Hitch Hiker™ Dog Backpack Carrier

We have been searching for a well-made and reliable dog backpack for more than a year and were thrilled when we saw Ruffwear launch this new product. We have tried many different backpacks, including the popular K9 Sports Sack, but nothing beats the Ruffwear Backpack! Like all other Ruffwear products, it’s obvious that this backpack prioritized durability, safety, and comfort for the dog. It’s incredibly easy to put the backpack on both of my dogs (one is reactive and the other is a puppy). I prefer to wear the backpack with my dog on the front and the design of this backpack worked for such preference. Both of my dogs seem relatively comfortable in the backpack. I especially love that the backpack has an adjustable harness integrated which enhanced the safety of my dog when inside the backpack. It also made it easy that the sizing of the backpack was the same as my dog’s usual Ruffwear harness size.

The backpack material is also well-made and uses quality materials (YKK zippers; smooth buckles and zippers; etc)! It’s incredibly comfortable and easy to carry my dogs, who are about 20lbs, in this backpack. The pocket space on the sides of the bag are super helpful in holding poop bags, treats, and anything else that I want to quickly and conveniently get to.

Overall, an excellent backpack and highly recommend all dog owners looking for a backpack to get this! This backpack is so practical and reliable in that I immediately ordered a second backpack so that I would have one…

It's excellent construction. Did not work for the dog, but keeping and now the cat goes on walks with us in it.

My dog's girth fit's a ruffwear small in clothing, harnesses, etc. It's solidly 26.5/27". He is super lean but longer legs and topline (vizsla). I really wanted this to work for us so I could use this rather than the bike trailer.

I bought it knowing he was a little more than 40 lbs but his dimensions fit the small sized harnesses etc. because his body condition is mostly muscle which is more compact than pudge-kin 40lb dog from a volume perspective. To be clear, i knew this was a risk when we tried it and it's not ruffwear's issue at all, but for anyone else thinking the same thing who might try it and you're on the size edge: your dog probably won't fit.

I would say their statement "comfortable up to 40lbs" sort of implies to me that you could potentially, less-comfortably fit up to 42/43lbs and in our experience it should be more of a "hard stop at 40lb" notice. Meaning 40lb of properly conditioned, lean dog max will fit in this. My in-shape vizsla a couple pounds over 40lb I could not zip it over the hind quarters (like trying to get a boot over a super high-arch foot where there just isn't enough space) and as a dog with a longer topline (back), even extending the backplate was not tall enough.

It's super well made, and if you have a boykin spaniel, or a corgi, or similarly-constructed dogs I think you would be fine and totally love this. But most of…