Ruffwear Trail Runner Bowl

The Ruffwear Trail Runner Bowl is a compact bowl that fits in your pocket and gives your pup a way to stay hydrated during outings. So small, there is no excuse not to bring it.

The Ruffwear Trail Runner Bowl is a great option for those looking to keep their active dogs happy and hydrated on outings. Roland tested this bowl during the summer, fall, and winter of 2018 and 2019 in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. During this time he joined me on hikes, mountain bike rides, and trips to the river.

Features:

The only feature Roland cared about was the bowl's ability to hold water. The 32-ounce capacity met this expectation and based on how eager he was to gulp water out of it, I would say he was satisfied.

My standards were a little higher since I would the one carrying the bowl around. I was impressed by the fact that it was able to hold 4 cups of water when unpacked, yet it could compress down to be smaller than an egg and fit in the palm of my hand. 

Because of its small size I had no excuse not to bring it along on adventures whenever Roland joined me. The Trail Runner Bowl fit perfectly inside any compartment of my backpack or in my pocket if I was not wearing a pack.

The bowl also has a small loop that allowed it to be clipped to a pack, or to a leash for easy carrying.

Construction and Durability:

The Trail Runner Bowl is made of a single walled PVC-free coated fabric that holds water and cleans up easily. It has withstood numerous packing and unpackings, and a variety of different ground conditions ranging from grass, to sand, to rocks, and has shown no signs of wear.

I found that when the bowl was filled with water, or food, it stayed in place and didn't move around while Roland used it. Once he got to the bottom it would start to wander due to its light weight. 

The bowl was easy to clean with water and detergent and has not appeared to retain stains or smells. 

My only criticism with the Trail Runner Bowl is that if you store water in it for a long time it will sweat through and leave the area around the bowl wet. This is only a minor criticism because it is designed for quick applications, but it was worth noting. 

Summary:

Having Roland along for an outdoor adventure is always more fun and because I want him to be happy and healthy I have used a few different travel bowls over the years. The Ruffwear Trail Runner Bowl is the best of the bunch. Its compact size when packed means there are no excuses to not bring it along and the fact that it holds 32 ounces is a plus for a dog that loves to drink a lot of water.

Roland and I highly recommend this bowl for anyone with an active dog that loves to run around and stay hydrated.

Background

I have had a number of travel dog dishes over the last eight years.