a feel through the kine as it is watching the dog and making sure you dont walk where the dog hasnt already cleared.

for trailing which i am no authority at all I have read the best line is a continuous leather line about 30 feet The best ones are made of bull hide I understand they are still available through an Amish maker but I have not found exactly where yet.


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## todd pavlus (Apr 30, 2008)

I can get you tubular biothane leads at any length you want. Over 900# breaking strength. It is 5/16" in diameter, and has bronze hardware. The cost is $1.50 per foot.


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Steve Estrada said:


> I find the Flexible to be a great tool although their is many naysayers, bbut I just figure they don't know how to use it.


I'm such a klutz I'd be the one to make the urban myth come true, the one about the idiot who got her finger snapped off by getting it twisted in the Flexi line.


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

i tried a flexi at one point in time. it worked great until Brix turned around and bit the lead off in about 1 second (or less). figured it wasn't worth the cost. but it WAS nice for those first 30 minutes, lol.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

I use a flexi for my adult, and my puppy EVERY day...

My adult chewed through a seatblet in my car in 4 chomps, and also through an $80.00 THICK leather leash in 3 chomps..(when tied out)

suprisingly enough, I have NEVER had a flexi get chewed through..because the dog is not left in a position to chew it..

little Yodi, does like to hold it in his mouth, so maybe that one will end up breaking...who knows.....


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## Jon Harris (Nov 23, 2011)

In the cold wind over here ( it is 21 today and blowing at about 20mph) jack, my partner also will carry the leash in his mouth when he is feeling frisky like today. He doesnt chew it and he gets a loud FOOIIE and he drops it. He knows better but it just screwing around in the cold.

Sort of takes the leash and walks me not the other way around.

We had fun today throwing rocks back at the Afgan kids who were throwing them at us from just outside the wire. They are better at rock throwing than I am:-D


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## Laney Lejeune (Apr 22, 2011)

The one I have is pretty basic, nothing special, which is why its probably hard on my hands. I would like to avoid having to wear gloves if possible, I just like to feel the line. I am thinking about the biothane, but now that I think of it, they seem like they would be slick when they get wet.


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

Laney
I doubt if you have tried the nubby biothane. it won't slip when it's wet. it is so "grippy??", i don't even put a loop on the end. during the rainy (monsoon) season here i use that type all the time....constant rain

nubby line is pretty good for a short drag line too; easy to pick up and grab

btw, there are all types of biothane surfaces; not all are shiny/smooth

the nubby "plus" is also a minus tho....it will "grip" stuff when it is dry and you can forget trying to throw a quick half hitch around anything cause it won't slide and "cinch up", if you catch my drift.

fwiw, i rarely use snap hooks anymore; went to the stainless carabiner type which will attach to rings much easier and quicker especially when waring gloves

Todd :
are you saying the "tubular biothane" is actually tubular, with a hole thru it, or that the whole tube is encased in biothane and looks like a flat piece of "coated" webbing ?


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## Brian Anderson (Dec 2, 2010)

susan tuck said:


> I'm such a klutz I'd be the one to make the urban myth come true, the one about the idiot who got her finger snapped off by getting it twisted in the Flexi line.


Susan you couldn't be any worse than my recent episode in the dark with Rocco. Torn bicep AND forearm ughhhh at this point I wish it was only a finger lol.


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Brian Anderson said:


> Susan you couldn't be any worse than my recent episode in the dark with Rocco. Torn bicep AND forearm ughhhh at this point I wish it was only a finger lol.


oh yikes and ouch. How the hell did that happen? Don't spare any gory details.


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