Product Review: OneTigris Tactial Molle Harness

This Tactical Molle Harness by OneTigris is quite possibly the most customizable piece of dog gear I've seen. Made to look like military and law enforcement gear, this harness offers many of the same options with a civilian price tag. This harness is available in several colors, and four sizes to fit dogs with chests 15-40" around according to the manufacturer. In my experience it runs quite large.

Tactical?

It's important to know that OneTigris products are made in China, and lack the durability of real tactical gear. They seem to be popular with gun carrying civilians, but not actual military or law enforcement personnel. The straps and buckles are not rated for lifting, and neither are the handles.

This harness is basically a base onto which you can add anything you like. It has two rows of MOLLE straps on either side, to which you can attach any sort of MOLLE pouch, bag, water bottle holder, knife sheath, holster...anything. The length of the harness means you can actually attach several of these things, but you must be careful to balance the load or it will slip to one side like every dog backpack on the planet.

There is also a wide strip of velcro along the back, for attaching patches or pretty much anything else.

The front strap is padded, and there are two straps that run underneath the dog, sort of like the Ruffwear Webmaster harness. The straps are nice and wide, but don't feel super sturdy. I would not lift my dog more than a foot or two in this harness.

There is a handle at either end, along with a leash attachment point. All of these are pretty flimsy, to be honest. Several users have reported them breaking with very little force.

Pros:

• Highly customizable with any MOLLE-compatible accessories.
• Easy to put on.

Cons:

• Build quality is lacking, at least in some pieces.
• Sizes run very large, Godzilla is in the middle of the listed size range for our Medium harness and it barely adjusts small enough for her.

Bottom Line

I think this would make a pretty awesome service dog harness. Accessories could be added as needed for various outings, and the velcro would allow easy access to some stuff without having to open bags. I may have to send it to someone who can test this theory for me.

Product Review: Kurgo Baxter Backpack

Kurgo's Baxter Backpack is a unique design that allows adjustment of the height and angle of the saddlebags. Ours is an older version, the current model features a handle on the back as well as extra outer pockets on either side. This is a very stable dog pack with both front and rear belly straps, making it suitable for helping your dog over large obstacles. The Baxter Backpack is available in five colors and two sizes, for dogs 30-85 and 50-110 pounds.

Photo by Erin Koski

We are planning a backpacking trip this spring, so I'm looking at various options for the girls. Of course I adore our Ruffwear Palisades pack (how do I not already have a review for that?!) but what other options are out there?

I bought this hand-me-down Baxter Backpack on eBay, and it turns out it is an older model. This is fine with me, as the current Baxter seems to have some durability issues. Kurgo's product page is filled with reviews about the saddlebags tearing at the bottom.

Photo by Erin Koski

That said, there seems to have been some improvement in the design, as the straps on my Baxter pack tend to loosen up while walking, while the most recent reviews state that the straps are a big difficult to adjust. I'll take difficult-but-stays-in-place over loosens-over-time any day.

The design of this pack is unique because the straps that attach the bags to the center are adjustable. This means they can ride high, or low, or anywhere in between. Since they attach with two straps, the angle can even be changed. This allows you to adjust them to ride downhill, sitting low and forward to avoid throwing the dog off balance. So awesome!

The capacity of the regular Baxter isn't a ton, 3.75L, so you don't really need to worry about overloading your dog. Think a couple of standard Nalgene bottles, those fit snugly without much room for anything else.

Pros: Very adjustable, bags can be raised or lowered for a custom fit. Rear belly strap adds stability, this pack really stays in place. Multiple buckles mean the dog doesn't need to step over any straps to get it on.

Cons: May have durability issues right now, fortunately Kurgo seems willing to stand by their product guarantee. Relatively small capacity, smaller than the Ruffwear Palisades but bigger than the Singletrack.

Bottom Line: This is a functional pack that works well for dayhikes and short backpacking trips where water is easily available.

Product Review: Nicole Miller Dog Purse/Backpack

This Nicole Miller fabric dog purse converts to a backpack carrier. The Best in Show print is adorable, and the bag can hold pets up to 16 pounds. There is a pocket for small accessories, and a ring inside for attaching a leash.

Photo by Erin Koski

This cute Ru-holder is yet another thrift store find. Dog purses are an everyday occurrence in my local thrift stores, but this one has a unique design I felt worth sharing.

The cool thing about this bag is the straps, which cross over at the top and run through rings. Pull them up through the rings and it becomes a shoulder bag. Pull them down through the rings and they became backpack straps. There's no hardware to break, and unlike most convertible bags the straps don't need to be detached and rethreaded.

Aside from the convertible straps, this is a fairly basic bag. It has mesh windows all around and one side zips all the way open. The other side opens halfway so the occupant can pop their head out adorably. I think this would make a great bag for commuting by bicycle with a small dog.

Photo by Erin Koski

Pros: Instantly converts from backpack to shoulder bag so easily, I can do it while walking with Ru inside. Sturdy floor gives toy dogs a place to stand. Can also fit small and mid-sized cats.

Cons: No exactly ergonomic, so not great for heavy pets or long trips.

Bottom Line: This bag is no longer being made, and I have no idea how old it is. I miss the dog boutique fad.