Customer Reviews

Mountainsmith Dog Pack (Medium, Heritage Red)

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have a very active 4 year old German Shepherd who is 88 lbs and very lean. Prior to this backpack I was using a backpack made by Dickens that I found at a PetCo and even though I hated it, I used it until the end. That backpack tended to slide to one side of my dog and the front strap always made it difficult for Ollie to go upstairs. The final straw was one of the clips breaking. There are a few things I love about this backpack. The straps underneath don't hang to the ground because you can keep them all tied up with the lining. The clips are on the side of my dog so I don't have to reach underneath him to unhook him. The strap in the front sits high up on him so that it is much easier for him to go upstairs and run in the backpack. I looked at reviews for the older model of the Mountainsmith dog Pack and decided to go for a size medium for my 88lb dog, which was absolutely perfect. My other backpack was a large and was way too loose for my very lean dog. I will post a picture of Ollie above!

It has a clip on top where you could put the leash, but I would never dream of it. I also like how you have the option of attaching multiple things to this pack. On each side in the large pockets I hold a full 16 ounce water bottle and a tennis ball (though I think I need to up the ante for my active dog).

I live in the city so this pack is mostly for our walks to tire him out faster, but this would be very helpful if you took your dog on a hike because of the large pockets, secret pockets on the inside of the large pockets, and there is a bungee chord on top that you could strap something onto. So far, I LOVE this pack because it stays still on my dog.

I have a 55lb husky-shephard mix. Based on the other reviews and the price difference between the medium (~$55) and the small (~$20), I ordered him the small. It fits perfectly with room to grow.

The sizing guide for the small states:

20'' - 30'' girth - smaller girths can be accommodated by removing the padding on the straps (it does not give a min. girth)

15'' length (minimum)

20-40lbs recommended weight - base your purchase on the girth and length of your dog.

600 cubic inches capacity

9''x14''x85'' dimensions

15 oz weight (empty)

Based on the size of the compartments, I'll likely be buying another back for anything more than a 1-2 night backpacking trip.

Each compartment can hold a standard 1 liter nalgene standing upright (they will not fit lying down). This leaves room for food and treats on both sides. I would estimate about 4-6 cups of food total with two 1 liter nalgenes.

We bought this pack after seeing it on a similar dog this past fall. The dog owners raved about it claiming that their dog (like ours) is very energetic and regular long walks don't seem to satisfy his exercise needs. Our dog, a boxer, by nature needs quite a bit of exercise. The selling point for us was that they said they put their water bottles in it and can go on longer walks without having to carry those themselves. We purchased this pack for Sam shortly before delivering our first child. When I had surgery unexpectedly, this pack was greatly beneficial in bringing things up and downstairs since I couldn't carry anything but the baby. A bottle of water, my blackberry, diaper rash cream, etc. all fit into the pack. Sam is happy to help. It took a little while for him to get used to something strapped to him, but it doesn't bother him any more. We can't wait for the spring when we can use it on our long walks for water and Sam's treats.

I have had this for about four months and it's still as good as new. My dog weighs 60lbs so I got the medium and it fits her well. After a day of hiking my dog still seems comfortable in it so I assume, since no one really knows what goes on in a dog's mind, that it is in fact comfortable. The pack can hold about three days worth of food and a travel bowl. I use the bungee cord to hold her mat, so my dog ends up hiking with all of her stuff and that frees up some weight in my back pack for whiskey, which is nice. My dog goes into off-leash maniac mode during hikes and is always darting off the trail through the woods and jumping into water and there is no significant damage to the pack, just a few cosmetic scratches on the fabric.

I also use this pack when I take my dog for nightly walks. She's a black dog so the reflective strips of material on the sides of the pack are helpful. And on every walk I load the pack up with either 7 lbs of weights in each side to tire my dog out and to calm her down; or a six pack of bottled beer and a couple thin ice packs (for refrigeration purposes) to tire me out and calm me down and the pack is still solid. With the significant amount that this pack is used, I am surprised that I have had zero problems with durability. The only thing that may not be durable is the plastic hoop for attaching the leash, but I am not certain because I use a training collar instead.

This just arrived today, so I can update my review if necessary once I've had it longer. So far, this is the best quality backpack for this price. I wanted a sturdy backpack for my Great Dane for hiking, snowshoeing, and walks. I also wanted a pack with the Y type straps on the front, so the load was held up front, but not too much pressure on his neck. This product seems well made and very well padded. The inside pocket can hold my keys and cell phone while we're out and about. There's the standard strap along the back so I can hold on to him or put more gear on there. The buckles seem well padded to protect from pinching him while I'm attaching them. We had an Outward Hound bag that sometimes pinched. Also, I don't feel like using this a couple times is going to result in the pack falling apart. (Like the Outward Hound pack we had before). The pockets have flaps over the zippers to keep out moisture although I'm unsure how water resistant this material will be. I ordered the Large, having read they run a little big. I probably could have bought the medium and had it fit, but I wanted room to put a jacket on him underneath. He's still growing, so having the larger size will also ensure I can keep this pack longer. Overall, seems like a high quality pack for an amazingly low price. I had it within three days of ordering, for $4 with my Amazon Prime membership. Great product!

I bought this pack for my beagle/pointer mix for when we go hiking and camping. The pack do run pretty big, so I would order a size down. The pack is very well designed. I bought a small and was still big on my dog so I had to make a few modifications to help it fit more comfortably, but my dog is very comfortable with it on. You can't go wrong for the price. If you want anything better, you'll be looking at 3x to 4x as much.

Pros- Comfortable material. Very adjustable. Pockets have a lot of room, but also can be tightened down with compression straps.

Cons- The straps are a little too thin for the buckles and make it hard for size memory, but tuck the lots of extra straps through, and it holds fine.

My 77lb Male German Shepherd wears a medium perfectly. The bungees on top have proven use full.

I do have two problems however. The padding systems on the bottom aren't the best and the straps actually tend to loosen while being worn.

Never the less for the price its a decent pack.

My dog and I love this pack and use it everyday! It fits her perfectly - although I did get a size smaller than the product info suggested. My dog's 50 lbs and I got her a small pack, a medium definitely would have been too big. She likes it and it doesn't rub on her or make her uncomfortable. The front strap hangs down a bit so I just tuck it in - super easy to use. Have fun!

Pack fits my German Shepherd (GSD) perfectly at 24" and 75 lbs. He loves putting it on. Usually when I take him for a walk I have two small 5lb weights in each pocket, along with my cell, keys, dog poop bags and other small things. Sometimes I leave it empty, do the 3 mile round trip to the local 7-11, and put 3 24oz beers on the pack. They sell them for 3 for $5.50, which is actually much cheaper than a six pack in NY for the same volume of beer. One beer will fit in each side pocket, and I put the third in the bungees on top.

Word to the wise - keep the beer on top wrapped in the bag in most jurisdictions! I actually got stopped because the local donut eater saw me take the beer out of the 7-11 bag and insert it into pouch - but said I was okay because the exposed one was in the bag. Later he admitted he just wanted to meet Rico and that he loves all the GSD's he works with.

Although I believe he could trot no problem with the pack it does move from side to side some so I only run with him without the pack. Also, walking with the pack changes the position that the dog has to walk beside you if you walk him on heel - he has to learn to move a couple of inches left so the pack doesn't run into your leg. If you let your dog walk ahead of you or mumble around I guess this won't matter much, but for us from the time we leave to when we get back I use a Martingale and correct him to get him where I want him to be. A dog this big needs structure and mental stimulation - but teaching him pack versus no pack positions takes time.

Now that he is more used to the pack I will probably bike with him with it, if I remember I will update this review. He stays very still to put it on and at his size only needs a medium, the straps have plenty of room to spare and only a really large dog (100+) would need a large. Even with a compliant dog putting it on takes getting used to - but becomes easier with time and the realization by the dog that a fun activity is soon to come. Highly recommended.

+

We have a Lab German Shepard mix named Daisy. Daisy has a high prey instinct which drives us nuts! Her energy level is so high, I swear she could walk for days! She's had many lessons at a top dog school here in AZ with her walking issues but that prey instinct gets the best of her. We've tried a variety of collars to no avail. So when Cesar Milan suggested a doggie pack back we decided to give it a try.

Wow, what a difference. Daisy now walks with a purpose of doing a 'job'. I put a couple of my weights in each pack and instead of being in prey mode she is now focused on what she is carrying. We are no longer being dragged along and our daily walks are much more enjoyable. We have no problem getting it on her other than the time it takes to fasten 3 clasps and we're getting better at it each day.

This back pack is made out of canvas and very well constructed. Each pack has a support strap for added support depending on what and how much you carry. You'll start light and build up depending on how your dog walks. Each strap has padding to protect your dogs skin and the straps adjust to your dog's size. There's plenty of strap so they can be cut off when finally adjusted. There's an inside pocket for smaller items and a handle if the owner wants to carry it. It will be great also for when we hike.

Mountainsmith manufactures a very durable practical dog pack for the price you pay