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Those retractables are junk. Dog should be at your side, not ten feet out in front.

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Both tools have value for training, as does a regular long line. However retractable leashes (otherwise known by the trade name "Flexi") are more normally used by totally clueless idiots and their completely untrained dogs, hence they have a very bad reputation.

All basic training should take place with a 6' lead, preferably one of light leather construction, no more than 1/2" wide, even for a large dog. Using too heavy a leash provides leash cues when you don't want them (for example my rather large dog is sensitive even to a 3/8" light leather training leash). In basic training, heel, sit, down, stay and stand and place are all taught with this lead, as are the beginning rudiments of come (recall). Same for more advanced behaviors such as the left and right finish, pivots, fronts, reverse heeling, high jump, bar jump and broad jump.

The Flexi is great for training the recall and for shaping certain more advanced behaviors that require more freedom of movement by the dog, for example the broad jump as performed in AKC Obedience competition. However for most people the recall is better accomplished using a long line as it is a lot easier to use.

All that said, you can probably tell that in general 99% of the time you want the 6' leash. It doesn't sound like your training has progressed to the point where there is any value in using the Flexi.

Remember: restraining is not training. Your leash provides a mechanism to make collar corrections (leash "pop") and should not be used to drag a dog around. If your leash has any tension in it you are "doing it wrong".

Also, the leash and collar are a system. If you are not getting the results you want on a flat collar get a prong collar (or if the prong lights the dog up, a choke, but those are much harder to use). My neighbor has been dragged down the street by her Golden for the last 6 years. I *finally* convinced her, secondary to an ankle injury from the dog pulling her over, to shitcan the damn Halti and put a prong and a light leash on her dog. I put 5 minutes in with the dog, getting it through a little meltdown that it had in initial reaction and then gave her the dog and taught her to make corrections, not apply pressure. In just 20 minutes that dog was heeling nearly perfectly. She couldn't believe it, especially after 6 years of "doing it wrong". Super smart dog, BTW.

For all you prong-haters: they apply less pressure and are therefore safer than flats or chokes. Get over the looks of it. More/smaller prongs are better––more pinch per inch

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Question... Why the harp on leather training leashes? From my experiences a solid 6' single or double stick nylon lead works just as well and is usually cheaper and lasts longer.

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I had an old time trainer call my Flexi leash a faggot leash.  I never used the Flexi for training, but it is great for early morning walks when I'm sleepy and don't feel like dealing with much.

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That's a completely fair statement and question. I thought the same thing, too, but when I started serious dog training I found that the "feel" both for the handler and the dog was not what it needed to be with a nylon lead. A 3/8 or 1/2", broken-in, leather lead give the least amount of unintended leash cues to the dog, feels great in the hand and, if you compete, distracts the judges the least. When you jump into a class with a bunch of experienced handlers and they are all using leather leads it's not because the training place wanted to sell a bunch of them!