Which is better, galvanized or stainless for land/water snares and why or why not?

For snares, unless you’re in brackish waters, galvanized is much, much better than stainless. Snares are disposable. No reason to use stainless.


However, when it comes to extension cables, that’s a different story. Build your extension cables out of stainless cable with an inline swivel, and you’ll have a quality extension cable that’ll last a long time. Almost all of my extension cables are 3/32” SS with 6/0 barrel swivels. Really like them. All of my 330s have 1/8” 7x19 stainless steel cables. Wouldn’t have it any other way.

Let me rephrase: unless you’re in brackish waters or any other type of environment that breaks down lubricant and cable faster than normal then there isn’t really a reason to use stainless steel, unless it’s just something you want to do for your own reasons. My experience has been that stainless cable shines in extended roles. Extension cables and gear cables.


Galvanized cable offers advantages other than only cost, most important to me would be variety. A person can get different cable types and sizes very easily at reasonable prices. As long as you don’t eliminate the lubricants by boiling them, your standard GAC should serve you well.

If you want to use stainless then by all means do it, it makes fine snares. I just can’t see a reason to justify it if you don’t operate in an environment that exasperates cable breakdown. Your experience may be different than mine.

Thanks Aix sponsa for you thoughts!

Stainless will cost more overall, but for foot snaring coyote, I wouldn't use anything else as it out performs standard galvanized cable, IMO.
Two things to consider with the above statement :
1) All cable, even galvanized cable is not created equal. . . and
2) The majority of trappers are not purposely snaring coyote by the leg / feet.

One thing about stainless 'anything'. . .
It doesn't break down like many metals.

For neck snaring coyote, beaver etc. , my go to cable is : 1X19 Korean Select in the 1/16th and 5/64th sizes.
Both of which are galvanized 'DRY' Cable.
If you don't know what "DRY" cable is, ( and the majority of trappers don't, I have found) , look it up.
It makes a difference in your treatment of the cable.
For one, it doesn't have any oil you have to try to get rid of,
Always a plus in my book.
All snares I make and use are mot only swiveled at the base, but a mid -in line as close to the lock without interfering with the lock's performance.
Snares made with 1X19 should have double ferrules and stops for usage on coyote and beaver.
It is slicker cable and big animals can end up popping on a single ferrule, so extra insurance and I have found worth it trouble and cost.

Stainless, it should be noted is harder to color or fade than galvanized.

Once you use Stainless cable. You wont go back

Stainless is strong.Plus a lot of it was free for me.The track liners and tampers on the railroad used a lot of stainless 1/16th and I always got the old rolls when they changed it out for new.

Lucky you !

I got started with stainless 3/32” 7x7 because someone threw away about 75-100 feet in our dumpster. I ordered some copper ferrules and made some snares. Yes, they’re good.

Since then, I’ve enough of both 7x7 3/32 and 7x19 1/8 to have an opinion and I like it. I’ve also bought and used 1/16” 7x7, although I don’t use much 1/16 7x7 snares. River birch from New Jersey makes an awesome mink snare and he uses 7x7 1/16.

If I trapped brackish or saline marsh, or even operated near the coast even just occasionally, I’d more than likely use SS snares more.



I will say it again, once a person starts using stainless extensions, trap cables, and cable sliders, they won’t look back. It’s an investment worth making in my opinion. With a swivel, they last forever. Dependable. Rust free, clean. These are cables that get soaked, mud caked and washed off time and again and keep on going.

Last I heard, SS isn't legal in Mo because it will NEVER break down, whereas galvanized will, eventually. I did an experiment where I used some Earth Anchors with Galvanized cable and just left them in the ground. They lasted about 7 years before they got too weak to hold.

That's interesting, galvanized cable is rusted to the point of non-usable within a short few months here. Even sooner in water.