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There are a lot of dog collars you can buy for your pet, and choosing the right one can be overwhelming. So we thoroughly researched the top-rated dog collars on the market, then handpicked the most promising models and put them through side-by-side tests to help you find the perfect collar for your four-legged friend. We took dogs of all sizes on countless walks, evaluating how easy each collar was to adjust and how convenient it was to use.
The Ruffwear Web Reaction Martingale has withstood the test of time and wear, holding on to its reign as our favorite collar in our testing lineup for a couple of years now - although the margins are getting thinner with some great competition. It earned our recommendation for its durability, utilizing webbing and bartacking that looks like it could be used on a climbing harness. The prints are fashionable and fun, the martingale design helps prevent pulling, buckles are easy to snap closed and release, and a dedicated tag loop means you'll never clip your leash to the wrong ring. It is also extremely easy to clean, and the material doesn't hold onto foul odors after washing.
While this collar checks all the boxes and most would consider the patterns aesthetically pleasing, we found the Wolfgang Heavy Duty Martingale offers more interesting patterns. It is nearly as durable and well crafted as the Ruffwear Web Reaction, has a similar, no-pull collar, and does not disappoint. Whether you want your dog to have the best-looking collar at the campsite or crag, or you want them to reflect the passion for fishing with a great-looking cut-bow trout design, Wolfgang has an option for you. Like the Ruffwear Web Reaction, metal D-rings and a beefy plastic buckle complement the martingale design, making it a great option for managing larger dogs and dogs that like to pull, without sacrificing style.
The attractive Ruffwear Web Reaction Martingale dog collar is great for dogs that pull.
When visibility and nighttime safety are a concern, the Blazin Light-Up collar gives you peace of mind. Nobody will miss your dog, whether it is on all the time, slowly blinking, or strobing with seizure-inducing speed and brightness. Unlike our previous illuminated collar pick, this collar is waterproof! While the manufacturer doesn't provide a specific IPX rating, it can handle being hosed down when dirty, and can be used worry-free in environments where your dog might take a swim or get rained on — like when your dog decides she needs to help you land that fish you just hooked up.
The Blazin Light-Up is also great for daytime and low-light use. It is highly reflective and utilizes durable buckles, as well as a metal d-ring for the leash attachment point. I personally love this thing, as it helps me keep track of my dog when moving through tall grass hay fields that have yet to be cut and baled. The only thing that could make this collar a bit better would be to somehow incorporate a martingale design, and to use a USB-C charging cable instead of the antiquated micro USB connections that tend to wear out-- one of the reasons these were replaced on many smartphones. If the brightness of LEDs is a little too much for you or your dog, but visibility and safety are a major concern, then it would be worth considering the highly reflective PAWBLEFY Personalized Reflective Nylon, which also provides you with a customization option to personalize your pet's collar.
We thoroughly test every collar with controlled tests, field work, and countless dog walks, day and night, and the Blazin Light-Up proved to be a great collar, especially for nighttime safety.
For a simple webbing collar that won't empty your wallet, we recommend the Blueberry Classic Adjustable. Our testers found it flexible, easily adjustable, and quick to put on and take off. However, as with any webbing collar, if your dog gets their teeth into it while not wearing it, it might not survive too long. This collar also performed well in our odor absorption test and didn't retain any odors after a wash.
Compared to some of the flashier patterned options, the Blueberry Classic won't make a huge style statement, but we still appreciate the fact that it is available in multiple colors. At a similar price point, you may also consider adding a little bit of personalization and greater reflectivity with the GoTags Personalized Reflective or the PAWBLEFY. The denser webbing of the Blueberry Classic held on to water just a bit more than some other collars we tested, and if completely soaked through, it took a tad longer to dry out. Bottom line, this is an excellent choice for anyone shopping on a budget and seeking a traditional, solid-color webbing option for their dog.
Martingale dog collars offer an added degree of control when your dog is on a leash. The self-cinching design gently tightens if your dog is tugging too hard and also keeps them from backing out of their collar. If this sounds like a feature that you and your furry friend could benefit from, the PetSafe Martingale Quick Snap is our recommendation for an inexpensive Martingale. Our team found this model very easy to adjust, and the plastic buckle is as easy as it gets when it comes time to remove the collar. Odors also completely disappeared for us with one wash cycle.
We had very few gripes about the Quick Snap. And yet, we also didn't find anything particularly impressive about it either. Overall, this dog collar is very average-looking. If you're searching for a snazzy collar to give your fuzzball some extra style, you'll have to splurge a little more for a fashionable look. So, if you are willing and able to spend just a bit more to get some really nice aesthetics and additional features, consider the attractive and effective Ruffwear Web Reaction. Compared to other burlier models tested, we noticed that the Quick Snap also has less stitching, leading us to suspect that it might not hold up for dogs who tend to play hard. Complaints aside, this is an excellent option for a Martingale collar that will hardly put a dent in your wallet.
The PetSafe Martingale Quick Snap is an affordable and effective no pull collar.
Material: Webbing | Available Colors/Patterns: 5 base colors, 15 thread options
PROS
Clear and easy-to-read embroidery
Easy to clean and odor-resistant
CONS
Fewer base colors to choose from
Reflective strip can show wear
The GoTags Personalized Reflective is our top pick for anyone seeking a customized collar. You can get a total of 25 characters embroidered on it, which should be enough space for most pet names and a phone number, eliminating the need for a separate ID tag with contact information. There are five different base colors to choose from, with 15 separate thread choices to customize. We love how easy this collar is to put on and remove from a dog's neck, and we appreciate that it didn't hold on to any residual odors during our testing.
Pure webbing collars offer a lot of flexibility, and we noticed that the embroidery and reflective strip of the GoTags Reflective reduce that flex, which we assume will be more noticeable on smaller sizes than the larger ones. Dirt, scuffs, and scrapes also all appeared rather quickly on the reflective strip, but after a quick wash, the brightness returned fast. This is a great choice for those who tend to take their pet out on early morning or late evening walks when high visibility is of the utmost importance. It's also a good option if you want to minimize the number of jangly ID tags on your dog's collar. If you want a customizable collar and you like the look of leather, we recommend the Custom Catch Personalized.
The GoTags Personalized Reflective collar is a great way to keep your furry friend easily recognizable while also keeping them safer at night.
To evaluate and rank all of the collars in our test lineup, we went on countless walks, day and night, often taking our testing into the field on backcountry fishing trips, upland game hunts that stretch until dusk, and late-night walks when the summer temps cool down and visibility and safety are especially critical. We examined visibility and reflectivity during low-light conditions, assessed buckles, ease of operation, and inspected each collar for wear and weak points. Our final scores were based on performances across the following four main criteria:
Ease of Adjustment (30% of overall score weighting)
Durability (30% weighting)
Ease of Cleaning (20% weighting)
Aesthetics (20% weighting)
Why Trust GearLab
GearLab's test team is stacked with backcountry climbers, hikers, anglers, outdoorsmen, and even modern market farmers, and many of us have four-legged companions that range from lap dogs and crag buddies to car campers, hunting dogs, and even farm dogs. So we collectively had lots of experience to draw on, as well as things we expect from a collar, to consider for this review. Our dog collar testing and review process was headed up by David Wise, Ross Patton, and Ben Hickok.
Between the three of them, they have collectively tested an abundance of tech, home, and outdoor products for GearLab, ranging from camping gear, office equipment, and power tools, to kitchen appliances and even fitness equipment. Assisting with this review are David's Newfoundland and Bernese Mountain Dog, Ross's two hounds, and Ben's Catahoula Leopard. They were also joined by a handful of other dogs of all shapes and sizes to help you find the perfect collar for your furry friend.
Our fuzzy models didn't mind the work it took to put this project together.
Following a thorough research process, we purchased the most promising collars and evaluated them using a metric-based head-to-head comparison. Standout performances of products in each metric are outlined below.
Worse Value
Better Value
What's the Best Value?
When considering value, it's important to weigh what is important to you in a dog collar: style, durability, and function. If you're after features like personalization, trendy designs, extra padding, or integrated lights, expect a higher price tag than basic models. For a no-frills but solid pick, the Blueberry Classic Adjustable fits the bill, while the PetSafe Martingale Quick Snap adds the cinching no-pull capability of a martingale design at a low price. The BoomiBoo Reflective Nylon Adjustable was the most budget-friendly in our lineup, but as you might expect, it only provides the bare essentials.
Among collars with added features, the Blazin Light-Up stands out as a smart buy when nighttime safety matters, due to its built-in LED lighting that NOBODY will miss. The Wolfgang Heavy Duty Martingale adds awesome aesthetics with 20 cool patterns to choose from, adding good looks to a solid martingale collar. The GoTags Personalized Reflective collar offers custom embroidery at a reasonable price, while the PAWBLEFY Personalized Reflective Nylon delivers strong visibility and customization at a budget-friendly cost. For stylish flair, our top pick, the Ruffwear Web Reaction Martingale adds thoughtful design touches like tag silencers, and a lot of cool webbing patterns to choose from, but the Wolfgang Heavy Duty Martingale barely edges it out with better color and pattern options - this is subject of course, and your preferences may differ.
Ease of Adjustment
This metric focused on how easily each collar could be fitted, used, and re-adjusted. We evaluated how smoothly buckles operated, the collar's flexibility, the type and convenience of leash/tag attachment points, and how easily the collar could be resized.
Snap-style webbing collars outperformed those with traditional belt buckles, with the Ruffwear Web Reaction Martingale, Wolfgang Heavy Duty Martingale, and Wolfgang Man & Beast shining for their flexibility and comfort.
The Wolfgang Heavy Duty Martingale uses a martingale design to control your dog and prevent pulling - if you need it.
Credit: Benjamin Hickok
The Country Brook Petz Premium Nylon also proved easy to buckle and unbuckle with a metal sidelock buckle. The metal sidelock buckles on the Daganxi Tactical Nylon were also easy to insert and release. However, its extra-thick padding and velcro patches don't allow the collar to conveniently fall away when the buckle is released, requiring a tiny bit more manipulation to remove from your dog's neck.
The Daganxi Tactical Nylon uses metal, heavy-duty, side-lock buckles.
Credit: Benjamin Hickok
Standard synthetic webbing collars like the Blueberry Classic Adjustable, PetSafe Martingale, Joytale Reflective, BoomiBoo, and PAWBLEFY performed as you would expect, operating smoothly with pretty basic quality buckles, though the GoTags Reflective was slightly stiffer due to the embroidered stitching.
GoTags collars eliminate the need for separate ID tags if your phone number is embroidered, which we found convenient. The Black Rhino Comfort Collar and Custom Catch Personalized use belt-style buckles with a center prong, which are slower and less adjustable due to fixed hole spacing. The Black Rhino, however, was a little more flexible than its peers.
Both the Blazin Light-Up and the Illumiseen are bulkier and harder to adjust due to the LED strips inside their webbing sheaths. So if you frequently adjust or don and remove your dog's collar, these may not be ideal options for regular daytime use.
The embroidery on this collar makes it a little less flexible but Arlo doesn't seem to mind too much.
Credit: Laura Casner
Durability
To test durability, we examined material quality, assessed visible damage after use, and performed stress tests like pulling hard on the collars to test closures, even hanging weights off of them to test for unreasonable failures, and all models passed the pulling test.
The Black Rhino Comfort Collar ranked highest for durability, thanks to its metal parts, thick webbing, and neoprene lining. The Custom Catch was also rugged but less water-friendly.
The metal grommets, steel buckle, and thick material of the Black Rhino make it one of the most durable models we've seen.
Credit: Ross Patton
Many webbing collars tested also proved rather durable, with the Ruffwear models using thinner but tightly woven material and reinforced bar tacking. The Wolfgang Heavy Duty Martingale Dog Collar offers a slightly thinner webbing material than what the Ruffwear models offer, with slightly less heavy-duty bar tacking and stitching.
The Joytale, Blueberry, and LupinePet collars use thicker webbing but less substantial stitching and bartacking.
While the PAWBLEFY nameplate is great for visibility, its silicone-like material may wear over time, but secure tag attachment is generally more important than print durability.
Some minor wear was noted on the metal buckle of the Country Brook Petz and the Wolfgang Man & Beast's plastic buckle. The Wolfgang Man & Beast also relies on glue rather than stitching, which could reduce its long-term lifespan. Slight fading was also observed on the GoTags Reflective collar's strip.
The Wolfgang Man & Beast uses glue rather than stitching.
Credit: Ross Patton
The Blazin Light-Up and the Illumiseen have sturdy webbing constructions that envelope an LED strip, but electronics make them more vulnerable to damage, and the charge cycles on battery life can limit longevity. Also, no collar is chew-proof, so proper use and storage are key to longevity. This is especially important with a collar that contains a battery, as an ingested battery can pose a serious or fatal health risk to your dog.
Ease of Cleaning
We evaluated each collar's ability to resist odors, how much water they retained, and how quickly they dried. All washable collars were soaked in vinegar overnight, machine-washed without detergent, and then sun-dried.
The GoTags Personalized Reflective, Wolfgang Man & Beast, Wolfgang Heavy Duty Martingale Dog Collar, Blueberry Classic, and both Ruffwear collars came out of the wash odor-free and nearly dry. Collars like the Black Rhino, PetSafe Martingale, Joytale, LupinePet, and Country Brook Petz retained more moisture and some vinegar smell, which faded after drying. The PetSafe collar also stiffened slightly when dried in the sun.
Some of our collars about to go for a spin through the wash cycle.
Credit: Benjamin Hickok
While the Blazin Light-Up is easy enough to hose off and can handle a swim, we did not subject it to a wash, as putting anything with a battery or electronics into a washing machine is generally a terrible idea. However, odors wash out well under a hose, and air drying takes only a little longer than thinner webbing collars that don't have an LED strip running through their core.
We excluded leather collars like the Custom Catch from washing to avoid damage, and the LED-equipped Illumiseen was not submerged per the manufacturer's guidance.
Aesthetics
Aesthetics were judged based on user feedback, color and print variety, and additional features like velcro patches, padding, customization, and LED lighting.
The Wolfgang Heavy Duty Martingale Dog Collar and the Wolfgang Man & Beast offer a wide range of bold, graphic patterns for those looking to make a statement. All the hardware is an attractive matte black that goes well with many of the cool designs they offer. If you love fishing, you'll probably love one of the cool trout patterns, like the one pictured below!
The Wolfgang Heavy Duty Martingale in a cutbow trout pattern is one of the best-looking dog collars we've tested.
Credit: Benjamin Hickok
The Ruffwear Web Reaction Martingale also received top scores for its stylish, practical design, neutral-toned hardware, and separate rings for leash and tags.
Ruffwear collars include an oval-shaped keyring that is resistant to bending and snagging as well as a silicone silencer that goes in between noisy metal tags.
Credit: Ross Patton
Its leash ring also features a streamlined shape and silicone buffer to reduce noise.
The Ruffwear Web Reaction is an attractive no-pull dog collar.
Credit: Benjamin Hickok
The Black Rhino has a rugged, comfortable appearance, while the Daganxi Tactical Nylon collar adds comfort with thick padding, hook and loop patch location, and a durable construction with a handle for managing your dog. Although it is more tacticool than it is tactical. Its bartacking is lighter duty than many of the standard webbing collars we tested, and friendly color options and patterns further mute the “tactical” nature of this collar, which is good or bad, depending on how you want your dog to be perceived by others. For a great tactical option that provides some protection and better handling for your furry friend, consider a harness instead! You can read about those in our comprehensive dog harness review.
You can't miss her with the Blazin Light-up
Credit: Benjamin Hickok
The Illumiseen excels at nighttime visibility, but the Blazin Light-Upoutshines the Illuminseen with intensely bright lights, multiple light settings, and highly reflective materials. The Blazin Light-Up collar is also an attractive and reflective collar on its own, and would be fine for everyday use, in addition to adding excellent nighttime safety.
Dog collars range from fashionable to functional and everywhere in between.
For no-frills and solid colors, options like the Blueberry Pet Essentials Classic, LupinePet Eco 1", BoomiBoo, and Country Brook Petz are ideal. For personalized collars, the GoTags and Custom Catch let you customize names, icons, and colors. GoTags even offers five base colors with up to 15 thread options, giving you room to get creative.
The Custom Catch allows fun touches like paw print icons. While not illuminated, reflective elements on both GoTags and Joytale greatly improve visibility during nighttime walks.
Reflective materials in low light differ in the amount of reflectivity.
Credit: Benjamin Hickok
The PAWBLEFY Personalized Reflective Nylon combines personalization with high visibility and reflective material, enhancing safety day and night.
Cora wearing multiple collars, including the collar, while searching for upland game.
Credit: Benjamin Hickok
Conclusion
We hope our in-depth testing and analysis take the hard work out of finding a great dog collar and highlight a few good options that best fit you and your dog's needs. Whether your pup is a laid-back lap dog, an eager trail companion, a working farm dog, or a spirited hunter, there's a collar in our lineup to suit your lifestyle and keep your furry friend stylish, controlled, safer, and more secure.
