Hello,
I’m new to Uilleann Pipes and have been playing a practice set for about a month or so. I haven’t been using a popping strap and was wondering what the pros and cons are. Also, do most pipers make thier own; if so what type of leather do you use?
Thanks,
Mark
I made my own but rarely use it as it’s not really necessary when you wear jeans, which is my case most of the time. No drawback if you tie it around your thigh, which I find handy, otherwise I tend to drop it too often…
Most hardware and auto-parts stores sell 2-foot-square pieces of chamois leather (you’ll find them near the car wax supplies) that work very well as popping straps. Technically not a strap, though, as you don’t tie them on and thus they’ll fall off if you stand up, but personally I think walking around with a popping strap tied to your leg looks a bit goofy to begin with. The advantage to these chamois pieces is that they’re big enough to wrap your chanter in as well, a nice bonus.
Thanks to KAD and others for suggesting this to me. I had been using a piece of tanned leather given to me by a friend, but the chemical used to treat it was reacting with the brass of my chanter keys…they have all turned black!
While it’s true that you can play without one, when wearing jeans, I do think the chanter behaves a little bit better with a better seal on the bottom. So IMO it’s still worthwhile. At least, I think I can notice a difference.
Bill
I’d say there’s a real difference, and I wear jeans quite a lot. You could start wearing leather trousers!
I’ve never noticed any real difference, but I’ll try again to check this out once more… Hum, Ronan Le Bars wears leather trousers, doesn’t need a popping strap !
…or chamois trousers 
t
Just pipe in your underpants. Skin makes the best seal. Better then any popping strap.
I often pipe in the buff… but thats another topic.
I have not found much difference except when wearing loose weave pants such as jogging bottoms… Latex works well 
What we ought to be talking about is what I like to call “reflective sound”. This is the sound or tone that is ‘amplified’ (if you will) by the harder/smoother surface of the leather popping strap. These leather straps make tones like, well, ‘popping’, and open G’s etc… etc… more audible not only to those listening, but to yourself. Denim doesn’t really do it for me.
edited to remove redundant word… “to”, if you want to know. 
You could start wearing leather trousers!
This explains the incredible vibrancy of uilleann pipng culture in southern Germany and Austria: Lederhosen
What we ought to be talking about is what I like to call “reflective sound”. This is the sound or tone that is ‘amplified’ (if you will) by the harder/smoother surface of the leather popping strap
tile trousers it is then, or perhaps even better - a suit of armour.
chamois 4 me…
shim sham shammy…
this forum is SO much better than cable tv…
… what isn’t? 