Selecting Driving Reins

Where do you start with selecting driving reins?

We are regularly asked for recommendations when it comes to driving reins but this is such a personal thing it's very hard to advise. All we can do is take a look at the many different hand grips available and provide a little detail. It should also be noted that driving reins are traditionally brown even if you are using a black harness. Most of the rein styles mentioned below are available in a wide variety of sizes and for most configurations single, pair, tandem and team. 

Plain Leather

Being the original material for driving reins this is the most traditional option and is probably the best choice for the show ring. Leather reins have a great feel and weight and so long as they are properly cared for they will be supple and comfortable in the hand. The drawback to leather is that they can be slippery when wet and they do require care. 

Example: Ideal Luxe Leather Reins

Plain Synthetic

Synthetic materials have been widely used in carriage driving harness for many years and they are generally considered to be superior to leather in many ways. Foremost in most people's minds is the ease of maintenance where synthetic materials can suffer all manner of bad treatment and weather conditions yet still remain effective and unchallenged. Cleaning is simple, just a wash in a bucket of soapy water and a rinse is quite sufficient. Whilst the aim of these reins is to mimic leather they tend to be a little lighter in weight but can offer a bit more grip

Example: Zilco X Grip Reins

The X Grip are luxurious to the touch and due to the rolled edges they are gentle on the hands too. They offer excellent grip

Example: Ideal EuroTech Reins

A pleasantly supple rein the EuroTech is kind to the hands whilst still offering great grip

Example: Zilco Z Grip Plain Reins

The Z Grip is probably the closest substitute for leather in weight and feel whilst offering great grip even in wet conditions

Anti-Slip or S Grip

This option has a non slip hand part consisting of webbing with a rubber thread. This style was one of the first developed to give extra grip. The front section of the rein could be leather or a synthetic material and whilst there are slight variations between models and manufacturers the fundamental arrangement of the hand grips is much the same. 

Example: Ideal Anti-Slip Reins

Example Zilco S Grip Reins

This style of rein tends to be a little lighter than leather and consequently isn't always the right choice for all drivers. They can be affected by strong wind more than some other styles. Their lightweight nature can make them appealing to other drivers and they do offer a good level of grip in all conditions without being too hard on the hands.

Rubber Grip

This has become a very popular style amongst driving trials competitors because it can offer significant grip in wet conditions without being too hard on the hands. The rubber is generally very soft and flexible and they are narrow enough to suit smaller hands. The downside to this style is that they can wear quicker than others and the rubber pimples will begin to rub off in time with frequent use. They are a popular choice for use in the marathon phase of horse driving trials.

Example: Zilco R Grip

Example: Ideal Bubble Grip

Reins with Stoppers

There is another way to give grip to reins without using such obvious materials, this can help to make the reins appear more traditional. The use of stoppers to varying degrees gives additional grip to otherwise smooth reins. The most frequent complaint to grips with stoppers is that they can be hard on the hands and they make it more difficult to slip the reins which can be both a help and a hindrance. For those drivers who find it difficult to maintain a consistent hand position the stoppers can be a huge help in making it clear if your hands are even and help you to keep them at the same place on the rein. On the other hand if you want to be able to move your hands around, in particular taking loops in multiples, then the stoppers may be a hindrance. 

Example: Ideal EuroTech Soft Grip Reins

The Ideal EuroTech soft grip has stoppers which are covered making them less hard on the hands and giving a nice feel. You still have stoppers and the benefits which come from them but they are less intrusive.

Example: Zilco Z Grip Reins

The material on the Z grip reins offers very good grip even without the stoppers and they act and weigh similarly to leather.

Summary

Ideal Models

Note: It is possible to special order any size or configuration of Ideal rein

Zilco Models

We'd love to hear which reins are your favourite so please leave a comment and let us know which and why