Leather vs Nylon. Thoughts?

[Fran101]

What is your favorite material for doggy goods (collars/ leads/harnesses) and why?

What do you think are the pros and cons? tips for care? I've heard VARYING opinions on leather care (is waterproof, isn't, needs care, doesn't , smells, etc..) and Nylon (can be washed, can't, will always fray, high quality doesn't fray, etc..)

oh and of course pictures and links if you want to give a shot out!

 

[elegy]

I don't have a particularly strong preference for collars, but I don't tend to like nylon leashes just because of how they feel in my hands. Leather is good. The two leashes I use most for Steve are braided fleece.

 

[Lyzelle]

I honestly don't use either religiously. Just whatever comes up. Both leather and nylon slip over Zander's head, so neither is terribly useful. I use a chain choke and nylon leash for walking and such.

On other dogs, I still like both. Good nylon is durable and so is good leather. Bad leather warps terribly and it's pretty unsightly. Bad nylon just falls apart and it isn't reliable if your dog decides to give a good tug. Both can stain and seriously cause stink if they are constantly on.

So, meh. Just sort of down the middle for me.

 

[SaraB]

Leather for leashes. Nylon hurts my hands. I like leather leashes, they don't seem to get as dingy as nylon ones.

 

[Greenmagick]

My favorite leash is biothane or I really like leather was well. I do have couple nylon leashes that have velvet on them and those are nice as well.

 

[CaliTerp07]

Nylon, because that's how you get pretty colors and patterns and ribbon and such! I tried really hard to find leather that I like, and I just...don't.

 

[*blackrose]

I LOVE leather leashes. The only leash I'll use for my dogs are leather. It is killing me that the three amigos don't have leather leashes, but dropping $70 on leather leads when they already have nylon leashes isn't really in my budget. lol

As for collars, I don't mind nylon at all. Leather, IMO, tends to get chewed (well...if you have it on a Lab puppy...) and if the dogs swim and such with the collars on they can get icky. I think its easier to find a quality collar at a cheaper price if you go the nylon route versus the leather route. That being said, I would kill for a pink leather double row spike collar for Chloe. ^^

 

[JessLough]

Definitely not the way this thread was going when I read the title.

Nylon has always lasted longer (read: 10+ years) here

 

[~WelshStump~]

I also have to thumbs up Braided fleece leashes, my favorite leash is one I made of braided fleece (sorry I don't have any pictures of it right now). I can get anyone instruction if they want? It isn't that hard.

Collars, overall I prefer the nylon ones my guys have now by Lupine, the color does not bleed off into their fur, unlike Jinjo's last cheap one from Walmart after he broke his Old Navy one years ago, and they are very hard to fray, plus the company will replace them as many times as they brake even if chewed, although none of the dogs in my house right now chew. Both are Martingales also, as what broke on Jinjo's Old Navy one was the plastic buckle, it lasted about 4-5 years? I'm not a huge fan of plastic buckles.

Harness, I also like nylon, it's just easier to work with. I also recently bought a head collar for Enda, to hopefully maybe stop some of her initial "get out of the van jumping spinning crazy games", it's made of nylon too and I don't know as I would want to go with something as heavy as leather.

Personally, for overall DO NOT LIKE material goes, I HATE vinyl! Vinyl contains a heavily toxic compound to make it softer called phthalates, which has been linked to everything from birth defects to brain damage. Also for a dog collar/leash/harness it's not very long lasting. Just, DON'T!

 

[Red Chrome]

Leather! I love my leather leashes!

 

[Saeleofu]

No pictures handy at the moment, but I adore leather and will never go back to anything else. All my leashes are leather and so is Logan's harness and Gavroche's collar. Logan will get a leather collar eventually, too.

I like leather because it feels good, plan and simple

 

[ihartgonzo]

Leather collars hands down! A nice rolled or flat leather collar is going to last so long and look good forever. A nylon collar on my dogs looks like sh!t within a few trips to the lake. I got Fozzie a really well made leather collar from Around The Collar like 3 years ago for his birthday, it was way too expensive ($80) but it was nicely made, double layered, stamped and had swarovski crystals in it. 3 years later, after wearing it in the lake, the ocean, baby pools, mud, etc it still looks brand new and doesn't have a mark on it! The crystals are all intact! While all of his $20-30 collars look like junk within 6 months.

Nylon leashes are the DEVIL, after getting rope burn on my arm from one... and I still have the scar, 6 years later. A thin (1/2"), high quality leather lead is going to feel great, look good forever and won't give you rope burn. It's important to buy QUALITY leather or it'll stretch, fade and bend. But it's worth paying $20-50 more it if it lasts 10 years. Braided leather is amazing for leashes. I also love the Mendota slip leads for casual walks & park trips, they're soft and have never hurt my hands. They're quick, easy puppy leads for potty walks and leash training.

 

[MafiaPrincess]

Leather. No issue to care for, swimming regularly etc. Still look nice a year later. Can't say the same for any other material I've ever owned.

 

[Dekka]

Leather.. outlasts any nylon I have ever used on a dog (or a horse!)

 

[Gypsydals]

My favorite has turned out to be White pine soft leads.
http://www.whitepineoutfitters.com/...sup> Leads&ProductSubCodeID=119&ProductCode=4
It fits in my hand nicely (bonus when you have small hands). And its incredibly soft and doesn't burn like regular nylon and sometimes leather. They also seem to last forever. Ivan has had the same collar and leads for 7 1/2 years now.

 

[Kaydee]

Nylon, bright colors and designs, you can throw them in the washer if they smell doggie and they just fit Sophie better-softer and more comfortable, she has a really broad neck and shoulders.

 

[misfitz]

I prefer leather for a few reasons. I don't like the feel of nylon leashes in my hand. Maybe because I used to ride horses?? Soft leather feels sooo much better than weird itchy nylon. I also think the leather is easier to keep clean. Yeah, you can wash nylon leashes but they still fray and end up looking worn out. If you take good care of leather it lasts forever, so I feel that it's a greener option, too, which I try to choose whenever I can.

Sienna has a leather collar, but for a different reason - I just like the way a loose, rolled collar looks on her vs. a flat buckle (she has a big Sheltie ruff) and I've never seen a rolled nylon collar before. The leather just looks nicer, too, IMO.

 

[Kaydee]

If I may add, I love the way leather looks. My past dogs had leather collars. But I tried one leather leash and my hands sweat a lot, I had trouble keeping a grip on the finish.

I use a double sewn nylon leash-like two nylon leashes fused together. It's three years worth of durable so far even with strong pulling sometimes.

 

[Lizmo]

Leather, definitely. My Paco collar has been in so much water in the past 3ish months it's not even funny. And it STILL looks brand new, and it's gotten so soft. I still haven't conditioned it, either. lol

And my leather leash. That leash has been through everything. Lake water, herding lessons, dock diving, pool water, mud, puppies. It's about 4 years old. While it's still in great condition, it is a bit stiff. However, it's *never* been conditioned since having it.

That being said, I have had a few leather collars, some cheap, some supposed-to-be high quality, bleed when wet. So while I think leather is the best, it is necessary to have high quality leather products.

 

[JessLough]

Oh yah, I use rope leashes, or a flexi lead, so I'm holding plastic lol