Sick of paying $10 or more for a good leash that you trash on the first trail outing? Don't want to pay the high prices for custom lengths? Make your own. Here's how.

Snaps- Brass is good for any time when it's cold. More expensive than steel, but worth it if you do a lot of cold weather exposure.

Material- Nylon web is easier on your hands, but poly rope floats, is cheap and easy to replace.

Thread-nylon thread is easily subjected to sun rot. Use polyester thread.

Poly Rope Leashes

Materials:

• 1/2" Hollow Braid Poly Rope (2' longer than desired leash length)
• 3/4" or 5/8" round eye swivel bolt snap
• 1/2" splicing fid

Instructions:

Make sure the ends of the rope are heat sealed. If they didn't do it at the store, you can do it yourself with a match, lighter or stove flame. I've found it easier to work with when the rope tips are tapered to fit in the fids.

Snap end- insert the fid about 6" from the end of the rope, pulling the loop to the desired size + 1".

Fold the rope over (back toward curve) and push the end through both layers.

Bury the loose end inside the body of the rope through the original slpice hole.

Tie the loop around the snap as shown.

Handle- repeat snap end steps, but only make the loop about 6" long. Make sure it's plenty big or small for your comfort level.

Congratulations! You just made a poly rope leash!

Nylon Web Leash

Materials:

• 1" nylon webbing, 20" longer than desired leash length
• 1" flat eye swivel snap
• poly thread

Instructions:

Make sure the ends of the web are heat sealed. If they didn't do this for you at the store, you can do it yourself with a match, lighter or stove flame.

Thread one end of the lead through the flat eye of the snap. Pull through about 1 1/2". Sew the overlap to the rest of the web in the pattern of an X inside a box.

Fold the other end into a loop- about 8" long. Sew the last inch in the same X pattern, securing the loop to the rest of the web.

Congratulations! You just made a nylon web leash!