Ruffwear Palisades Pack

In over 45 years of backpacking with my dogs this is the best dog pack yet. It fits well with plenty of adjustment and is comfortable for the dog to wear on extended trips over various terrains. It has six compartments and is expandable for bulky loads as well as being compressible on tighter trail conditions. Comes with two, 1-liter hydration bladders and can hold enough food, water, and doggy gear for longer trips.

This is my second pack from Ruffwear. The first was their smaller Approach dog pack which unfortunately outlasted my previous Irish Setter. While the Approach was still in excellent condition, it was too small for my new hiking companion. Since he is larger by about 20 pounds, I decided to buy him Ruffwear's largest dog pack, the Palisades. 

Rascal is an 80-pound Irish Setter who can easily carry enough of his food, water, and bedding for hikes of four or five days. The Palisades pack carries this weight just behind the shoulders and far enough forward on his body to avoid straining his back. The padded Y yoke in the front along with the padded belly band keeps the pack in position on both steep assents and descents. Of course you need to play with the adjustment to find the right fit just as you do with your own backpack.

The pack can be taken apart with the pack portion separating from the halter by unbuttoning four metal buckles and un-clipping the two snaps that keep the pack from bouncing around. This allows the dog to rest on his side or back without the weight or bulk of the pack getting in the way. The halter can also be used independent of the pack allowing a lead to be attached directly to its sturdy D-ring.

The pack has a total of six zippered pockets of different sizes. The top two compartments are smaller and easy to access. Below are the two main compartments, one on each side, and these each contain a water resistant inner pocket to contain the two 1-liter water bladders that come with the pack. These compartments are large enough to hold five days of kibble along with the full bladders and the dog's sleeping bag.

There are adjustable compression straps to pull these pockets tighter to the halter as they empty or when there is less bulk to carry. The final two pockets are of medium size and give access to the compression straps which can also be used to secure loose items. There is even a sturdy handle that can be used to carry the pack when not on the dog or to restrain the dog as well as assist him over an obstacle.

Background

45 years of hiking and backpacking with my dogs. This pack has only been owned for a few months but my other Ruffwear dog pack is still going strong after four years of rugged use.

This pack is awesome. By far the best I have ever used, and would never again use any other brand. This pack holds two 1-liter water bladders (included), and has enough room to store a week's worth of food, plus a few treats.

The pack also has a daisy chain on the top/sides that I use to strap on a small blanket. The pack is removable from the harness, and is done easily with 4 snap buckles. Both the pack and the harness are extremely well made, and are very durable.

Measure your dog before you order. I ordered a medium at first and it was WAY too large for my Siberian Husky. I returned for a small and it fits great and has plenty of room left for when she fills out the rest of the way (she is 8 months atm).

I highly recommend this pack!

Great multi-day pack for dogs.

I have had this pack for about 3 years now and use it on my 70lb Border Collie Lab mix in the medium size. It doesn't seem to phase him a bit when we go out on multi-day hikes or even long day trips.

It has handle on the top to help assist in getting over ledges, trees, or in and out of water. Comes with two collapsible water bottles that hold plenty of water for your dog as well as for you in a pinch or on a lazy day hike.

On occasion the pack will lean to one side, but I believe it's due to improper load balance on my end, which I can easily fix. Hasn't had a tear or any issue since the time I've had it.