Before climbing rope
I started making leashes long before Wilderwoofs existed. Yoshi's first leash was 1.6 m, and it turned out to be too short for the kind of walks we wanted. I looked for longer ones, but everything I found was uncomfortable in some way. As a crafts person, I decided to make my own.
I tried a lot of materials. I started with biothane, but it always felt too stiff, and I never liked how it felt in my hands. I tried regular dog leash ropes, and even leather. Rope leashes were my favorites, but they had their own problems: some got fuzzy quite quickly, and some burned my hands when Yoshi pulled.
Then I tried climbing rope, and I fell in love with how it felt straight away. It was sturdy, comfortable to hold and didn't wear down the way the others did.
What makes climbing rope different
Climbing rope is made to hold a climber's weight, so it's built to be strong and last. It has two parts: a core that carries the load, and a tightly braided sheath around it. The sheath protects the core from rubbing, dirt and sunlight, which is a big part of why climbing rope lasts so long.
In daily use, what I notice most is how it feels. It gives a good grip, and it stays comfortable in my hand even when Yoshi suddenly pulls. And it's not just me: customers with large, strong dogs often tell me their walks have become so much more comfortable since switching.
All my rope comes new from European and US climbing brands, so you're getting the same material climbers trust.
What "DRY" means
Some of my rope colors are marked DRY. That means the rope has a special water-repellent treatment.
In climbing, this matters a lot. Regular nylon rope soaks up water, and a wet rope gets heavy and stiff. So climbing has an official standard for water-repellent rope: after light rubbing and a 15-minute soak, the rope can't absorb more than 5% of its own weight in water. An untreated rope absorbs around 50% in the same test. The DRY ropes I use are certified to this standard by the UIAA, the international climbing federation.
For a dog leash, that means rain, puddles and wet grass are much less of a problem. A DRY rope doesn't turn heavy and soggy halfway through a rainy walk, and it dries faster afterwards. If you walk in all weather, it's worth choosing.
The honest downsides
Climbing rope is high quality, but it's still rope. A couple of things to know:
- It can get dirty. Mud and dirt happen. The good news is that it washes easily.
- Colors can fade a bit with lots of use.
None of this affects how the leash works, but I'd rather you know before you order.
Two worries I hear a lot
"Won't a rope leash burn my hands?" This is the most common one. It mostly comes down to picking the right thickness for your dog. A rope that's too thin for a strong puller puts all that force on a small area of your hand. With the right diameter, you're pretty safe.
"Won't bright colors get dirty really fast?" They do show dirt a bit more than black or dark colors. But because the rope washes so easily, it's not something you're stuck with.
What about Tiny leashes?
For the Tiny leashes, I use accessory cord instead of climbing rope. Climbing rope is too heavy for very small dogs, but accessory cord is built the same way, with a core and a protective sheath, just thinner and lighter. So tiny dogs get the same quality, in a size that actually suits them.
Made for real walks
Every leash is made by hand to order in Amsterdam, in the color, length and thickness that fit you and your dog. If you'd like to feel the difference for yourself:
