This worked out to be the best pack for trail running and off-road hiking with my dog. She’s a 65lb leggy pit bull mix. I wanted for her to be able to carry her own water and gear but also to still be able to run around chasing things and not hurt herself snagging the pack or feel too encumbered by it. We also tried out the Kurgo (saddles were too small) and the One Tigris (basically shaggy bungees with a side of backpack).We originally bought the Medium in this pack but it hung on her like it was way too big. The equivalent saddle sizes on the Medium were also overkill for our use and I found the saddles on the Small are plenty big. In the Small I can fit a 16oz bottle, a sandwich, and an apple (or the equivalent) in each side, plus the exterior zipper pouches can hold more like our first aid kit or her night collar.Other useful details I like are the reflective stripes, and the fact that the pack interior is light colored (easier to see contents) and the lining seams are sown in. I thought this would be a no brainer but you open up the Kurgo pack and it’s a weird mess of fabric swimming around.So I’ve realized by the end of this review I should’ve trusted a dog pack made by a pro backpack manufacturer, some of which I’ve owned but that was decades ago. It’s really well made and dog proof. My dog who is anxious about crap being put on her, she loves this and has already rolled in a rotting snake with it on. It just washed right out. Good times for everyone.

I like it enough I'm buying one for our other dog too. Currently my 47# husky mutt is sporting the small size pack. I originally ordered the medium and it was only a couple inches too big. The seller was quick to respond accepting my request for a return and a shipping label. I got the small and we have been slowly breaking in both the pack and the dog. 😁I'm new to the K9 pack world but it's worth mentioning that once I got it properly fitted for her, she was racing back and forth with 4.3 lbs in the pack. We went through a process of making minor adjustments and readjustments but when it was just right she knew it.UPDATE!!!! ♥️We hiked 22 miles on the North Country Trail in PA and this pack is FANTASTIC! She laid in every available puddle, brushed against so many trees, sticks and it really held up. You must keep the weight evenly distributed and if it's fitting properly then you will love this pack too.The pack stayed put every time she stopped to shake her coat out. Perfectly in place, like someone was holding it for her while she shook. Awesome!!!I bought another one for our Larger dog and we're testing it out this weekend.

OK, so REI only sells Ruffwear dog packs, and it can be easy to think that's all that's out there. But I, for one, am very unimpressed with their stuff--not only is it crazy expensive, it doesn't even seem that well designed (big floppy bags with no way to compress them if they aren't full, and will make your dog wider than most trails if they are). But I'm here to review the Mountainsmith pack, so maybe I should start over.This pack is pretty good. My dog is about 45 lbs and I ordered the medium, which fits well. I'd say the first thing is that the panniers are appropriately sized for my pooch: not so big that in order to fill them she would be carrying too much for her weight, but also not so small that they aren't functional (this is a major problem with the Kurgo Baxter dog backpacks). They still don't have a way to compress them if it's getting towards the end of your trip and they are less full, but the design is such that this isn't as big of an issue, as the weight is still kept pretty close to the dog's body and isn't flopping around they way it would in the aforementioned Ruffwear packs. And the zippers close by zipping towards the back of the pack, which means that if a zipper pull gets caught on a bush as your dog walks by it won't open up and dump the contents on the ground. Sounds pretty straight forward, but it's something that Kurgo apparently didn't think about.The material is pretty durable and the water resistant fabric is just that--resistant. So its good for a quick splash through a small stream, but definitely not for submersion. If you're hiking in extended rain or doing lots of river crossings I definitely suggest using dry bags inside of the panniers. Which is also nice because it can add some flotation to your dog's pack for deeper crossings.The harness seems comfortable and is well padded under the buckles to prevent chafing. And the handle on the back of the harness seems strong and easy to grab--super helpful for helping your pup up some of those steeper scrambles on canyon hikes. The straps are *mostly* easy to adjust (The Kurgo Baxter is HORRIBLE in this department), and some of that difficulty also just comes from the fact that I'm trying to adjust it on a wiggly weasel of a dog who's eager to hike, so this may be less of a problem for other folks. And hopefully it's only something you really need to do when you first get he pack, anyway. But the under arm straps left no signs of chafing on my dog after three long days of hiking, in and out of water, up and down steep terrain where there were no trails (the only trip I've managed to take with it since purchase--I'm planning more this summer, so if there's any major changes I'll update).What I would change: I wish the neck portion of the harness had a buckle on one side. This is designed to pull over your dog's head, but my dog isn't too keen on having things pulled over her head. It still works and its pretty common for packs to be built this way, I just wish more designers would think about it. (mine can't be the only dog who isn't a fan of the head-through-a-small-hole-squish-your-ears-and-then-do-it-all-backwards-to-get-it-off-again plan). Also, and here is the biggest gripe I have: the loop for the leash attachment on the back of the pack is in the front (closer to the dog's neck). But if your dog pulls (which, let's be honest, is pretty common) this bunches up the pack all weird and makes it not lay right/pull to the side. An attachment loop at he rear of the handle (closer to the dog's tail) would make way more sense and is one thing all the other dog pack manufacturers (Ruffwear and Kurgo and many others) actually get right.. Thankfully, sewing on a webbing loop with a D-ring is a way easier sewing project than redesigning panniers and a harness that are non-functional, so this pack still WAY better than most of what's available out there.I'll try to post a picture after my next trip.

My pup is 50 lbs with 21inch girth. I take her running and hiking, and this is the first pack that doesn't cause any friction or chafing behind the front legs. The way this pack is designed, the front straps not only have protective padding, but they're placed at an angle, keeping the straps away from under the legs. This is crucial to the comfort of my dog. I also like that the saddlebags stay put and don't flop around when running; they're not removable, but that's a feature I don't care for anyway. The bags are also roomy with plenty of space for water, food, etc. The pack is super adjustable, and so far it hasn't moved around while wearing it. I try to pack it kind of equally for balance. Not the cheapest, but the design and quality of the pack are worth it to me.

This is a great dog backpack. The pockets are large and hold lots of stuff. The only word of caution is the sizing. The product description says my dog takes a small. She is 28 pounds; larger than the 20 pound minimum for a small, but all of the adjustments are as tight as they will go. It fits fine, but I question whether it would fit a smaller dog.