Trail Tails
5 Pieces of Ruffwear® Gear That Made My First Barkpacking Trip a Success
In the Summer of 2022, my partner Nori and our dog, Juniper (Juni) set out on our first official backpacking trip all together. After 2 years of training and strengthening Juni’s recall and endurance we felt we had the trust between all of us to set out on a 1 night backpacking out and back trip via the Green Lakes Trail in the Three Sisters Wilderness - a great trail close to downtown Bend. Always be sure to do your research on off leash access on trails. This trail was very clear in the timing you were allowed to have dogs off leash. More info here - Green Lakes Trail
It’s safe to say our first official backpacking trip was a full on success! I believe we owe a lot of that to the dog specific gear we brought along with us.
Below are the 5pcs of Ruffwear® gear that we could not have done this trip without!
Flagline™ Dog Harness with Handle | Probably one of the most important pieces of gear we brought for Juni. This is the harness we choose for activities like backpacking, extended hikes, and even mountain biking. The harness is very lightweight, low bulk, and is equipped with a handle situated on the top/back of the dog. This handle worked great as a point to hold and support Juni across the many river crossings or up steep rocks. When lifted, Juniper was fully supported as the extended body panel helps to distributes the force. This harness is fully equipped with 3 leash mounting points, 1 at the chest and 2 on the back and even a spot to attach a light - The Beacon™ Dog Safety Light works great here. Juniper is wearing the size small 27-32 in (69-81 cm) Flagline™ in Sage Green and we think she looks great in it!
Hitch Hiker™ Leash | Hands down this is my favorite piece of dog gear that we own for Juni. The Hitch Hiker™ has 12ft of rope lead that runs through a belay like auto-block device all packaged up in a wearable or handheld leash. Even though Juni was off leash most of the time on this trip, it was important to have a leash ready at a moments notice! I always had the Hitch Hiker™ leash around my waist and forgot it was even there at times. When needed, like in a dangerous skinny cliff traverse or deep slippery river crossing, I could quickly pull out rope and securely attach it to Juni, using the Crux Clip™ connection. When connected I could still be hands free, ensuring we were both safe.
Treat Trader™ Dog Treat Pouch | Arguably, this was the most important piece of gear in Juni’s opinion. But she may not be wrong! The Treat Trader™ gave us a secure way to store treats with quick access. It can either be worn with the included adjustable belt or clipped on to a backpack strap, belt loop, pocket etc. using the integrated clip. Cleaning the Treat Trader™ after our trip was a breeze. After Juni throughly checks to make sure there are in fact no more treats, we simply hand wash it with mild detergent and leave it out to air dry. With the pouch all clean, the Treat Trader™ is ready for a refill and to accompany us on our next adventure!
Mt. Bachelor Pad™ Portable Dog Bed | Just like humans, our dogs deserve a relaxing place at camp after a long day of adventuring. Thats where the Mt. Bachelor Pad™ comes in to play! What first attracted me to this dog bed was the packability, making it perfect to bring on a backpacking trip. This bed simply folds in half, rolls up, and is then kept secure with the integrated strap. For dogs with a strong ‘place command, like Juni, a bed like this is great to bring on adventures away from home or familiar places so your furry companion knows their safe and calm space. Pictured is the Medium sized bed 26 x 34 in (66 x 86 cm)
Quencher Cinch Top™ Packable Dog Bowl | This packable dog bowl is in our bag on every long term outing with Juni. What I love about the Quencher Cinch Top™ is that you can close it up and and get on with your adventure so simply. Where this really benefits us is that Juni doesn’t typically eat all of her portions in one go. Being so active and a working breed at heart and mind, she likes to have food on the go as reward. With the Quencher Cinch Top™ we can dump in her full portioned meal and feed Juni some of her meal to start. When ready to get a move on we cinch up the bowl and bring it with us opening for rewarding her and closing securely with ease. We love knowing we’re not over feeding her as we can be assured the bowl contained her correct meal portion from the start!
