Choosing Your Mantrailing Longline
In this blog we are looking to break down the decision making process to help you find a mantrailing longline that is perfect for you and your dog.
Longlines are an essential piece of mantrailing equipment that enable handlers to give their dogs the space to work freely whilst allowing us to keep them safe and to prevent them disappearing off into the distance by themselves.
A long line is simply a very long lead, usually 5 plus metres in length with a clip at one end to attach to the dogs harness, the other end is either made into a handle or is left unaltered and just comes to an end.
We've already mentioned that longlines can come with or without a handle, however that is only one of the several choices to make when selecting the best longline to use for mantrailing. In addition, we need to consider length, weight, grip, clip type, maintenance and of course, colour.
The best length longline for mantrailing will provide us with enough line to give the dog space to work but isn't so long it becomes difficult to manage and we end up tying ourselves in knots and getting in a right pickle.
Although this does ultimately come down to personal preference, 10m is the sweet spot for most people, it gives us plenty of length when we need it but also means we don't have too much spare line to manage when we are working the line a little shorter.
Some people prefer slightly shorter and will drop down to a 7.5m line but that's about the minimum I would go to. Lines over 10m are sometimes used but its not very often people stick with the longer lengths due to them being tricky to manage.
There is no real preference on clip type for mantrailing, and is mostly down to the personal likes and needs of the individual team. Clips come in 4 types, the standard G clip, The claw clip, the snap clip and the caribina.
The G clip is the standard clip we see on most leads and long lines, a G shaped metal hook with a spring loaded pin that closes the open part of the G and a lever to pull the down so it can be attached. Familiar, simple and effective the G clip is still common with handlers the things to watch with these is the spring is prone to filling with dirt causing the mechanism to stick either open or closed. Compared to others they can be more difficult to attach.
The claw clip (AKA the lobster or talon clip) has 2 spring loaded, C shaped arms that close together with a slight overlap to form a complete circle, there is a small lever to open the arms. The spring mechanism isn't as exposed as the G clip so its less prone to sticking, the clip is also easier to attach as the gap formed by the open arms is right at the front of the clip so it's a nice straight hand action to attach.
Ths snap lock clip is similar to the G clip however the dropping pin is replaced with a spring loaded metal tab that pivots into the middle of the clip and then snaps shut. This design is easy to attach as you simply press the D ring of the harness/collar against the metal tab, the spring then closes the tab once the D ring is in the loop of the clip. Although easy to put on, these types of clips can be more tricky to remove and you need to ensure that there is enough space for the D ring to move past the metal tab.
The Carabiner is a D shaped metal ring, with the curved side have a sectioned hinged that can pivots into the carabiner to open, a spring in the hinge closes the opening section. The Carabiner although has some resemblance to the snap lock is typically much larger so its much easier to release, many also have a locking mechanism to prevent it accidentally opening. Its main drawback being that its often bulkier and heavier than the other clip types but the locking option makes them ideal for the escape artists out there.
Grip, weight and maintenance is all connected to the material the line is made from, so well discuss each of these as we go through the different materials that longlines are available in and discuss their pros and cons.
Nylon/cotton
First up is the Standard nylon lines, these range from thin almost seat belt like webbing to a thicker more padded style. The main pro of these lines is that they are typically cheaper and more accessible than most of the other materials available as they are sold in most pet stores and online retailers. Unfortunately these lines usually offer little to no grip, generating just enough friction to remove the skin off your fingers as the dogs continue to pull the line through your hands. They are often lightweight as long as they remain dry but become heavy when wet and tend to take a long time to dry. They are relatively easy to maintain as they are machine washable however they do seem to knot very easily which can be tricky to get out once pulled tight
Rubberized Grip
These are a nylon line that is interwoven with a rubber material (some brands use latex) that runs the length of the line. These lines tend to be thicker and a little heavier than the normal flat nylon lines but have significantly more grip and are less likely to slip and burn under tension. As the rubber does not absorb water they don't soak as much up as the nylon lines so don't gain as much weight when wet and dry quicker. These lines can be machine washed and as the lines are more rigid they don't knot as readily as the standard nylon. There are plenty of companies producing good quality rubberized Grip lines, we use a local company called Houndagrips who make a wide selection of lines with different lcip types availble (you may need to email them for carabiner clips).
Biothane
Biothane lines are made from a supple plastic material that either comes as a flat line or as a round rope like design. Biothane is fairly light weight and doesn't knot easily however it can hold its cold shape if its left coiled for prolonged periods. Biothane lines are completely water resistant and are easily cleaned by wiping over with a cloth however they do become very slippery when wet, this does make them less likely to result in friction burns.
Leather
Leather lines come in two forms, one is a more traditional style leather while the other is more suede like. Both styles are tough and durable however the traditional leather lines tend to be quite heavy and require regular maintenance. The suede style offers better grip than the traditional leather due to the texture of the material.
Colour
The colour of the line is not essential for mantrailing although some prefer brighter colours so the line stands out in the environment, especially when trailing in low light. I have also seen some handlers using a secondary colour towards the end of the line so that they know how much line is remaining.
So the perfect trailing line is going to be lightweight, plenty of grip, is water resistant, does not knot too readily, is easy to clean and maintain and hopefully without a hefty price tag. Handle clip type and colour are all personal preference. The material that best matches these criteria is the rubber grip and seems to be the most commonly used by regular trailers with biothane and suede making up the rest. We do see the standard nylon lines popular with people just starting out however they tend to move quickly on to one of the other line types as they are difficult to manage and hold.
