Flexi Vario LED Flash Belt for Retractable Leads

The Flexi Vario LED Flash Belt for Retractable Leads is a red LED strip that clips onto the belt of a flexi Vario lead, so the length of lead between you and the dog is lit up rather than just the handle.

Key Features

• Lights the lead itself, which is the part drivers cannot see. A collar light shows where the dog is; this shows the line the dog is on
• Three settings: constant light, slow flash and fast flash
• Clips on through the flexi Vario multi-belt link system, with no tools and nothing to thread
• Splash-proof and moisture-proof, so an evening walk in the rain is fine
• Runs on two CR 2025 coin cells
• Two sizes, S/M and L, matching the lead sizes rather than a person's waist
• Made in Germany by flexi, part of Bogdahn International in Bargteheide, which invented the retractable dog lead and has been building them since 1973

Using It

• Fit it to the belt of the lead, not to the dog and not to yourself
• Constant light reads as a steady line to a driver; flashing draws the eye faster. On an unlit road the fast flash is the one to use
• Carry a spare pair of CR 2025 cells. They are the same cells used in car keys and watches
• Take it off before the lead goes in a washing machine or a bag full of wet things

Using A Retractable Lead Safely

• flexi's own instructions say never to grasp the tape or cord, and never to wind it around any part of your body. Nylon under load gives friction burns, and this is the injury most often associated with retractable leads
• Hold it in your hand and nothing else. flexi states the lead should never be used to tie a dog up, and never used other than by hand
• Keep it locked short near roads, car parks and blind corners, and walk the dog to heel whenever other people or dogs approach. flexi says the permanent stop is for exactly that — walking to heel on a short lead
• Do not let go of the handle. A dropped handle retracts noisily and chases the dog, and a frightened dog then runs
• Clip it to a well-fitted harness rather than a collar. A dog hitting the end of several metres of lead at speed puts a hard jolt through its neck, and flexi advises checking the collar regularly
• flexi states children should not be allowed to use these leads
• Never open the casing. There is a recoil spring under tension inside
• A retractable lead gives a dog freedom. It does not give you recall — that still has to be trained

Good To Know

• This fits the flexi Vario system. It will not clip onto every flexi lead, so check that yours is a Vario before ordering
• The listing previously described this as a belt for runners and cyclists to wear. It is not worn by a person — it attaches to the dog lead
• Coin cells are dangerous if swallowed by a child or an animal. Keep spares in their packaging and out of reach, and see a doctor or vet immediately if one is swallowed
• A lit lead helps enormously on unlit roads. It does not replace wearing something reflective yourself