Customer Reviews

Granite Gear Ruff Rider Dog Pack MD Red

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Bought this pack, after comparing several models, because of price/value, ergonomic fit, durable materials, and reflective strips. I keep a bag of treats in one pocket at all times and randomly give my dog a treat from the bag now and then, and now she gets very excited to wear her backpack. Weight needs to be evenly distributed or the bag will shift, or else would have got 5 stars. I ordered the medium for my 65 lb female GSD and it is a perfect fit. Tip: start your dog off wearing empty pack on short walks and work your way up to carrying more stuff in it and making the walks longer. When we hike she carries food, water, collapsible water bowl, and a flashlight with no problem.

I tried another brand that was half as much, and even though it was the right size for my dog (56 lb G. Shepherd mix) her front feet were obstructed by the positioning of the bags on each side. This bag with the straps up top, allows you to pull up the sides of the bags and keep them vertical without tucking in on the dogs belly and then obstructing the front feet while running. With the ruff rider I can rollerblade with my dog and there is no obstruction to her running beside me any more.

The reflectors are a nice touch and the fact that it only takes one clip to put on the dog is really nice too. Capacity is excellent for being the small model, better than most I've seen. The backs of the bags that rest on the dog are somewhat padded and stiff to keep the bags form, the same goes with the support up top that rides on the dogs back.

I had been looking for a pack for my dog, Norwegian Elkhound, for a couple of months. After many months of searching, I decided on the Ruff Rider. I wasn't sure how my dog would take to it. But I did like the durable sitting, tough nylon and 8 adjustable straps. (6 on the spine, 3 on each side, one across the chest and one under the belly) I go hiking and backpacking regularly in the Rocky Mountains and needed a pack for that had a large container space, but didn't overwhelm him size wise.

I purchased the small and glad I did. I have a 50lb sturdy dog. My dog took right to wearing the pack and required no training. He was so excited he charged right into the river in the mountains. After that, I noticed two stainless steel o-ring rivets at the bottom of each saddle bag that helped to drain the water from the river. One down side is the micro-fleece attracts fur, but I knew it would considering how much fur my dog has.

I would highly recommend this pack, especially if you need large saddle capacity with dog comfort. Also, if you are debating between sizes, go with the smaller size. They are sizes very generously. Good luck!

We bought two of these for our dogs. They work great and fit well so as not to interfere with leg movement.
They also have a drain hole in the bottom of each bag to let water out if you need it.
There is also a soft felt type inner liner on the top and both sides where the pack rubs against the dog so they are not rubbed by it.
They are well made, not cheap.
We did have one top adjustment strap come loose from the pack.
We contacted the company directly and they told us to ship it back so they can check it out and repair it or replace it.
They sent us a new one at no cost.
This company has excellent customer service.
We have had no problem with the second pack we bought.
We tried other packs and sent them back because they were not made well or had a poor fit on the dog.

Like many others I got the idea from Ceasar Milan to add the back pack to our walk as I have a very active 75lbs pitbull. The bag is made of very good material and has plenty of room for carrying stuff (i stuffed them with 2 big cans of beans on each side and still had a lot more room). My boy can handle the weight and surprisingly so can the pack. It did not sway from side to side and fit very comfortably for him. The sizes as many others say run a little big as I opted for a Medium for my 75lbs boy and it's got lots of room for a larger animal. Very, very happy with the pack.

My Newfoundland dog adapted to this backpack the first day I put it on her. I use it to give her a sense of purpose on her morning walks. I added some water bottles to give her that feeling of doing work. She seems more focused during the walk with the added weight.The backpack is easy to put on and adjust. It is very durable and shows no signs of wear.

Good product could be better. 1) Sizing is off: I use a size Small for my 55-lb lab. 2) Buckles to hold on pouches are REALLY BAD, do NOT HOLD---this is a MAJOR DRAWBACK. 3) Felty fabric (next to dog's fur) picks up every bit of dog's fur and IS NOT EASILY REMOVED. Phooey on the people who thought that touch-feely pleasures for people are more important than efficiency of product management. 4) Length of pouch (size small) is too short to hold a flexible Platypus water bottle easily---another inch would have helped.
The manufacturers are smart. They could have been smarter. This pack is usable, but expect to do personal upkeep on and off trail.

I bought the blue size small for my 50 lbs husky. I was worried that perhaps I should have bought the medium but after using it for awhile, I'm glad I went with the small. It holds enough stuff for this dog. Anymore stuff and the dog would be too pissed off to carry it anyway. As for the quality of the product. So far so good. Seems well sewn together with heavy duty zippers. I will likely buy another one soon enough for my other dog.

I'm very satisfied with my purchase on this one. My dog is 60 pounds with a pretty lean build, so I ordered a small. Perfect fit. Definitely order one size smaller than you think. I feel that the multiple straps allow you to get a very precise adjustment to fit your dog properly. I'm just guessing, but it seems to fit well as my dog never complains. I've also never noticed extra wear or anything between his front legs and his body like some people mention. My dog sits right down when he sees me pull out the bag so I can put it on him so I can tell it makes him happy, being able to help out carrying some of the load. And that makes me a happy.

And as always...
"Be the pack leader."

I purchased one of these packs about eight years ago in medium for a 70 pound dog. It fit him just fine and has been on dozens of backpacking trips. That pack is now patched up with duct tape and still being used.

This small size pack is a bit large for my 22 pound rat terrier. The small size Gerry pack fit her better. It was both tougher construction and more expensive. I first tried to buy one of those. They don't make that pack anymore. This is the best of the packs that I have ever examined for anything other than a dog under 25 pounds.