Product Review: Sylmar Body Guard Dog Vest

Sylmar's Body Guard Vest is a high-visibility vest designed to protect your dog's chest and belly from burrs, sticks, barbed wire, and other nasty stuff they can run into out in the field. This vest is made from heavy duty nylon, with three adjustable buckles along the back. It comes in Safety Orange, High-Viz Yellow, and camouflage. The basic Body Guard is available in eight different sizes, with optional neoprene lining for warmth.

Photo by Erin Koski

This product was originally designed for hunting dogs, but it will work for any dog that needs protection on their underside. We've been using it to keep the foxtails to a minimum, and it also protects Zip from cactus spines and barbed wire.

The Body Guard design is different from the standard visibility vest, though it serves that function nicely. This vest has two leg holes, and provides full chest and belly protection as well as visibility.

Photo by Erin Koski

Pros

• Thick ripstop nylon protects against thorns, cactus, barbed wire, burrs, and foxtails
• Genuine Safety Orange and Safety Yellow colors for high visibility during hunting season
• Open back design allows body heat to dissipate
• Sylmar says they do custom sizing and colors, small company eager to wok with customers

Cons

• Leg-hole design may cause chafing if the fit isn't right
• May restrict range of motion

Bottom Line

While the Body Guard does a nice job of keeping the foxtails off Zip's chest and belly, I feel it restricts her range of motion when she runs full-speed. Since most burs and stickers just fall out of her coat, I don't really need to keep her covered like this. However, her dad has a curly coat that picks up every nasty thing in the field, and this vest does wonders for him. Sylmar also makes sleeved suits for maximum protection, and we're seriously considering one for him.

Product Review: Kurgo Reflect and Protect Active Dog Vest

Kurgo's Reflect and Protect Active Dog Vest combines high-visibility safety-orange with flashing red lights, so that everyone can see your dog. This vest is made from lightweight durable fabric, including mesh areas for better airflow. Reflective piping and tape runs around the sides, top, and front. There is a row of flashing red LEDs along the back for even greater visibility. This vest is available in five sizes, to fit dogs with chests 14-45" around.

Photo by Erin Koski

I really like the concept of Kurgo's visibility vest. It's much sturdier than our OllyDog vest, and feels like it will hold up to romps in the woods through major brush. I think it's important to have safety-orange-colored stuff on Godzilla when we're hiking, because she moves in a way that makes random people on the street ask if she's part coyote. I like to make sure everyone that sees her knows she is definitely an owned domestic animal and not a chupacabra.

The vest does have some serious sizing issues. Ours is a size small, intended to fit 18-25" chests. Sisci Godzilla measures 22", but this vest barely fits her when adjusted all the way out. It's also surprisingly short. Like most of Kurgo's smaller-sized jackets, it appears to have been made with very short-backed dogs in mind.

Pros

• Easy to put on
• Lightweight and comfortable
• Good for hot weather or over winter jackets
• Flashing lights increase visibility

Cons

• Surface area is lacking a bit
• Not offical "blaze orange", slightly duller color
• Sizing runs very small

Bottom Line

This is more of a road safety vest for leashed walks at night, and less of a "please don't shoot my dog in the woods" safety vest.