Lightweight Dog Hiking Gear – Gator and I love to be outside, so bringing our dog Mercy back was a no-brainer. He must always be a trail dog; Backpacks are one of Merci’s favorites.
We have taken him back across the United States, along the Annapurna range of Nepal, in the mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico, and Many other natural and beautiful sites.
Lightweight Dog Hiking Gear
Regardless of the distance—a day hike, a multi-day hike, or a cross-country hike—it’s important that your dog is properly trained.
Essentials For Backpacking With Dogs
There are many things to consider when deciding what to pack for your dog. Here is a list of items we brought when backpacking with Merci. Hopefully these tips can make backpacking with your dog more enjoyable.
Groundbird Gear is a small company that makes ultralight backpacking gear specifically for dogs. They are experts in their craft as the owners hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2014. They understand the importance of durable gear considering the weight.
The reason we chose the GBG bag is that we often find it difficult to adapt the Merci to commercial dog gear. She has a deep chest and a small waist. This backpack uses six individual measurements to fit your child perfectly. The strap can also be adjusted to allow for changes in weight or additional clothing.
The backpack section can be easily removed from the strap. This makes it quick to get the bag on and off during road stops. The bag rolls down to accommodate volume and weight. They also offer custom printed fabric options for saddlebags so your options are endless.
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There is a strap at the bottom so that the bag does not fall out. Mercy is rough in her backpack, rolling in the snow and running into the bush. The pack can withstand wear and tear.
The dress also has two handles on the top, making it easy to help in difficult places. We used them to receive mercy while crossing the river or to Push her while climbing rocks.
When we go on long hikes, having a Merci backpack helps keep the weight down for Gator and I. It’s important to note that when a dog wears a backpack, it should only carry 10-15% of its body weight.
Merci’s GBG bag weighs 12 oz. He only carried his own food, so the combined weight of his pack and six days’ food weighed less than 3 pounds. The Groundbird Gear backpack is one pound lighter than some leading dog backpacks.
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A backpack is an investment, but it’s worth it to me. Needless to say, he looks handsome as hell!
Update 2024. Unfortunately, it appears that Groundbird Gear no longer manufactures the gear. We are currently testing new backpacks to offer.
During our travels in Nepal, we discovered that kindness is cold in at night We were looking for a warmer solution and found the Groundbird Gear Turtle Top Down Quilt.
The blanket has an adjustable merino wool belt that fastens at the bottom with buckles, keeping it in place all night. The blanket also has two attachment points where the blanket can be used as a jacket.
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The blanket is very light at 235 grams and uses 800 goose down batting. This is the lightest dog sleeping bag I have come across. The Merci blanket is a winter blanket with a 3-inch loft. Groundbird Gear makes 1.25″ and 1.5″ lofts with different temperature ranges to suit your dog’s needs.
This pillow is a closed cell foam pillow that folds like an accordion. We cut the pad four times to use for Merci, but it can be cut for your dog. He sleeps on top of our tent to make a soft layer to make him sleep off the ground. The pad also doubles as a place for him to rest on our vacations or while camping.
Most of our hikes are 8-12 kilometers per day. We worked with our veterinarian to determine the correct amount of food that Merci needed and adjusted it based on her activity level.
Mercy is 30 pounds and needs about 1000 kcal/day to maintain her weight. I chose a combination of two or three options: freeze dried, kibbles and protein bars. high
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Merci’s favorite flavor is beef, which also has the highest calorie content at about 41 kcal/piece, or 5,075 kcal/kg. Freeze-dried kibble is the lightest for dogs but has the largest volume, making them the biggest choice. For this reason, we only use about a third of his food grain.
Inukshuk is a high protein, high quality kibble. The 32/32 blend contains 32% protein and 32% fat, which provides extra energy. The 32/32 mixture is 4,505 kcal/kg. This is the food we used for Mercy when she hiked the Continental Divide Trail. If your dog needs protein and low fat, he also has a mixture of 30/25 and 26/16. Depending on the length of the trip, kibble will make up about one to two-thirds of Mercy’s diet.
Kronch Pemmikan Bar is a canine energy bar with the highest energy-to-weight ratio on the market. Bars are 6000 kcal / kg, but there is a downside. It consists mostly of fat, which means it has little nutritional value. I recommend using this only as a calorie supplement on long trips or hikes.
The Platypus Quickdraw filter is what Gator and I use to filter our water. We will filter Merci water depending on the condition of the water source. It is easy to use and weighs only 85 grams.
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The filter comes in a 1 liter bag that you fill with water, twist the filter and squeeze the bag to force the water in. The filter thread fits most standard water bottles for drinking straight from the bottle. The filter removes 99.9999% of all bacteria.
Through this is a good balance of weight and strength. It has a hard rubber bottom and a silicone side that folds up, making it easy to fit into any pocket. . Weighing only 85 grams, it is a good choice.
If you are one of those backpackers who counts every gram, Nite Ize Dog Bowl is for you. It’s also foldable and made of lightweight coated nylon. When collapsed, it’s small enough to fit in your pocket. Weighing only 15 grams, it is a good choice for those who like to travel fast and light.
Foot injuries are one of the most common problems for dogs on the road. Musher’s Secret Paw Wax was originally created to keep sled dog paws in top condition. This is our main choice for protecting Mercy’s paws. Wax creates a barrier on your dog’s feet and helps prevent them from cracking. We usually use wax 1-3 times a day depending on the area.
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We use dog shoes only in extreme conditions. If there is mud or snow on the road, it gets between the Merci plates and causes irritation. He also wears them on rough surfaces like granite or lava rock that can cut his feet.
These lightweight dog boots are made of coated nylon. Softer material allows for paw dexterity and the ability to feel the ground for balance. The boots stretch above the ankle and have Velcro straps for adjustment.
They are a lightweight, cost-effective option at $3 per shoe and a total weight of 55 grams for four shoes. I usually have a special package for backup.
Kindly wear a collar when walking for identification purposes. We try to choose materials that are easy to clean with soap and water.
Best Hiking Gear For Dogs
I like this tag. It is made of silicone that is easy to clean and comes in fun colors. Merci’s tag includes her microchip number and our international phone number on the back. He wears a tag attached to a carabiner that closes around his neck.
We used a locking carabiner to attach Mercy’s dog tags to her neck. This ensures that the tag will not fall off while traveling.
This necklace is 6 feet long (1.8 meters) with clasps on both ends of the link and three D-rings at various points. This allows you to change the length to suit the road conditions. I reduce the leash in the area with business and left longer in a calm state.
Most of the time, the strap will be in the belt of my bag, as Mercy is a good person and often walks without a strap. It is important to have quick access to the leash when we are walking in crowded areas or where the dog must be leashed.
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For long hikes, weight is important. We wear a handmade necktie if we go running high for a few days. Gator made the chain with ultralight paracord and two carabiners. Mercy’s strap weighs 20 grams.
The necklace is six feet long.
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