Best Damn Tracking/Trailing Lead (And Why I’ve Used It for Over a Decade)
Best Damn Tracking/Trailing Lead (And Why I’ve Used It for Over a Decade)
If I could only keep one tracking/trailing leash, it’d be this one.
It’s a 30-foot rolled leather line from Georgia K9 NTC and I’ve been using the same style for over a decade. Not because it’s trendy, but because it works in the places tracking actually happens: brush, deadfall, wet grass, weird terrain, and all the little moments where your line either helps you or makes you hate your life.
If you want to see the exact line and hear me talk through why I love it, here’s the gear review video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdS1PgS9CRQ&t=8s
Why rolled leather is my go-to
Rolled leather does two things I care about:
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It snakes through brush really nicely. It slides. It doesn’t hang up constantly. It doesn’t feel like you’re dragging an anchor through the woods.
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It feels great in the hands. And the best part is the longer you use it, the better it gets. It breaks in like a piece of gear that’s supposed to be worked, not babied.
The loop at the end matters
I personally prefer a loop at the end so I can anchor my thumb. That anchor point helps a ton with hand fatigue on longer tracks and keeps your grip consistent when the dog starts putting real intention into the line.
Why I choose 30 feet
Thirty feet is my personal sweet spot. It’s:
- Long enough to let the dog do their thing and solve the problem
- Short enough that you can still manage the line effectively without turning it into a circus
Keep it in working shape
If it dries out, I just apply a little neatsfoot oil and keep rolling. Simple maintenance, long lifespan.
Where to get it
As far as I know right now, these lines are only available through Georgia K9 NTC.
Want a fun example of this kind of work?
Here’s a completely different kind of tracking day: Army evasion tracking with helicopter insertion, running Liesl, and we logged over nine miles that day:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzSmL1lTgcU
If you want the whole system
If you’re into the more organic tie-in to Tracking: Freedom to Hunt styles, you’ll see this line used a lot, because it supports the whole point: stay connected, manage the line, and let the dog work.
If you want the full progression, drills, and real-world application behind how I run tracking, grab the course here:
https://workyourpack.com/collections/frontpage/products/tracking-freedom-to-hunt-style
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