On a hike I want my hands. For poles on a downhill, for the camera when the light does something, for the water bottle, for whatever’s in my pocket.
A leash takes one of them and doesn’t give it back. And it’s usually the hand you’d want most on the way down something steep.
Why I recommend it
The Ruffwear Roamer can be held like a normal leash, clipped to a pack, or worn around your waist. The line is a bungee, so it stretches and then draws back.
I’ll be honest about the worry that kept me from trying one: if I’m attached at the waist and Tootsie decides to go, does she take me with her? It hasn’t happened. The stretch absorbs the moment instead of passing it straight through, so by the time the line is taut it’s a pull rather than a yank.
The thing I didn’t expect to like is that it’s longer than her regular leash. That extra bit means she can follow a smell a little further off the trail without me having to move. It comes in more than one length, so pick for the kind of space you usually walk in.
Missy’s Honest Take
It isn’t my go-to yet.
I like it on hikes, and I reach for it when I know we’re heading somewhere I’ll want poles or a camera. But for an ordinary walk I still pick up her regular leash without thinking, because that’s the habit and that’s what’s by the door.
The other day I was out in the neighborhood and remembered I owned this one. I’m going to pull it out of the van and use it on our exercise walks and see whether it sticks. That’s honestly where I am with it — I like it, and I haven’t fully made room for it yet.
Nothing about it annoys me, which isn’t something I can say about most gear.
What you’ll need
Nothing extra. It clips to the harness or collar you already use, and the waist option is built into the leash rather than being a separate belt you have to buy.
If you’re going hands-free for the first time, try it somewhere easy — a familiar walk rather than a technical trail — so the first time your dog lunges isn’t also the first time you’re wearing the leash.
Get this gear
The Roamer is for people who want their hands back on a hike. If your dog pulls hard and you aren’t confident in their recall, think carefully before attaching them to your waist — hold it in your hand until you are.
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