We're planning a cool mountain packing trip this summer and I'm already dreaming myself away...
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| This is the place where we'll be hiking - can't wait! Check out Jack Brauer's beautiful mountain sceneries at http://www.widerange.org/ |
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| We use the Wenaha Dog Pack on our hikes and are really happy with how well it functions in every weather. |
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| It's really important that your dog is comfortable wearing his pack, especially during a multi-day hike. |
Besides Wenaha, there are also many other brands available on the market. For those of you who are planning to go hiking with your dog this summer and need a dog pack - here are links to a couple of manufacturers:
- Wolf Packs - An American brand that can also be bought in Ireland, Iceland and Australia.
- Ruff Wear - Another American brand with retailers all over the world, including Sweden.
- Granite Gear - An American brand which so far is only available "over there". Their Alpha Dog Pack and Long Howl Dog Pack look pretty cool!
- Mountainsmith - A brand that is available in most countries in Europe, as well as in North America.
- Snowdogs - A Swedish brand with good reviews (I've never tried it myself).
- Laika Kløv - Norwegian brand with many "best in test" awards.
One reason why we prefer the Wenaha Dog Pack is its durability. We have never had a problem with zippers or seams even though the packs have often been under water and used in snow and rain. The Wenaha pack is also very roomy and can pack lots of useful items that you need on your hike. Many of the newer packs are neat and small and we find it a lot more practical if our dogs are actually able to carry some of our bulky gear in their bags, such as extra hiking boots, dog food and cooking utensils.
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| A whole book about backpacking with your dog! |
Charlene G. LaBelle has written a book on backpacking with dogs that covers the most important issues a beginner should know about packing. The book was published in 1992 but there's also a revised edition from 2004. The author is a breeder of Alaskan Malamutes under the prefix Belle Kennels in California. She is also director at the Alaskan Malamute Club of America.
2 comments:
That' s great, I'm looking forward to your tips and experience, since we are planning to go hiking late this summer with at least one dog. First we are taking just one-day hikes and get used to the packs and carrying stuff and later in August it will be 2 or 3 day hikes. I have one book on the subject, it' s a Finnish one and I think a good one too, but more information is always better :) I think I'll add this one to my shopping cart in Amazon(I order TOO many books from there, it' s a total addiction; books on malamutes, books on mushing, books on Iditarod and Yukon Quest...)today :)
I think I' m also going for Wenaha Dog Pack, the others we have tried are very small.
Amazon and ebay are dangerous places - I spend too much time and money there too.:)
Some tips are coming up later this week, it will be a good way for me to get my own gear in order and start planning. Right now we're doing the same as you - going on dayhikes to get the dogs in good working condition for our longer hike later this summer. :)
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