Pack Up & Get Out: What Our Office Dogs Pack on the Trails
As the air grows warmer and the sun lingers longer, we can’t help but get excited for backpacking, camping, and long days on the trail.
Our employees and office dogs sure know how to pack in the fun, so here's a look at their go-to gear when their furry sidekick is shouldering some of the load. We hope it gets you dreaming about where the trails will take you next.
Monica & Giles
Human Pack: Deuter Act Lite 60+10 SL
Dog Pack: Palisades™ Pack
Packing List: Kibble, Quencher™ Bowl, Treats, Powder Hound™ Jacket and/or a Swamp Cooler™ Zip Cooling Vest, First Aid kit, I carry her sleeping bag in my pack
Liz & Bernie
Human Pack: Lowe Alpine
Dog Pack: Commuter™ Pack
Packing List: 4 Grip Trex™ boots, K9 first aid kit, Pack Out Bag™ and pick up bags, a towel that can double as a sling, treats/kibble, Quencher™ Bowl, a cooling or warming layer depending on the weather
Alli & Riggins
Human Pack: Osprey Ariel AG 75
Dog Pack: Approach™ Pack
Packing List: Highlands™ Sleeping Bag, food/treats, Bivy™ Bowl, Climate Changer™, The Beacon™, First aid
Jenny & Bailey
Human Pack: Dueter Aircontact Lite
Dog Pack: Singletrak™ Pack
Packing List: kibble, treats, water, Trail Runner™ Bowl, pick up bags
Dani & Vilas
Human Pack: Osprey Aurora 65L
Dog Pack: Approach™ Pack
Packing List: The Beacon™, Dog First Aid Kit, Climate Changer™ or Swamp Cooler Zip™™ depending on the season, Quencher Cinch Top™ w/food, Bivy™ Bowl, leash, treats, poop bags, Highlands™ Sleeping Bag, and boots in case of injury.
Mary & Marvin
Human Pack: Osprey DYNA 6
Dog Pack: Singletrak™ Pack
Packing List: Full water bladders, Trail Runner™ bowl, little bag of kibble, pick up bags.
Elena, Millie, Baya & Rio
Human Pack: Patagonia Nine Trail 26L
Dog Pack: Singletrak™ Pack
Packing List: In my pack, Adventure Medical Kit for dogs (has great stuff for humans as well), Tick remover, Coban / Vet wrap. In their packs, Crag™ Collars, Leashes, The Beacon™ Safety Light, Treat Trader™, Trail Runner™ Bowl & Grip Trex™ Boots, Treats / Food / Water, Pick Up Bags.
Rachel & Nova
Human Pack: Boreas Lost Coast 60
Dog Pack: Palisades™ Pack
Packing List: Food, water, pick-up bags or shovel for waste, first aid kit, Bivy™ Bowl, Quick Draw™ Leash, Highlands™ Pad, Highlands™ Sleeping Bag, Aira Jacket (weather dependent)
Kelly & Juniper
Human Pack: Osprey Sopris 20
Dog Pack: Commuter™ Pack
Packing List: For a day trip of June-uary volcano skiing she carried 2 evenly filled water bladders (in either saddle bag for weight distribution), a Quencher™ Bowl, snacks, poop bags, an extra leash (Crag™) and her dog first aid kit (which luckily we still have never had to open)
If your furry trail companion is ready to carry his or her own gear and you’re wondering which pack to choose, we can help. Below, we’ve broken down each of our packs by their key features and the types of pursuits for which they’re designed. No matter which pack you go with, we recommend spending time getting your dog used to wearing a pack before the big day. And it's a good rule of thumb that your dog shouldn't carry more than 25% of their body weight.
Palisades™ Pack
Photo by Tyler Roemer
Ruffwear’s Palisades Pack is designed for thru-hiking and multiple days on the trail. It has a larger capacity than our other packs, as well as removable saddlebags and two 1-liter collapsible water bladders. Inside the saddlebags, there’s a cross-load compression system that cinches down and stabilizes pack contents.
If you’re hitting the trail for more than a couple nights, this is the pack we’d recommend for your dog.
Approach™ Pack
Our Approach Pack is a great option for long day hikes or overnight backcountry trips. The saddle bags have smaller capacity than those on the Palisades Pack, but size small is still large enough to hold a Highlands Bed. Radial cut, weight-forward saddlebags create a passive compression system that is form-fitting and efficient for carrying a load.
If you’d like your trail pal to carry his/her own gear on a day outing or one-to-two night backpacking trip, the Approach Pack will do the trick.
Singletrak™ Pack
Ruffwear’s Singletrak Pack is a sleek, low-profile hydration pack that’s perfect for long days on the trail with just the essentials. The saddlebags fit close to the body, allowing dogs to move with speed and agility, and hold two 0.6-liter collapsible water bladders with enough room left for some treats, pick-up bags, and a small leash.
The Singletrak Pack is great for day hikes, trail running, and mountain biking.
