Most of a walk, from a dog's point of view, is sniffing, and a short fixed lead turns that into a tug of war on a quiet path. A retractable lead pays out while your dog investigates a hedge and reels back in when you want them at your side, so you are not left bundling loops of webbing into one hand while carrying everything else in the other.

The cord runs off a stainless-steel coil spring, and that spring is what decides whether a retractable lead feels smooth or snatchy; a weak one lets slack sag onto the ground where a dog can step over it. A one-click brake under your thumb locks the length instantly and releases just as fast, so you can shorten your dog at a kerb or when another dog appears without changing your grip. The moulded handle is shaped to sit in the palm.

• One-click thumb brake locks and releases the cord
• Stainless-steel coil spring for smooth extending and retracting
• Contoured handle made for a one-handed grip
• Sized for small and medium dogs, corgis included
• Trigger clip and cord for everyday walking
• Single option, so there is no size to choose

On retractable leads generally. They are the wrong tool beside a road or in a car park, where a dog at full extension is in traffic before you can react, so lock short before you leave the pavement. Never grab the cord bare-handed under tension.

Who it's for: Owners of small and medium dogs walking open parkland, quiet lanes and beaches, who want their dog to range and still come back under control in a second.