I was interested in doing packing with my dog but it seems like more popular brands like ruffwear can be expensive. I was wondering what your thoughts are on say kurgo or outward hound packs? Or if you have other suggestions for more budget friendly ones
So I've gotta say I'm not a huge fan of either of either of these companies packs because I feel they skimp on integrating the safest design possible for the dogs and their packs fit dogs awkwardly. They're not the worst I've seen (OneTigris takes that cake), but they're not ideal either. I'll break it down below:
Outward Hound currently carries two packs, the DayPak and the Denver Urban.
The DayPak:
While the DayPak has a handle which is nice there are a number of things I dislike from a function standpoint. The biggest being the shape of the saddle bags has the bag's widest point the further back on the dog. The saddle bag starts skinny (where it won't be able to carry much) and expands as it goes down the dog's spine. This is incorrect to the safest way for dogs to carry weight which is towards their shoulder. If Outward Hound flipped their bag so that widest point was facing the other way I'd have much less issue. It's got a Y-front construction which is a plus, however I find the straps unncessarily bulky and likely to get in the way and cause rub. Additionally, the "chest plate" part of the y-front is really high up, going into that tracheal region.
The Denver Urban Pack:
The Denver Urban is supposed to be a lightweight daypack and is pretty much Outward Hound's equivalent of the Ruffwear Switchback. But again, where Outward Hound has skimped for me is the ergonomic design. The pack again, centers the widest part of the pack, where weight will naturally sit, down the spine instead of angling any potential weight towards the shoulder. I also dislike how despite this pack being intended for light weight use it's still a large pack that goes down a wide range of the body. Part of these kinds of packs I really dislike (and that includes the Switchback) is how the saddle bags themselves flow into the harness straps and doesn't allow the dog for as much movement as a pack where the saddles bags can move separate from the straps like a Ruffwear Approach or Wolfpack Banzai situation. Below is the Ruffwear Switchback so you can compare how the saddle bag is shaped to angle the weight towards the shoulder of the dog and additionally, how they keep the bag small and not extending down the rib area of the dog:
Kurgo has one pack, the Baxter and it's def the worse of two evils imo:
Again, the saddle bags are too far back and are angled towards the back of the dog which is incorrect and they are strapped on, a design feature I really dislike on packs because as you can see from these photos, make it really hard to adjust. I will reiterate what I tell people about why X-Back (sledding harnesses) have no adjustment points. It's because anything that can be adjusted WILL slip and loosen and that includes a weighted saddle bag. I also dislike how close to the armpit the straps fall, very likely to cause rub.
The Outward Hound Daypack is the cheapest option here at approx. $29 USD on Amazon, but the Denver Urban is $52 USD and the Kurgo Baxter is $56 USD which is not too far off The Ruffwear Switchback, their cheapest pack at $59 USD. Outward Hound and Kurgo aren't great, but they also aren't the worst that I've seen by a long shot. So my advice would be:
If you MUST choose a cheap pack that has poor design do NOT carry much weight at all in it or else you could risk injury to your dog. They would be best utilized as a way to condition your dog to wear one if they are very averse to new equipment. Proceed carefully and with caution.
There's a lot to be said about fiscal accessibility in dog sports and it absolutely sucks that more affordable companies don't make easy and subtle corrections to their products that would likely not change the price much at all...the problem is they aren't hiring the experts to make these pieces of equipment so they don't know/care/they still make money anyways. It is, imo at least, better to save for properly fitting, researched and proven pieces of equipment, especially equipment that our dogs will wear for long periods of time rather than risk them in a piece that's not suited to what it claims to be for, but I understand that may not be fiscally possible for everybody.
