I decided to try this lead after I was told a horror story about extendible leads - a friend's dog had a terrible accident with one where it took her flesh down to the bone after getting caught round her leg whilst running.
This particular long lead appealed for a number of reasons, the first being the length of it - approximately 30 feet. When at its full length my pup can have quite a bit of freedom to wander around and sniff without having to stay right by our sides but I know that she is secure at all times and can't dash off when she gets a smell or sees another dog.
The lead is also great for training recall. My dog gets a scent and she seems to become deaf to anything else. My dog trainer said not to keep shouting the same 'come' command as if they ignore it then it just reinforces that they don't have to come when you call. By allowing the dog their freedom on this lead if you shout for them to come and they ignore you then it is easy to pull them back to your side using the lead. That way they learn that they can't ignore you.
I really like that this lead was made of a strong fabric rather than nylon as are some other leads. It makes it much more comfortable to hold and it feels flexible and strong. The main downside to the fabric is that it is very absorbent and if you are out on a rainy day or the grass is wet then the lead quickly becomes saturated and takes a long time to completely dry.
Another downside is because of the length of the lead it can and does easily become tangled during storage - I have no idea why, it must be the same physics that makes ipod earphones always tangle!
However overall, I am very impressed with this lead and would highly recommend it - I'm very glad I bought mine.