Bumper Ropes. How Long?

[Bill Cooksey]

How long do you want the ropes on your bumpers?

[Wingman]

I like the lengh the same length as the bumper but for puppies I always cut them off anyway. I've learned that if they don't have the option to pick up the bumper by the rope you never have that problem. ;)

Cheers,

Adam

[maxx]

I don't really care to be honest with you.


But I have a cannon of an arm so that is why ir probably doens't matter.

I bet if you ask 100 people you will get about a 50/50 on guys that like it shorter or longer.

[Bill Cooksey]

Maxx,

That's why I'm asking. The question is genuine, and I hope everyone gives their honest preference. If enough people vote it's bound to enlighten some of us a little bit. Even a 50/50 vote will give all of us more to think about, and will probably inspire some great discussion in the future.

There is no right or wrong answer, but let's keep the debate off of this thread for the next 24 hours so that our opinions don't throw the results. This should just be an easy off-the-cuff answer based solely on your opinion.

Bill

[maxx]

Bill I was joking some but honestly I don't care. I have some that are longer and some that are shorter.

Funny thing is I am an engineer and by most standards engineers are very exacting, precise and anal. I on the other hand am farm from that, just good at math.

So when I would put ropes on my bumpers it was just what I had at the time. Honestly I like having the rope as much for carrying the bumpers in the field as I do for throwing them.

As a manufacturer I think it is a no win situation. The easy answer is to make them longer therefore people could make them shorter if they wanted. Now if you make them short in the first place the only way to lenghten it is to buy your own rope therefore you can have angry customers.

Sorry wasn't trying to make light of other threads, actually replied to this before I read the others.

[Bill Cooksey]

Maxx,

No problem, and yes there are a couple of easy answers on our end. This was a genuine request for opinions. It could certainly come into play in future decision making here, but more importantly it could inspire some more open sharing of opinions and reasonings down the road on the Sporting Dogs Forum. I've always enjoyed debate when it is conducted in a reasonable and professional manner. There are few absolutes in this world, and I certainly don't think rope length on a bumper is worthy of anyone getting upset over. People on every side of the issue got upset.

Let's keep opinions out of this thread, and then debate the pros and cons of rope length on the Sporting Dogs Forum another day.

Thanks,
Bill

[Mark Brendemuehl]

I have a feeling you will alienate or tick off someone either way we do it. I like the ropes the way they are. I guess for me it is just not a big deal. When I need longer marks, I have someone else throw them or I use a launcher.
The original hexabumper prototypes that I got came to me without a string. It was no big deal to go to the store and get my own and tie it. Maybe we should just sell them like that.
Seeing the other post get so out of hand reminds me of a joke my grandfather ( a dog trainer himself) used to say. Whats the ONE thing two dog trainers can agree on? Whatever the third dog trainer is doing wrong.
Mark

[Michael Weiss]

I am with Mark on this one. If I need to thrown longer marks, I have someone do it for me, period!!!!!! If you are that serious of a trainer, you should have launchers and the whole nine yards right???? I know I am not going to throw my shoulder out trying to toss a bumper 50+ yards, it is not going to happen.

I also agree with you Bill on this discussion should be FAIR, RESONABLE, MATURE, and most importantly, HONEST. I enjoy constructed criticism when the above criteria are met.

[Mallardbreath]

About the length of the bumper is about right. Shorter ones work better for my young sons who throw marks for me sometimes. If the rope is too long, they hit the ground with them on the swing.

[Jason Upton]

Just dont put ropes on them. Then people can put what ever type and length rope on there they want, wait then I guess people will complain about them not coming with rope. Ok then just enclose a pre-determined section of rope with the bumper and then it could be cut to what ever length they would want, no then they would complain about having to actually cut the rope themselves. Point being you cant make everyone happy no matter how hard you try. When the bumpers were being developed they obviously had many man hours put into them by people way more qualified than I on the subject. I really cant believe this issue has gone this far over some rope. So long as I keep throwing bumpers for her, my dog doesnt care how long a peice of rope is and neither do I. I think that they are fine the way they are.

[Bill Cooksey]

Guys,

Please, please and please do me a favor. Let's not get into any debate or express any opinions about rope length on this particular thread. Let's take the debate to the Sporting Dogs Forum if you want to have one right now. By expressing our opinions we could either influence someone to not vote their true preference or we could cause a person not to vote at all thinking their opinion might be incorrect.

Please guys, just vote.

Thanks,
Bill

[Ryan Kleinschmidt]

All mine are the length of the bumpers and I have no problems.

[SMIGRATOR]

I would also say the length of the bumper is fine for me and my dog, if they get any longer than that it seems to drag them down to fast. I have taken a look at all mine and some are even shorter, and i have had no problem training any of my dogs.

[cootshooter]

We usually cut them the lenghth of the bumper with some w/o ropes and some with 3ft. ropes. All to alow varience in the throwing distance.

[CurrituckBoy]

I think you just need enough to be able to get a good throw.

the rest is just excess and not needed to me

Michael

[Dirt_Bag]

It all depends on the dog you are training. My female is a short bull dozer. my male is a tall dufus. So i use a short rope so she has no probs with it. Like I pm'ed you Bill, Just dont attach rope and let people (modify it) and attach it themselves. So to put a number on it is a hard thing to do because there will be some that say its not right example: It should have been 16.1938529471058 inches. So with this poll you will see a range of requests take the longest, sent the rope that lenth and be done with it.

[ACEBLDRS]

Bill, I really like your question. Not because i hope you change your bumper ropes, but because it seems like you care.

I don't particularly care for the ropes on your bumpers, but it's not a big deal. I like to tie my own on anyways. I bought a 100ft of camo rope from Home Depot several years back. Whenever I get a new shipment of bumpers in, I just start cutting off pieces of it.

I like to do that for the simple reason I can tell which bumper is mine, without writing my initials on em.

Also, I know all the knots are tied tight and the ends are melted.

If you care, I think your ropes are a little short? I voted for 50% longer than the bumper. On the few Hexabumpers I have, the knots have come out, not a big deal though.

I think the ropes are a little to flimsy (if that is the way to say it) They tend to get wrapped up around the bumper. Again, not a big deal. But it seams we are going to look this thing over with a microscope, so there is my up close evaluation.

Take it for what you want.

Thanks for supporting all the dog games guys.

Josh

[BDO]

Gun Dog Supply usually offers free ropes with the bumpers I buy, which is usually Lucky Dog.

The ropes aren't 50% longer than the bumper, but about 3" longer than the bumper. I like that length.

Steve Snell at Gun Dog Supply is a solid guy, and I have had real good luck so far with anything from GDS. I may try some Hex's out to see what the "deal" is with them.

[Mike Pearrow]

Put a lil bit of hot sauce on it and never have them picking up a bumper by the rope.

[Berger]

just put the rope on the longest suggested length. Then if you feel it should be shorter you can cut it and tie it shorter. It will only cost avery a few cents per dummy and they can please everybody

[Walt McCord]

I say the length of the bumper. My puppy uses to grab the rope and bring it back by the rope, well I didnt mind that because the fact was he would retreive what I threw. When he go older he would get the duck, or bumper.

[Rod S.]

Length of bumper.