Do you have to use issued cuffs, or can you buy your own? We were issued cheap Peerless cuffs that functioned ok (for the little amount of use they saw). I didn't care for them much, but the idea was to have uniformed cuffs and keys in case there were situations where we had to use each other's equipment in the field. I guess the universal cuff keys never dawned on them. My personal cuffs are all S&W.

I have S&W and a couple pairs of Hiatts they all do fine.  I don't like the hinged cuffs.

bmorgan says ...

hospitalcop says ...

I started out with S&W cuffs... switched to Peerless.... then to Hiatts....

I prefer the Hiatts due to their back-load feature.... I used to carry 2 sets, 1 chain & 1 hinged....

I have read good things about the newer ASP brand, but haven't had any 1sthand experiences with 'em yet.

I haven't heard anything about the Asp cuffs either.  There is a Deputy in our county that carries a pink set.  I think it's just to keep a little of her femaninaty (spelling is hard).  Every time I see her 10-15 with some one she has them in a regular set of nickles.

Pink cuffs = good to use on gangbangers :P

I carry a set of hinged Hiatts, love them. Key holes on one side push pin lock. Turn the key holes up and the hinges are rigided and so perps can't pick them ( we have a lot od good ole boys that carry handcuff keys) and 99% of perps can't jump the cuffs to the front. I don't like carrying chrome cuffs but they where a gift when I first started. I also carry 8 pairs of the black S&W chain and 2 pairs of leg cuffs and a pair of thumb cuffs.

mshort says ...

I carry a set of hinged Hiatts, love them. Key holes on one side push pin lock. Turn the key holes up and the hinges are rigided and so perps can't pick them ( we have a lot od good ole boys that carry handcuff keys) and 99% of perps can't jump the cuffs to the front. I don't like carrying chrome cuffs but they where a gift when I first started. I also carry 8 pairs of the black S&W chain and 2 pairs of leg cuffs and a pair of thumb cuffs.

Damnation! Eight? You must get into some serious biz on a regular basis, lol. Never used hinged cuffs. Only black S&W chain cuffs for me. Love 'em. I never carried more than 3 at a time though

brooklynsergeant says ...

...I have Duct Tape in case of emegencies.

Now THAT is awesome, rotfl! Inexpensive and fun as hell to remove :P

We have a small college next to us and also the sagger&dragger and hoody crowd like to rent motel ,hotel  rooms and have large powder and smoke parties. The managers love to call us when it gets stoked up. And its dang embarassing when you run out of cuffs and you have to make them all hold hands! LOL!

mshort says ...

....... a pair of thumb cuffs.

Thumb Cuffs?  I hope that it's a "secondary" for some squirrelly type trying to slip the 'cuffs off.... I seem to recall reading a report many years back advising AGAINST thumbcuffs because just about everyone can wriggle out of 'em at a "normal" lock level and in order to keep folks from wriggling free they'd have to be so tight as to cause injury..... I recommend caution there....

S&W M-100. Privately owned.

I use nothing but peerless, Primary are hinged, secondary and spares are chain.. Never had a problem with them.

I was issued Peerless chain link.  I used them all through field training, until I got my S & W hinge cuffs approved.  I have an extra set of S & W chain links...and I tossed the peerless ones in my bag.

Ive used peerless cuffs for years but I really like the ASP cuffs too for their convienence

Hiatts are the best cuffs, hands down. Pearless used to make some really good cuffs until they started stamping them...now they're just as good as everyone esle. If I had to rank the namebrand cuffs I would put them in this order...

Hiatts

Pearless

ASP

Smith & Wesson

I have 3 pairs all S&W, 1 is dept issued the other 2 I purchased.  I was recently introduced to the ASP and like the idea of the keyhold on both sides so I am considering purchasing a pair of those also. 

I've had the same S & W cuffs for nearly 19 years.  Used hundreds of times and never any problems.  No first hand knowledge, but I've heard of issues with the ASP cuffs flexing enough to bind during speed cuffing or in situations where your trying to get them on someone that is not cooperating.