Ruffwear Palisades Dog Pack Review: Best Dog Backpack 2020

Let’s talk about the Ruffwear Palisades Dog Pack..

I love my dog.  He’s my best friend and we literally do everything together.  We’re constantly on the trail, whether it be for a backpack, climbing approach, cross country skiing, etc.  Until recently I’ve always carried little baggies of food and extra water in my pack for my boy, Blue. Now that he’s gotten a little bigger, I’ve upgraded and got him the Ruffwear Palisades Dog Pack.  What a game changer!

For more information on making your dog the perfect trail dog, read Tips for Hiking and Backpacking with Your Dog.

 

My Experience With the Ruffwear Palisades Dog Pack


I bought the Palisades Dog Pack last year and really put it to the test over the past few seasons.  I took this out on a test run with another backpack I was doing a review for.  But Blue, he is new to backpacks. He’s about 60 lbs. now and the amount of food and water it takes to satisfy him is beginning to be a real challenge to carry on a multi-day backpack, on top of all of my gear.  So we recently went down to the San Juan Mountains and had ourselves a little adventure and gave this pack the business!  

Right off the bat, I loved how easy it was to put on.  The adjustment and resizing took only a couple of minutes and I only did it the one time.  My favorite part about it is that you can actually remove the saddlebags from the rest of the harness.  This feature is great while taking breaks, as well as use outside of the backcountry. I imagined him fighting it at first, but to my surprise he jumped, climbed, ran and pounced as if he didn’t even know it was there!  There is also a feature that allows you to singe down the saddlebags on the side to keep them from flopping around while running, which I found extremely helpful.

 

Ruffwear Palisades Dog Pack Specs.

  • Customizable fit with five points of adjustment allow for full range of motion
  • Padded handle and non-slip girth straps offer good load dispersion for controlled and comfortable lifting
  • Two points of leash connection: single-piece, anodized aluminum V-ring and webbing loop
  • Two collapsible hydration bladders
  • Trail-ready details: stash pockets and external gear loops
  • Low-light visibility with reflective trim and light loop for attaching The Beacon™
  • Made in Vietnam

 

Technical specs

Best Use
Backpacking
Fits Chest
S: 22 – 27 inches
M: 27 – 32 inches
L/XL: 32 – 42 inches
Gear Capacity (L)
S: 12.5 liters
M: 17.5 liters
L/XL: 24 liters
Gear Capacity (cu. in.)
S: 762 cubic inches
M: 1,068 cubic inches
L/XL: 1,465 cubic inches
Number of Exterior Pockets
6
Material(s)
Ripstop nylon/webbing
Dimensions
S: 12.6 x 7.48 x 2 inches
M: 14.96 x 9.06 x 2 inches
L/XL: 15.0 x 9.84 x 2 inches
Weight
S: 1 lb. 12 oz.
M: 1 lb. 13.6 oz.
L/XL: 2 lbs. 2.4 oz.

 

 

If you’d like to see this baby in action, CLICK HERE and check out a quick video of this pack bouncing around Mt. Sneffels in the San Juan Mountain Range in beautiful Colorado.  And if you have any questions on Ruffwear products or any other gear that you may need on your next adventure, big or small, please feel free to shoot me an email and I’ll do whatever I can to bring that information to you.  As always, be smart, stay safe and get out there and crush it!

 

If you enjoyed this review, you may also like:

 

*Editor’s note: Help support this site by making your next gear purchase through one of the links above. Click a link, buy what you need, and the seller will contribute a portion of the purchase price to support TheEpicReviews unsponsored gear reviews, articles, and hiking guides.

 


Comments are closed.