RUFFWEAR, Approach Dog Backpack, Lightweight Pack for Hiking and Camping, Orange Poppy, Large/X-Large

I have a lab/pointer mix who, like me, loves the outdoors, so I bought this pack, so that we could go on long hikes together and he could ruck his own food and water--which is substantial. Also, I can tell he feels useful and important when he's wearing it--like he's pulling his own weight, literally.Let's start with the good: 1. I like the big side pockets in which I can store lots of stuff. The sloping design also centers the weight around his shoulders instead of his back--good thinking. 2. Although a larger selection of colors would be nice, I like the bright colors, so that some trigger- happy yokel doesn't shoot my dog while he's enjoying a peaceful run through the woods. 3. I think the fit is good. I can't detect any signs of discomfort from him even after a long hike--not that he would tell me. This is a very important attribute to me. I know how a bad fitting pack can ruin a long hike for me. Trying to be a good Dad, I tested it by having him wear a full pack on our walks in the neighborhood before we went on an actual hike with it. 4. The sturdy handle and metal D ring (kudos for using metal) for his leash hook-in is great. A strip of reflective material is a good idea for night-hikers and fabric straps for attaching gear is very thoughtful. 5. The price is reasonable for such a well-designed and manufactured product.The not so good:1. The bottom material is pretty rugged, but the side material--not so much. After my pup has been running through the woods and brushing up against trees and brush, the abrasions have opened up a small hole in one side pockets and there are also some future holes in process. A dog doesn't realize he's 50% wider while wearing a pack, so any dog-owning thoughtful designer would have considered that when choosing the side material. I understand that the lighter material will allow the pack to dry more quickly and perhaps be a little lighter, but if I have to choose between weight and sturdiness, I'll take sturdy every time.2. Balance. I feel like an aircraft pilot who has to make weight and balance measurements to keep the pack centered while on the hike. Both sides of the pack have to be very well-balanced in order for it not to slide to one side or the other. I was passing water back and forth between water bottles after our water breaks to keep the pack balanced. Certainly, you all can come up with a modification, so that the pack is not so sensitive to slight imbalances.In conclusion, I have to buy a new pack, because my always-hungry dog has gained a few pounds and needs a bigger size. I will replace it with another Ruffwear pack since the good attributes out-weigh the not-so-good in this case. I guess that's an endorsement.

The media could not be loaded.  We have a hard time with sizing gear for our pomchi. He’s built like a tiny GSD, so smaller gear is usually too tight on his shoulders and neck, or huge on his tummy. Or, like with other packs, the harness system fits but the saddle bags are so big they touch the ground. I’m SO happy I found this pack, because the xs fits him like a glove. For reference, his measurements are: girth 22”, base of neck to base of tail 16”, neck 13”, 21 lbs. He’s on the big side for the xs measurements, and we did indeed have to extend the chest straps all the way, but he’s done growing so it’s a perfect fit.Sizing aside, I am really impressed with this pack. Our pup is small but he loves hiking and we usually have him carry his poop bags, water, bowl, hand wipes, first aid, and a snack. He outgrew his old Petsfit pack, which I actually think is a decent puppy back pack, but it was started to chafe his pits.I was looking to upgrade instead of replace, now that he’s full grown. I knew I wanted something that could hold a good amount but had a relatively small profile so he wasn’t smacking it on trees or getting stuck. This pack collapses fairly flat against his body when empty, but is big enough to hold two 16.9 fl oz water bottles in each pocket. They’re about the size of fanny packs.I also wanted a Y chest strap to keep it from shifting, cushioned straps, and for the straps to avoid being too close to his armpits. Check, check, and check.I’m so impressed with the quality and design of this pack too. It has elastic bands on the end of the two body straps, so it flexes with body movement. I was worried the belly strap would be too close to his peep, but it too can be adjusted and moved closer to the chest strap. The material on top is nice ripstop nylon, the zippers feel extremely sturdy, and it has a heavy duty ring for a leash. There’s also a safety handle on top.I highly recommend this backpack, if you can find the right size for your pup.

This is AMAZING. We tried 3 other brands before this that slid and didn’t seem durable. This is everything you need!! It has 2 pockets on each side. A bigger one and then a smaller one on top of that for like keys or 💩 bags. I absolutely LOVE the bright orange color, makes my dog easier to spot. This stayed in place extremely well, and stood up against her shaking like a crazy person to try to get it off, but it held on! I have never used a clip before but was able to clip onto the harness instead of her collar and that clip is STRONG 💪 it held up against her trying to go after a bush, and a few 🐿 and 🦅 This is a bit of a steep price to pay ($79) however I think the durability as well as the quality is worth it. It did take a bit of time (like 20 min?) to get it all set up on her and adjusted correctly but was well worth it. My girl is a bit chonky at 65.1 pounds and we got a large that fit her perfectly, however it was extended pretty far so I don’t know how much bigger it could have gone. If you are looking for a durable, quality, comfortable bag, 👀 no further, this is it! ***pictures are from a 2 hour hike we did with her wearing the pack for the first time. Only things in the pack are 💩 and an empty plastic water bottle and 🚗 🔑

This harness fit my 25lb Shiba Inu perfectly! Worked great on our backpacking trip and even stayed waterproof when we crossed the river. Definitely recommend.

The media could not be loaded.  Eighty quid is a lot of money to take a gamble but I'm glad I did, very impressed.It might appear obvious but it is essential to balance the weight on each side. I limited out first outing to 3 miles with only towels stuffed in peddle bin liners on each side of the pack. We fine tune adjusted the harness during the walk and Dennis (featured) has a tendency for over exuberance. Whilst I walked 3 miles I'm certain Dennis ran, swam, paddled, walked and rolled many more. Initially I had concerns he would find the pack cumbersome and restrictive... but not at all. He still pushed through brambles, jumped gates and even managed to roll in badger poo (his favourite) without any issue.

Our 2 yr old Boxer is a definite trailblazer, she loves the hills and valleys around our home. This summer, we are planning to take her up to Scotland.She already uses a Ruffwear Webmaster harness, so she readily accepted this backpack, since it is based on the Webmaster format.It is sturdy, well designed, water resistant (I'd say water proof in all but the worst rainstorms), has well thought out pockets, two for smaller items, two for larger items. It allows her to take the food and drink she needs for a day hike.She carries it proudly and without protest. It does not slow her down in the slightest.I wash it clean in the washing machine, using NikWax waterproofing laundry products, as I do for my own kit.

best price I was able to find - fitted my Rhodesian Ridgeback with room to spare. It is so well made that this is going to last us a very long time - the dog likes it too - he happily carried our pasties and his water and snacks on a 4 mile walk the other day and was not bothered by it one little bit.It has loads of little hooks and clip parts that mean that you can easily add to it if you needed to.There are also a lot of different compartments.All in all quite and exciting little backpack for your hound, which adds something more of a challenge to them on long hikes.

This is great, but perhaps a little larger than we thought. If like us you’re right between sizes, you may want to opt for smaller unless you want really large pockets. Regardless, it’s great, our dog loves it - it doesn’t stop him doing anything (including swimming!). It’s great quality from ruffwear as you’d expect. We have a 35kg golden retriever (working, not stockier show variety) and went for L/X-large, medium may have been better on pocket size , but we just won’t fill the pockets. Harness is adjusted to smallest size.

For the small dog its great, our boston has bags of energy and making him carry his own water and treats ( and a spare harness in case he gets to tired) really tires him out on a long walk. Bright orange means no one treads on him. Can over heat on a hot day but we know our dog can get overheated easily. Does look like a butter fly.