Who uses one?
I don’t use one but perhaps I should 
What do you think? Do you use one? Does it make a difference?
I use one. Though I have gone without and have been fine, the popping strap seems to add much more of a seal.
I agree with Joseph.
I’ve not used one for years and have forgotten what differences may occur.
I have been considering using one again, to check if there are any noticable benefits
A certain degree of ribbing will undoutably occur at the local session the first time it appears.
David
“First you must learn the grip and then you must learn the tok and then you must learn the truckleehowe…”
To my experience a popping strap is extremely helpful for begginers. Later on when you can depend on your grip “asleep” you might use normal trousers and can judge yourself whether the chanter is tight or not.
I have but a related question: I like a good harsh-bottomn-D (whose “sound-power” - not to confuse with loudness - makes the windscreens vibrate). I do but play a Taylor-style chanter with a popping-valve recently. This chanter plays perfectly exept for the poor harsh D. Does this go for all chanters that have a popping-valve? I saw that Chris Bayley copies the Taylor-style without the valve.
Best,
Hans
One major benefit that popping straps have is that they protect yizzer pants from wearing out in Dcran-riddled tunes.
They are also useful if you are wearing cord trousers, fish-net tights or suffer from a bad dose of varicose veins.
I’ve not used one for years and have forgotten what differences may occur.
Dave, I was wondering the very same. Perhaps we sould both go to the same session both sporting Popping straps. Perhaps that will lessen the ribbing 
The Piper’s Eleventh Finger. Unless you wear short, short skirts or leather pants, you shouldn’t be without them.
Are you referring to English or American pants? 
Alan
Sometimes I pull my shorts up to play the chanter on bare skin, but that sometimes has the effect of producing farting sounds when the chanter isn’t down hard enough 
.
Good night all - bed is calling. It’s 3 minutes to Saturday.
Davidg
that would be american, trousers for the rest of us
I have found the perfect Pipers Trousers.
Who needs a popping strap when you can get these for just £109.99p
Yes, short AND made out of leather.
YODALAY-HE-HOOOOOOO! 
i fiddled around with one, and didn’t notice a difference. I don’t like them much, and don’t use one myself. I play against jeans, dockers, suits and my tuxedo and have never had a problem stopping the chanter.
I don’t think Ronan Browne uses one?
I pretty much gave up on the old praiscín a few years ago. However, I have found that I need one when I play a D chanter while wearing sweatpants: do not need one when playing a C chanter in sweatpants. Something to do with the higher velocity/volume chanter I think. Occassionally I need a strap when playing in dress slacks 'cos I can get this fold of fabric that goes right up the thigh where the chanter seats.. I may start using something when that day comes that I am “all over the regs” just to eliminate one more variable.
t
Peter- you forgot if your stuck in the sub tropics and you’re wearing shorts!
If you get real picky, not that a piper would RIGHT?!..but a swatch of leather (a finished piece not raw stuff w/ the wee bit of fur on it) MIGHT give any sound coming directly out of the bell some more reflection, as oposed to cloth or flesh.
I think I notice a diff. in that regard, but being w/ whorts 90 % of the time…I’m not using a popping strap. Also I remember Gay to have said something similar to that in a most simple fashion i.e. “it sounds better..”
The popping strap is more than just a seal!It is called a pipers apron for a good reason.Most popping straps today are miserable little scraps of leather neatly tied around th leg,right…wrang!!Get a good size piece o leather say 12"x12" and let it drape over the leg,quite apart from helping to make a better seal it can help the harmonics tremendously by utilising the longer piece when the chanter is off the knee.
eg Play the drones in the middle of the room,then go to a corner and play the drones into a corner(creating a sound box) and listen to the difference,well it is the same with a proper Pipers Apron! when ye play the chanter into the apron
Uilliam
From my (very limited) experience, the wear-and-tear on bare legs (I wear shorts most of the time) is murder, and a piece of leather is essential to keeping my skin!