Ruffwear Approach Dog Backpack Review: Does This $99 Pack Actually Make Hiking With Your Dog Easier?

Introduction

Last month, we did that 5 mile trail up at Mount Baker, the one with the stream crossings and the view of the alpine lake at the top. Before that, every single hike with Max, I’d end up with a sore shoulder for 3 days after. Because half my backpack was his stuff. His 2 liter water bottle, his chicken snacks, his rain jacket, his collapsible bowl, his poop bags, even his little microfiber towel for when he got wet crossing the streams. I was carrying 25 lbs total, 10 of that was just his gear. I was this close to just stopping hiking with him entirely, because it was too much for me. That’s when I saw the Ruffwear Approach Dog Backpack. It was $99, and it was supposed to let him carry his own gear, so I didn’t have to. I ordered it same day, because I was desperate enough to try anything. After using it for 3 hikes, I have so much to say about it.

Does This $99 Backpack Actually Make Hiking Easier?

Oh, it does. Like, way more than I thought it would.

Before this, I thought dog backpacks were just a gimmick. You know, the kind of thing people buy for Instagram photos, and their dog hates it after 10 minutes. But this? It changed everything.

Last week, we did that same 5 mile trail. Max carried his own water, his snacks, his rain jacket, his bowl, his poop bags. All of it. In his little pack. My backpack? I only carried my own water, my phone, my keys, and a protein bar. That was it. I finished the hike, and my shoulder didn’t hurt at all. I didn’t have to stop every mile to rest my back. I actually enjoyed the hike, instead of just struggling to carry all the weight.

A lot of people say, $99 is too much for a dog backpack. But think about it. I spent $120 on my own hiking backpack, right? This is his. And it’s the same quality. It’s worth it, if you hike a lot.

The One Flaw I Didn’t Expect From a Ruffwear Product

Ruffwear is supposed to be the best of the best, right? I’ve bought their front range harness before, their Quantum leash, they’re all perfect. So I expected this pack to be perfect, too.

But here’s the flaw. The saddlebags are integrated into the harness. They don’t come off.

Wait, what? Yeah. You can’t take the bags off, and just use the harness for a regular walk. If you want to take the pack off, mid-hike, because your dog is tired, or because you want to stop at a dog park after? You have to take the whole thing off. And you have to carry it. Or, you have to bring a separate harness, to put on him, after.

I didn’t know that. The first time we used it, we finished the hike, and we wanted to stop at the dog park by the trailhead. I couldn’t just take the bags off, I had to take the whole thing off, and carry it around the dog park, in my hands. It was annoying. I thought, for $99, they would make the bags detachable, right? That’s the one thing I didn’t expect.

And that’s the thing, this flaw isn’t a big deal if you’re just doing a full day hike, and you don’t need to take it off. But if you want to do a mix of hiking and then dog park, or if you want to use the harness for regular walks? It’s not for you.

Why I Stopped Carrying Water for My Dog After Testing This Pack

Before this pack, I carried all of Max’s water. All of it. Two liters, every hike, just for him. Because he drinks so much, especially in the summer, when it’s 80 degrees out. And that two liters? It’s heavy. It took up half the space in my backpack, and it added 4 lbs to my load.

Now? He carries his own water. In his own pack. I don’t have to touch it.

The first time we did that, I was shocked. I didn’t even realize how much weight that was, until I didn’t have to carry it anymore. And it’s not just water. He carries his own snacks, his own poop bags, his own rain jacket. All of that stuff that I used to carry, that was weighing me down. Now it’s on him.

And he doesn’t even notice it. I was worried, that carrying weight would tire him out. But no. He ran around, he climbed over the rock obstacles, he swam in the lake at the top, he did everything he normally does. He didn’t act tired at all, even after 5 miles.

That’s why I stopped carrying his water. Because he can carry it himself, and it doesn’t bother him, and it makes my hike so much easier.

How the Ruffwear Approach Compares to Letting Your Dog Carry Nothing

Let’s be real, before this, I just let him carry nothing. I carried everything. And that was fine, for short walks, around the block. But for hikes? It was terrible.

Last year, we did a 3 mile hike, and I carried all his stuff. I finished the hike, and my shoulder was so sore, I couldn’t lift my arm to brush my teeth that night. I was exhausted. I had to lay on the couch for the rest of the day, I couldn’t do anything else.

This year, with the pack, we did a 5 mile hike. I finished, and I felt fine. We went out to get ice cream after, I didn’t even feel tired.

And what about Max? Before, when he carried nothing, he was fine, but he was pulling on the leash the whole time, because he had extra energy. Now? He’s carrying a little bit of weight, so he’s more focused, he doesn’t pull as much, he’s calmer on the trail.

Wait, that’s another thing I didn’t expect. A little bit of weight, tires him out a little, so he’s not bouncing off the walls the whole hike. It’s like, he has a job to do, so he’s more focused.

So, comparing the two? Letting him carry nothing, means I’m exhausted, sore, and he’s bouncing off the walls. Letting him carry his own gear, means I’m relaxed, I enjoy the hike, and he’s calm, focused, and happy. It’s not even a comparison.

My Story: Putting the Ruffwear Approach Backpack to the Test

When the pack arrived, I was so excited. I opened it, and it was this nice, thick, blue dusk fabric, it felt so sturdy. The straps were padded, the zippers felt heavy duty, not the cheap ones that break after a few uses. I measured Max’s chest, 32 inches, so I got the Medium size, which is supposed to fit 27-36 inch chests. It fit him perfectly, right out of the box.

I adjusted the straps, I put it on him, and he didn’t even notice. He didn’t scratch at it, he didn’t try to take it off, he just walked around like normal. I was shocked, I thought he’d hate it, but he didn’t care at all.

Then, we went on our first hike. We did the 3 mile trail first, to test it. He carried his own water, his snacks, his poop bags. He did great. No rubbing, no chafing, he didn’t act tired at all. I finished the hike, and I felt amazing. No sore shoulder, no exhaustion.

Then, the next weekend, we did the 5 mile trail. Same thing. He carried all his stuff, I carried mine. It was perfect.

The One Thing Nobody Warned Me About

But here’s the thing no one told me. The velcro.

When I took it off him, after the first hike, I just ripped the velcro apart, like I do with my own backpack. And he yelped. Loud.

I looked, and the velcro had grabbed a whole chunk of his golden fur, right on his chest. It pulled it right out, and he was in pain. I felt so bad. I had no idea.

No one warned me about that. The product page didn’t say it, none of the reviews I read mentioned it. I had no idea, that the velcro would catch his fur, if you just rip it apart.

Now, I know. I have to peel the velcro apart, slowly, one hand holding his fur down against his skin, the other hand peeling the velcro off. So it doesn’t catch his fur. It’s not a big deal, once you know how to do it. But it was a huge surprise, the first time. I wish someone had told me that, before I pulled a chunk of my dog’s fur out.

Is This Pack Right for Medium-Sized Dogs Like Mine?

Max is a 65 pound golden retriever, medium sized, right? And this pack, the Medium size, fits him perfectly. The chest straps adjust, the weight is distributed evenly, he doesn’t have any rubbing, no chafing. It works great for him.

But, is it right for every medium sized dog? Well, no.

If your dog is really stocky, really broad chested? Like, a pit bull, or an American bulldog? The Medium size might be too small. A lot of people with stocky medium dogs, said they had to go up a size, because the chest straps were too tight, even at the maximum adjustment.

And if your dog is really lean, really skinny? Like, a border collie, or a husky? The adjustability is limited, so you might not be able to get a perfect fit. A lot of people with lean dogs, said the pack slipped around to the side, because they couldn’t tighten it enough to keep it in place.

But if you have a normal medium sized dog, like a golden retriever, or a lab, with a normal chest size? It works perfectly. It fits great, it stays in place, no slipping, no rubbing.

And if you’re like me, and you forget to peel the velcro slowly? Just be careful, don’t rip it, or you’ll pull his fur out.

Common Questions About the Ruffwear Approach Backpack

I got so many questions from my friends after I posted about this, so I wanted to answer the most common ones right here.

Can my dog really carry his own gear?

Yeah! Dogs are built for it. As long as you don’t put more than 25% of his body weight in the pack, he’s fine. Max is 65 pounds, so he can carry up to 16 pounds. I only put 5 pounds in there, so it’s nothing for him.

Does this pack rub or chafe his skin?

No, not at all. The straps are padded, the harness is breathable, it fits him perfectly. After 5 miles of hiking, his skin was fine, no red marks, no rubbing, nothing. A lot of other users said the same thing, no chafing, even after all day hikes.

Can I take the saddlebags off?

No, you can’t. They’re integrated into the harness. If you want to take the bags off, you have to take the whole thing off. That’s the big flaw, like I said before.

Is this pack waterproof?

It’s water resistant. The fabric is 150D polyester, it repels light rain, and mud. If you submerge it, it’ll get wet, but it dries fast. And it’s easy to wipe clean, after a muddy hike.

How long does this pack last?

A lot of users have had theirs for 5 years, even 15 years, of regular use. The fabric is durable, the zippers hold up, even with rough use. One user said his dog dragged it through sharp prickly bushes, and it only had a couple small holes, after 5 years. It’s built to last.

My Top Takeaways on the Ruffwear Approach Backpack

At the end of the day, this pack works, way better than I thought it would. It took all the weight off my back, and put it on Max, who doesn’t even notice it. It made hiking with him so much easier, so much more fun. I can go further, I can hike longer, I don’t get sore anymore.

The flaws? The saddlebags don’t come off, the velcro can catch his fur if you’re not careful, the adjustability is a little limited. But none of that is a dealbreaker, as long as you know what you’re getting into.

It’s $99, which is a little expensive, but it’s built to last, it’s high quality, it’s worth it, if you hike a lot with your dog. I was worried it was a gimmick, but it’s not. It’s a real tool, that makes hiking with your dog way easier.

Would I Buy This Again With My Own Money?

Yeah, absolutely. I already told my friend, who has a 70 pound lab, to buy one. Because it changed hiking for us, so much.

$99 is a lot, I know. But I spent $120 on my own hiking backpack, right? This is his. And it’s the same quality. And it’s going to last for years, probably 10 years, if the other users are to be believed. That’s nothing, for something that makes every hike so much easier.

I would buy this again, in a second. It’s worth every penny. I don’t have to carry all his gear anymore, I don’t have sore shoulders, I can actually enjoy the hikes. That’s worth $99, to me.

Final Thoughts on the Ruffwear Approach Backpack

All in all, the Ruffwear Approach Dog Backpack is the best $99 I’ve spent on hiking gear, ever. It’s not perfect, the bags don’t come off, the velcro can catch fur, it’s a little pricey. But none of that matters, because it works. It does exactly what it says it will do. It lets your dog carry his own gear, so you don’t have to.

If you love hiking with your dog, and you’re tired of carrying all his stuff, and you’re tired of sore shoulders, and you’re tired of being exhausted after a short hike? This is perfect for you. It works, it’s high quality, it’s comfortable for your dog, and it makes your hikes so much better.

If you’re interested in trying it out, you can check it out here: Check Price on Amazon

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A Quick Disclaimer

I’m not a vet or professional trainer. This is just my personal experience.