BORELLI CONSULTING: Tactical Equipment Reviews

5-OK-9 Leads
Courtesy of Steve Forgues
9 January 2006

Over the years I have used a variety of canine equipment that ranged from poor to high quality. Those of us that are involved with security or police canines, require the highest quality and durability. When your canine is a pup, you maybe able to get away with low quality equipment that you find at the local pet store, but it won't be long before your canine is stressing the equipment.

I recently received two leads from 5-OK-9 (Five-O Canine). Meaning no disrespect to 5-OK-9, but I thought I had heard of all the major manufacturers of canine equipment. Since I had not heard of the company I wondered just how good their stuff could be. After a couple of months of testing their equipment, I found that it met my high standards. Following you will find my evaluation of the two leads along with their specifications.

¾" x 6' Leather Agitation Lead

The first is the ¾" x 6' Leather Agitation Lead, utilizing a braid instead of rivets or stitching. Prior to receiving this lead, I had never used a lead of this type due to the braid. You see, in order for the lead to be braided the way it is, it has to be cut in several spots then woven. I know that a braid in general is very strong, but my thought process was that by cutting, then weaving it, the structural integrity of the leather would diminish. After testing this lead and stressing it as much as possible, I found that I was wrong. The braid consists of what is called a 3 cut blood knot. From my understanding, this particular type of braid is as strong as the leather it's braided into. One of the problems with connections using stitching is that due to the close proximity of the needle punctures, the thread has a tendency to slice the leather between these needle holes. Rivets that are used by other manufacturers are generally non-corrosive, but may pull apart and fail over time.

The leather strap that 5-OK-9 uses in all of its leather leads are made of premium grade 12-13oz. English bridle leather, that come from the neck to butt portion of each hide. Within the leather industry the back section is known to be the strongest and most consistent. The leather that they use is described by the supplier as "strong, waxy and weather-resistant, from US native steers that are slowly veg tanned with the right amount of waxes, greases, and tallow's, with minimal stretch." Many of the leads that you find on the market have a 90° edge, giving it a somewhat sharp and uncomfortable edge, at least until it has been broken in and the edges worn. 5-OK-9 has taken the extra step of rounding over all four edges for a smooth comfortable feel.

When it comes to attaching your lead to a collar or harness, there is a large variety of attachment hardware available on the market. Most handlers that I have been in contact with, and including myself, prefer a bolt snap that swivels. They are easier to attach and detach than other types out there. With 5-OK-9, they use a high strength and durable Italian manganese bronze snap, unlike some manufacturers that use a lower quality material such as a Taiwanese bronze or brass. For quality assurance, all bolt snaps are inspected to make sure that the swivel and bolt work properly without any binding.

I was very pleased with this agitation lead. It is lightweight and comfortable in the hand. I also found that it wasn't as stiff as other leads that I have purchased, which lead to a shorter break-in period. As all working K-9 handlers know, a K-9 will put a lot of stress on a lead. I worked my K-9 pretty hard with this lead, trying to make it fail, and it didn't. If you are looking for a high quality agitation lead without breaking the bank, I would recommend you check out this lead for yourself.

Multi-Purpose Lead

The second lead sent by 5-OK-9 was their Multi-Purpose Lead (MPL), available in ½" or ¾" width. The one that I received was the ½". The MPL is also known as a Police Lead. I had always wanted to get this type of lead because of the versatility, let me tell you that the name of this lead speaks for itself. Since I wanted to get a lead like this, I was somewhat familiar with some of the functions, but found that there were more than I had bargained for.

The MPL is made of a bacteria/mildew resistant material called beta-biothane. This material is waterproof, and for those that operate in cold climates with sub-zero temperatures, it remains soft and flexible to -20° Fahrenheit. I received this lead in the warmer months of the year, so of course it was very soft and flexible. It is now January and quite cold (20-30°F) and this lead was left outside for several days in the frigid weather. I grabbed it to take the dog for a walk and found it to still be very soft and flexible. The weather had absolutely no effect on how it functioned. It only takes a couple of seconds to clean, making it virtually maintenance free and will not fray. The MPL has a soft matte/dull surface for a feel like leather, and has been embossed to look like leather. As mentioned above the MPL is available in ½" or ¾" widths, and has a thickness of .140-.160" (roughly 5/32"). With the width and thickness of that material, I was quite surprised when I read the specifications for the break strength rating. The beta-biothane is rated at 1,000 pounds per inch of width, which in the case of the MPL; you're looking at 500 pounds for the ½" and 750 pounds for the ¾". 5-OK-9 utilizes an "A" TWIST braid and heat sealed on all beta-biothane leash connection points. It also uses two bolt snaps, one at each end, having the same specifications as those used for the agitation lead, along with solid brass O-rings.

Function wise, the MPL is adjustable for lengths of 36", 60" and 72" lead, quick-collar lead, jog-dog lead, agitation lead and as a tie-out. For those not familiar with this type of lead, let me explain what each function is. Changing to a different function is a matter of connecting the bolt snap to a different brass O-ring. Several pictures are provided, depicting the functions.

- The MPL can be used as a Quick-Collar Lead, which is great if the canine doesn't have a collar. On the MPL there is one O-ring that is not in a fixed position, the lead goes through it, allowing it to slip. By attaching the bolt snap that is closest to the slip O-ring, it gives you a choke/correction collar and lead in one package. As a police officer, you come across stray dogs, tame and aggressive, that need to be captured and held until the appropriate agency can take custody. Since receiving this lead, I have also been taking the MPL along while on-duty, in the event I have a canine to take custody of. A word of caution though, due to the risk involved in capturing a canine, I recommend this only to law enforcement officers who have received canine handler/trainer training.

- One of my favorite functions is the Jog-Dog Lead. Using the MPL in this fashion, you are creating a large loop that goes diagonally from your shoulder across your chest and back, then attached to your canines collar. I like this because I am able to go out with my canine for a walk or jog, have him close to me but not having to hold onto the lead. Although you are not holding the lead in your hand if something occurs that requires correction, you are still able to do so.

- The third function is as a Tie-Out. With the MPL having a bolt snap located at both ends, it is easily secured to the canine's collar and to a fixed location. Whether it is for agitation purposes or other reasons, this is a very handy function.

- The primary function though is as a general purpose or agitation lead. Since this is a Multi-Purpose Lead, it takes the place of several conventional leads, such as a 6' agitation or a short traffic lead. With a quick change of where the bolt snaps are secured, you can change the length of the lead to suit your needs at the time.

So as you can see, the MPL does live up to its name. Leather tends to get slippery in wet weather, but with the beta-biothane material, it is waterproof and gives you a very secure grip. I found the MPL to be very comfortable in my hands. Just as I did with the Agitation Lead, I stressed this lead as much as possible and it too did not fail. Whether you are a Canine Handler or just a pet owner, I would highly recommend this Multi-Purpose Lead.

As stated above, I would recommend either of the two leads. Both have great craftsmanship, high durability and strength and with the MPL, very versatile. It is just my personal preference, but the only thing that I would want different, is the size of the bolt snaps. The bolt snaps are a little on the small size for my liking. If the bolt snap was a little larger, it would be easier to manipulate when wearing gloves, and easier to secure to a collar or harness.

For further information you can contact 5-OK-9 at mwburndog@pacific.net.

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Also, don't forget to read the Recreational Equipment Evaluations:

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Check out this week's Highlighted Training Article about the necessity of properly structuring our training to condition operators to expect life instead of death.

For a listing of reviews in chronological order, GO HERE.

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