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The pack bag or panniers for dogs: what is it?
The packsack is actually a backpack for your dog! The dog pack bag allows him to carry his belongings for walks or treks. The dog pack bag is made up of two saddlebags which are each placed on one side and the other of the dog's sides. It's the same principle as panniers on a bicycle or panniers on a donkey.
In this dog hiking bag, you can place your companion's water, kibble, ball, leash...
There are dog pack bags in all sizes and colors. Here I favored equipment adapted to sports practice, quality technical equipment. I am not presenting you with fashion packsacks. The purpose of this comparison of packsacks for dogs is to give you all the information you need to equip your dog safely for your next hikes and adventures. If it's about making him wear a cute backpack with his ball to play in the park, the equipment that I present to you here will not meet your needs.
In this section:
Before starting, I want to tell you that this comparison was not paid for by a partner. These are only products that I have tested with my dog. Fans of hiking and camping in the mountains, I had to equip myself for my mountain getaways with my dog. The first few times, I carried everything in my own backpack: my things and those of my dog. Hard hard ! I don't have the physical condition of a great athlete, so hiking 15 km with a few hundred D+s all with a bag weighing more than 12 kilos on my back is a real achievement! Any good hiker knows that weight is a formidable enemy… So, I inquired about dog pack bags and I tested – finally my dog – and compared many models of dog pack bags. So when we go on a trek, my dog also has his hiking backpack. So we each carry our things even if I am VERY careful about the load I make him carry. The goal is to distribute the weight intelligently between my dog's panniers and my backpack, but not hurt him or spoil his fun with a backpack that's too heavy for him. I present here my different tests of dog bags. If you like this article, go through the links in the article to buy your dog pack bag so that I will be “a little” paid by the sites that sell these products 
Top 10 bags packs for dogs
Here are the 10 dog pack bags we compared:
???? The Approach Pack – Ruffwear : Our favorite !
Summit V3 dog backpack – Ezydog
How do I choose the best packsack or backpack for my dog?
To choose the best packsack for your dog, you have to put his comfort at the heart of your choice! There are therefore several points to consider:
the morphology of your dog
the bag fastening system
bags and their capacity
the finishes: attachment for the leash, attachment of a light, detachable bags to transform the bag of packs into a simple harness...
In the Mag' article Packing bag ideal for tackling the 5 most beautiful hikes in France with your dog, you will find all the details around these 4 points of vigilance.
The dog pack bag: the practical accessory to put on your dog every time you go out? NO ! And again NO! I draw your attention to the fact that dog saddlebags are not used anyhow, anytime and on any dog!
Just like us, some dogs have back pain or other health problems such as being overweight, which are therefore incompatible with wearing dog saddlebags.
Any outing should be a moment of pleasure and happiness for your dog, there is no question of spoiling his pleasure with a bag that is too heavy or ill-fitting which would prevent him from simply enjoying the happiness of his outing and worse, would hurt him.
Our dogs are not used to carrying anything on their backs. Since our early childhood, we carry our schoolbag on our back. We are used to it. If your dog has never worn dog saddlebags before, he will have to get used to them little by little by first carrying the empty backpack then with more and more material without ever exceeding more than 10% of his weight for the most athletic dogs!
Now that you know all about dog pack bags or dog saddlebags, it's time to introduce you to the different models that I tested with Musher.
The opinion of Musher and Sophie: - " Clearly it's our number 1! Musher has been using it for several years and it is perfect. He is part of all our adventures! “
The Approach Pack packsack from Ruffwear is a perfect bag for my dog. It is the one that best corresponds to his Labrador morphology. It is a super resistant and versatile dog backpack specially designed for cani-rando. Musher has done many treks with this pack of dog packs on his back. The capacity of the bag is large enough to put everything necessary for my dog. The bag is quite light, between 476 g and 590 g for the pack bag in its largest size. There are many adjustments to fit the backpack on your dog.
What I like about this bag is that it is suitable for athletic dogs. It does not interfere with the dog in canirando. He can run and move freely. My dog carried it on his back several days in a row during our many treks. I was able to place all her things easily while respecting a certain weight so as not to overload her, W'ouf race.
This is our favorite pack sack: good value for money for our use. My criticism of this bag is that the saddlebags are not waterproof. Musher loves to bathe in the smallest puddle that we cross, I quickly learned to protect his belongings in small zipped bags to avoid flooding in the panniers.
Technical specifications
- pack bag for dog
- 2 ties under the belly with size adjustment
- suitable for large dogs
- leash attachment on the top of the harness
- reinforced handle to be able to hoist the dog in case of obstacles
Musher & Sophie's note 
Strong points :
- its color (green or orange): you can spot your dog from afar
- perfectly adjustable to the morphology of the dog
- very stable on the dog
- light and
Weak points :
- non-waterproof saddlebags
- non-detachable saddlebags
- saddlebags that wobble if the dog runs and hit his sides
The opinion of Musher and Sophie: – ” Great for intense activities because it is ultra light. The dog keeps all his agility in canitrail or caniVTT for example. "
The Singletrak Pack dog pack bag from Ruffwear is very different from Approach pack. If the first dog backpack that I presented to you is ideal for trips lasting several days and allows you to go on your own with your dog, this one is rather made for short outings with your dog. Its capacity is smaller. It's great for all intense activities like canitrail or caniMTB. It is a real hydration bag for dogs which, due to its lightness and comfort, can also be used as a harness or pack bag.
I use this bag when I go out for the day with my dog. It only serves to carry its water. And we refill the water bags with each stream of fresh water that we cross. The bag is made of mesh fabric which makes it a very light bag in hot conditions. Its very fitted cut limits the sloshing of the saddlebags on the dog's back, it's perfect when he runs.
Technical specifications
- hydration bag
- 2 water pockets supplied with the bag of 0,5 liters each
- mesh fabric
- 5 adjustment points to adapt the bag perfectly to the dog
- reflective stripes
Musher & Sophie's note:
Strong points :
- “sport” cut adapted to sports practice
- light and
- solid and well designed, no irritation for the dog
Weak points :
- small capacity and does not allow you to carry anything other than the dog's water, even if that is exactly what is expected of this bag!
Ruffwear released a new model of dog pack bag this year that I haven't been able to test with Musher yet. It's about Front Range Day Pack, a compromise between the two dog backpacks that I have just presented to you. In this bag, you will be able to fit more things than your dog's water bladders. Radial cut saddlebags create passive compression on the dog's back which stabilizes the contents of the bag. This surely avoids the sloshing of the bags on the sides of the dog when he runs, which I blame for the Approach Pack pack bag. It is available in blue, red and turquoise. Turquoise is too hot! I love it.
The Palisades Pack dog pack bag from Ruffwear converts into a dog harness. All you have to do is remove the saddlebags and from dog pack bag, it goes to dog harness. I find it super practical to relieve the dog at the end of the hike, for example when he shows signs of fatigue. It has happened to me to get Musher's saddlebags and hang them on my bag to relieve her a little when I saw that the last kilometers were complicated for her. The 2-in-1 system of the Palisades Pack from Ruffwear also means you don't have to buy 2 canine accessories and clutter your house 😉
Technical specifications
- saddlebags removable with a simple clip
- easily convertible into a canirando harness
- two 1L water bladders included
- sturdy handle to help the dog overcome obstacles
Musher & Sophie's note:
Strong points :
- a practical and versatile 2-in-1
- easy to install
- quality product
Weak points :
- heavier than the two bags presented previously, on average 1 kg.
- 1 single color
I stop there in the comparison of bags of packs for dogs. I tested other less expensive models, but that I do not recommend for cani-rando outings. It is much less technical material. It will be enough for your dog to carry his ball to the park, but it will not be suitable for a different use. A bit like us, if you go trekking with your school backpack, your back and shoulders will soon be very sore. To each backpack its use! In this comparison, I really wanted to focus on pack bags or dog saddlebags for sports.
Expert advice
Dog training: essential for all activities with your dog
An educated dog is a dog with whom you can share many activities and go on vacation serenely. I dare ask you the annoying question? : -“How is walking on a leash with your dog?” If your dog pulls like crazy it's time to revise his education, right? I therefore advise you to revise some fundamentals of education
For further :
Where to hike with your dog : a very complete article which will give you all the information you need to know about nature reserves, national parks… all these areas where the presence of your dog is strictly regulated to protect the local fauna and flora
Out of inspiration for your next hike with your dog? Discover it top 5 of the most beautiful GR to test with your dog.
You want some test the bivouac with your dog ? It's an experience that should please you provided you prepare a minimum. Discover all our advice for a successful bivouac with your dog in the article dedicated to the subject in the Mag'.
Before going on a hike with your dog, there are a few things to check: take stock with the advice in the article Hiking with your dog cannot be improvised. Equipment, itinerary, weather, health point…. enough to take stock of all these essential subjects before leaving!
