Ruffwear

Hitch Hiker Dog Lead

The climbing-inspired leash and hitch system for humans who move fast - from the crag to the coffee shop and every path in between.

Details

One leash that does the job of three.

Most leads do one thing. The Hitch Hiker™ does three - and switches between them without stopping.

Shorten is right down for close control on a busy street. Clip it around your waist for a hands-free walk or run. And when you need to stop - for lunch on the trail, a coffee outside, or to set up camp - wrap the rope around a post or tree and your dog is securely anchored. That last bit is the hitch.

What’s a hitch? A hitch is a type of knot that ties a rope to an object - a post, a tree, a rail - and holds tight under tension, releasing easily when the tension is gone. No carabiner, no separate tie-out, no faffing. Just wrap, clip, done.

How it works

Inside the stow bag is 12 feet of strong, supple, reflective kernmantle rope with a lockable Crux Clip™ at the end. The HitchLock™ rope adjuster lets you shift from long line to short lead on the fly: press the thumb button to extend the rope, release it and the HitchLock™ brakes automatically under tension. To bring the rope back in, take in the slack by hand - it’s not automatic. Human participation required, just like a climbing belay.

The adjustable strap doubles as handle, waist belt, or hitch wrap, and any excess webbing tucks away in the rear pocket. A mesh pocket on the stow bag handles pick-up bags.

Rope length: 12 ft (3.65 m) · Stow bag: 6 x 7 x 2 in (16 x 18.5 x 5 cm) · Waist belt max length: 49"

Hands pulling the kernmantle rope from the open stow bag on the Ruffwear Hitch Hiker Dog Lead in Sunny Lime worn as a waist belt

Features

  • Adjustable, stowable strap - hand-held leash handle, hands-free waist belt, or portable hitch around a single post or tree
  • HitchLock™ rope adjuster - thumb-button to extend, auto-braking under tension, take in slack by hand
  • 12 ft of reflective kernmantle rope - strong, supple, and visible in low light
  • Lockable Crux Clip™ - light, strong, and secure connection point
  • Stow bag with mesh pocket - tough shell fabric, contains rope tail, mesh pocket for pick-up bags

Materials

  • Bag shell (bluesign® approved): 150D polyester ripstop with DWR and PU coating
  • Rope: 7 mm reflective kernmantle rope
  • Belt: 20 mm polyester webbing
  • Hardware: anodised 6061-T6 aluminium lockable Crux Clip™ and HitchLock™ Rope Adjuster
  • Buckle (bluesign® approved): ITW Nexus Mach 1 side-release
  • Zipper: YKK #3 Reverse Coil Zipper
  • Made in Vietnam

Care

  • Hand wash
  • Mild detergent
  • Air dry

Video