Ruffwear Palisades Dog Backpack Review

To assist you when considering if the Ruffwear Palisades Dog Backpack is suitable for you and your dog, we have listed and assessed the principal characteristics.

Your Dog’s Comfort

Time and effort have been put into making the Ruffwear Palisades Dog Backpack comfortable for your dog to wear. There are padded sleeves on the two girth straps and the point where the three chest straps meet. The choice of three sizes and five adjustment points ensure a good fit for your dog. The pack is designed to direct the weight to the front of the pockets where it sits over your dog’s shoulders. This is the best way for a dog to carry weight, as it does not put undue pressure on the spine.

Adjustable Straps

The Ruffwear Palisades Dog Backpack comes with fully adjustable straps. Two straps go from the front of the harness over your dog’s shoulders to meet on the chest. This meeting point is padded, and a single strap goes from here and between your dog’s legs to the front girth strap. The front girth strap goes around your dog’s ribs, while the rear girth strap goes around the belly. These straps clip into the harness under the saddlebags.

To put the harness on, you put it over your dog’s head and then pass one of his legs through the loop. To do this, you need to extend the chest straps to their full length and undo the buckles on the two girth straps. You then fasten the buckles and tighten the straps once the harness is correctly placed on the dog. You adjust the chest straps by sliding the adjuster away from the point where the three straps meet. You tighten the girth straps by sliding the adjuster down. Any excess webbing can be tucked into the padded sleeves on the harness. Don’t pull the straps too much – you should be able to slide two fingers between your dog and the strap.

Materials and Durability

Ruffwear uses technical fabrics that have been designed for athletes in their products. The Ruffwear Palisades Dog Backpack has a frame composed of laminated, moulded bonded mesh and perforated foam. The foam has embossed channels to provide more flexibility and a better fit. The perforations in the foam increase the breathability and help to stop your dog from overheating.

The backpack is covered in 150 denier ripstop polyester that is splashproof, UV stable and resists fading. It comes in Red Sumac – a bright red that makes it easy for both you and others to see your dog. To clean the dog backpack, handwash it with a mild detergent and leave it to air dry.

The four pass-through buckles that secure the saddlebags to the harness are made of Hypalon reinforced with aluminium. The leash attachment point is made from anodized aluminium. The zips are coated reverse-coil zippers which close smoothly and are waterproof. The backpack is not fully waterproof, though, and items in the pockets could become damp in very wet conditions.

The Ruffwear Palisades Dog Backpack comes with a lifetime guarantee against defects in materials and craftsmanship. It is very well-made, and it should last for a long time.

Handles

There is a handle situated on the top of the harness towards the rear. A hole fits over the handle when the saddlebags are fitted, so it is still straightforward to grasp. The handle can help with balanced manoeuvring and assisting dogs up and over obstacles.

The handle on the Ruffwear Palisades Dog Backpack has been redesigned to be more low profile, and it now has padding to make it more comfortable to hold.

Leash Attachment Points

There are two leash attachment points on the Ruffwear Palisades Dog Backpack. At the back of the backpack, where the handle joins the main chassis, there is a loop of reinforced webbing to which a leash can be attached. In front of the handle, there is an aluminium V-ring that is also a leash attachment point. These are both connected to the harness but still easily accessible when the saddlebags are attached.

Features

The Ruffwear Palisades Dog Backpack has been specifically designed for multi-night trips. The pockets are larger than average, providing plenty of room for your dog’s supplies. As your trip progresses, you will use up some of those supplies, which is why the pockets have a cross-load compression system for when saddlebags aren’t full. Tightening the straps pulls the sides of the saddlebags in and makes the backpack more compact.

Ruffwear also has designed something they call a ‘flopper-stopper’ that brings the saddlebags closer to the dog’s body and stops their gear from bouncing around. Underneath the saddlebags, you will find a loop that hooks onto the girth strap. You then open the stash pocket and pull on the cinch cord to secure the pocket.

One of the most popular features of this dog backpack is the detachable saddlebags.

To attach the saddlebags, push the four pass-through buckles on the harness through the four openings. The logos line up to help guide you. If the handle doesn’t slot through the gap designed for it, you have put the saddlebags on backwards. Being able to easily remove the saddlebags means that if your dog is too hot or tired, you can simply remove the saddlebags without having to carry an additional harness.

The backpack includes two 1-liter collapsible, BPA-free hydration bladders for carrying the water your dog will need on your walk. For low-light walks, there is reflective piping on the sides of the saddlebags and the triangular meeting point of the chest straps. You also have a loop on the handle that can be used to attach a light.

Pockets

There are four pockets on the Ruffwear Palisades Dog Backpack. Taking inspiration from how hikers organize their backpacks with water and heavier items near their bodies, there is a vertical stash pocket on each side. These are easier to access and keep the weight close to your dog’s back. Outside of the stash pockets are another two roomy, radial-cut pockets.

All the pockets have zips for simple access. The backpack also has internal mesh pockets and a row of external gear loops on each side to help with organizing your equipment.

Hikers often use their dog’s backpack to carry essentials such as sun cream, compasses and bandanas so they don’t have to remove their own backpack. Bear in mind that the pockets are not entirely waterproof, and there is the possibility of your dog banging the saddlebags against trees and rocks, so it wouldn’t be a great place to keep something fragile, such as a mobile phone!

Storage Capacity

This is the storage capacity of the three sizes of the Ruffwear Palisades Dog Backpack:

Small

• 854 cubic inches (12.5 liters)

Medium

• 1,068 cubic inches (17.5 liters)

Large/Extra Large

• 1,465 cubic inches (24 liters)

Weight

This is how much each of the three Ruffwear Palisades Dog Backpack sizes weigh. Your dog should never carry more than 25% of its body weight and ideally only 10 -15%. When calculating the weight of your dog’s load, remember to include the backpack’s weight. It might be prudent to consult your vet before deciding how much weight your dog would be happy carrying.

Small

• 75 lb (0.8 kg)

Medium

• 85 lb (0.84 kg)

Large/Extra Large

• 15 lb (0.98 kg)

Sizes

The Ruffwear Palisades Dog Backpack comes in three sizes – small, medium and large/extra-large. Each size can be adjusted by five inches. If your dog is between sizes, it is best to order both sizes to see which is most suitable for your dog’s size and shape. Check with the guides online to make sure you are measuring your dog correctly.

Small

• Chest size – 22 inches (56 cm) – 27 inches (69 cm)
• Dimensions – 18 inches ( cm) x 13 inches ( cm) x 2 inches ( cm)

Medium

• Chest size – 27 inches (69 cm) – 32 inches (81 cm)
• Dimensions – 20 inches ( cm) x 15 inches ( cm) x 2 inches ( cm)

Large/Extra Large

• Chest size – 32 inches (81 cm) – 42 inches (107 cm)
• Dimensions – 20 inches ( cm) x 15 inches ( cm) x 2.5 inches (cm)

Price

The main drawback of the Ruffwear Palisades Dog Backpack is the cost. It is not cheap. However, the functionality and high standard of manufacture compared to more affordable models make it worth the extra expense if you regularly go backpacking with your dog. The detachable saddlebags mean that as well as a backpack, you also have an excellent harness.