The Mountainsmith K9 Pack
A review and an update
Testing backpacks for Hazel
Hello, fellow Love Dogs! I've got a gear-related post for you today. Over the last several months I've tried three different backpacks with Hazel, trying to decide if she can safely carry more food on our upcoming finish of the CT. Neither of my previous short-haired, single-coat dogs could wear a backpack because the straps chafed the skin under the arms and left raw spots. Not good. With Hazel also having a short single coat, and a slightly smaller frame, I had initially resigned myself to the idea that she wouldn't wear a pack and that Japhy would carry the bulk of the dog food. When we were in Colorado at the beginning of the year I found and purchased the Ruffwear Switchbak (technically considered a harness, but it does have small pockets), and it was working really well for her. The straps on these new Ruffwear packs seem to sit farther back behind the front legs, away from the armpits, and the pack itself was quite small, too, so it was a perfect fit for Hazel. We'd been practicing with it packed to its max capacity (which wasn't much, but it was something), and Hazel was doing great. And then, after our last vet appointment when Hazel weighed in at 50 pounds, I started thinking. She's actually a very strong dog. She just doesn't look it because she's smaller framed and thin-waisted. She could probably carry more than I'd originally thought. So I started looking at packs again, with the intent to sell the Ruffwear Switchbak and get something slightly bigger. Since the strap issue that was causing chafing on my previous two dogs seemed to be resolved on the Ruffwear packs, I ordered the Front Range pack to try with Hazel. It's larger than the Switchbak, but still a relatively small pack, so I thought it would be a good place to start. After a few days, I returned it. With weight in it, one pannier seemed to always slide to the side, causing the pack to sit lopsided on her back, and since the panniers and the harness are the same piece of material, I couldn't adjust each pannier separately like you can on the pack Japhy wears (a Mountainsmith K9). I could see this becoming an issue for Hazel with repeated long days on the trail. After more online researching, I ultimately decided to purchase a Mountainsmith K9 for Hazel as well, in a size small. Despite thinking it might be too much pack for Hazel, it turns out the size small fits her perfectly, even better than the Ruffwear packs. And most importantly, each pannier is adjustable individually, and the pack sits evenly on her back. In the roughly six months that we've been using this pack with Japhy, it has never fallen to one side. I know there are other packs on the market, but so far I'm really impressed with the Mountainsmith K9. It's definitely worth adding to your short list if you're looking for canine backpacks, even for smaller framed dogs.
Details of the Mountainsmith K9 Pack
I made some photos to show you some details of this pack. Directly below is the size small that I purchased for Hazel. There is a mesh material on the entire underside of this pack. Every part that touches skin is soft and breathable. The top side is made of 420d HD Nylon Rip Stop PU Carbonate, which is quite tough and durable, and the PU coating provides some amount of water resistance, though I wouldn't put anything in the panniers without first putting in a ziplock or dry bag of some sort, just to be safe.
Each pannier has two adjustment points, one at the front and one at the back. This means you can lower or raise each pannier individually as needed, depending on the weight being carried in each one, so they always sit comfortably on the dog. At first glance, my immediate thought was, "Great, but will those plastic adjustment clips actually hold the straps in place, or will they slip under the weight of the contents of the panniers throughout the course of a hike?" So far I can attest to the fact that, if solidly pressed down, they will not slip. Or have not slipped yet, anyway. But it is wise to really press down on those clips to ensure they're fully closed.
Other details of this pack that I really like:
1. Two pockets on each pannier: the larger one that holds the bulk of the gear, and then a smaller pocket on the front of each pannier.
2. Reflective material. This is great for us because we often start hiking before the sun comes up. Not that I would ever let the pups off-leash out there when it's dark, but the reflective material is still nice in those early morning hours when there's no light other than my headlamp.
3. I love love love the zippers on this pack. Easy to grab even with gloves on, smooth and very high quality.
4. I think these packs are actually easier to put on the dogs than the Ruffwear packs for some reason. Wider space for the head to go through, I think. And the handle on top is easier to grip, too.
Contents and Weight
The photos below show Hazel's size small next to Japhy's size medium. In Hazel's pack there are two days' worth of dog food in each pannier (4 days total for one dog), plus a Dexas collapsible bowl in each one, and it weighs 3 lbs 13.7 oz. That's 8% of her body weight.
Japhy's got four days' worth of dog food in each pannier (8 days total for one dog), and his pack weighs 9 lbs. That's about 13% of his body weight.
Together, they are carrying what amounts to six days' worth of dog food when divided between them. I could probably add one more days' worth of dog food (for both dogs) to my own pack (or maybe to Hazel's) so that we could go a full week before needing to resupply. But either way, that's really good.
Pack Specs
The specs for the sizes small and medium are as follows:
Size Small: dimensions are 9.5" x 8.25" x 2.25" -- volume is 3 liters per pannier -- weight is 16oz empty.
Size Medium: dimensions are 12.25" x 8.25" x 3" -- volume is 5 liters per pannier -- weight is 19.2oz empty.
In hindsight, I should've just bought Hazel a Mountainsmith K9 pack from the beginning, but since she's still growing I wasn't sure what she could handle. We're on track now, though.
If you have any questions about this pack, let me know.
Next up will be a "what's in our packs" video as I nail down our final packing lists, including my own. Stay tuned...