Our boy is getting older and he is slowing down…though barely! He has developed arthritis in one of his front paws from an old injury making longer hiking tips a bit of a challenge. So what do we do with our aging furry companions when they want so badly to come with us? We adapt.
My adaptation for Riley was investing in a backpack carrier that would hold him and some of my gear (enough for a 4-5 hour hike roughly). We ended up with the Kurgo G-Train K9 Backpack and so far, we are quite happy! Keep reading on for our observations and full review of this pack.
We have worked a lot on strengthening Riley’s legs so that he can enjoy hikes that are longer than the 15-20 minute walks. We built him up to 45 minutes of solid quick walking before he starts to struggle a little bit. We wanted to take him with us when we go for hikes over an hour but knew he wouldn’t be able to handle the terrain without strain on his leg. Enter Kurgo to our rescue!
Now the Kurgo G-Train has a weight limit and Riley is on the top end of that limit. He weighs in at 25.6lbs and the max weight for this pack is 25lbs so I do keep that in mind as I write this. Weight plays a factor in the security and stability of carriers so it is very important that you select a carrier that is suited to the weight and size of your dog in addition to your own comfort in carrying. He is able to sit in the carrier but not lay down or turn around due to the size of the platform base. That said, there is quite a bit of room in the main compartment of the carrier even with Riley seated inside it!
Pack Straps
The Kurgo G-Train is a very comfortable carry for me all things considered. It’s hip belt, though basic, supports enough for a short hike with Riley inside the carrier. I would have liked to see a more rugged hip belt with a couple zip pockets like what I have on my Gregory Jade, but for a couple hours this is sufficient. Likewise for the shoulder straps. Now they are decently padded straps so I really did not have any issues with my shoulders, but the cinch straps had to be firmly snugged right up to secure the load of the pack to my back. This added pressure on my shoulders which could have been lessened by a more robust hip belt.
For overall rating of the strap system: 3/5. That hip belt is pretty important to me for load bearing.
For those who are new to this whole back pack situation, the hip belt and shoulder straps on a hiking pack work in tandem to lighten the load from the shoulders and place a secure fitting of the load to the hips. The shoulder straps essentially keep the pack from swaying and dropping away from the back, but they do not maintain heavy tension to the shoulders. The shoulder straps secure maybe 20% of the weight while the hip belt carries about 80% of the loaded weight, lessening strain on your back and shoulders when hiking.
Compartments
Now lets talk space! There are 2 main compartments to the Kurgo G-Train; Dog and Gear. The largest is Fido’s compartment. Riley fits in the carrier and he is 15 inches tall at the withers. He is able to sit but not lay down or turn around. His head pops through the little zip open window (see photo) which makes this carrier a good fit for his height. There is a solid platform that is at the base of the compartment with a thin cushion/pad along the bottom. Attached to the bottom of this compartment is an adjustable tether with clip to attach to a harness so Fido can’t jump out of the carrier through the window opening (see tether in photo below photo).
Inside the carrier there are 2 removable plastic stabilizer bars. These bars attach through a loop at bottom front of the base, and a loop about half way up the back on either side. These bars keep the base from flopping up and down. When removed, the base flips up towards the center of the pack for easy storing. These stabilizer bars pop out of place quite a bit, though they still do provide some support the bars slip out of the little loops quite easily. With a smaller dog, a chihuahua or silky terrier size, this may not be such an issue. But a dog over 10lbs is going to provide shift in the base when carried which will move the bars. The weight of Riley kept the base and pack quite stable against my back even without the bars. If the pockets and loops that the bars slid into were a little deeper or if there was a click-lock style system for these stabilizers they may stay in place much better. Overall, they weren’t that big of a deal as the base stays in place without them pretty well.
The second main compartment is for the people! With a smaller dog, you could probably fit a lot more into this pack that I was able to. Riley filled the pack pretty much completely. I was able to pack my Marmot Puff jacket into the People compartment and that provided a bit of padding between my back and Riley too…Bonus! I also was able to squeeze a little first aid kit, some vet wrap, a water bottle, some treats, and doggie bags into the bag. This was the max before I started infringing on Riley’s comfort though. Keeping in mind, Riley is probably the maximum height and weight for this pack so I did not expect much extra room once he was inside.
For overall space/compartments: 4/5.
On both sides of the pack there are 2 mesh pockets. These are perfect catch all pockets or for water bottles. On the inside, there are 2 additional small separator pockets, one in each main compartment.
Additional Features
Now those extra features that are just so awesome for making a little space go a long long way. On the front of the pack there are several loop attachment points and an extra handle. I attach carabiners and S-clips to these for my additional items like multitools, hair ties, sanitizer, bandanas, dog dishes, and leads/tethers.
Where the shoulder straps attach to the pack, there is this very handy little pocket that stores the straps when converting the backpack to a duffle carrier, and is perfectly sized for a water bladder! The versatility of this carrier is amazing. It’s no bigger than my standard carry on for flights so it should fit under the seat on most airlines if flights are something else you do with your pup.
All the zippers on this pack have loop pulls which makes zipping up a breeze. Make sure you keep Fido’s fur out of the zipper though. There is enough room in the carrier for me to put my hole arm in with Riley when I zip him in, this makes keeping the fur safe from zippers very easy to do!
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5
All in all, Kurgo G-Train gets 4 out of 5 stars overall from me. There is room for improvements and with any luck Kurgo will see this review and make some adjustments for future models to really knock it out of the park! Overall I am happy with the carrier and see it being a big step towards more enjoyment on adventures as Riley ages. This carrier makes the difference to us and I couldn’t find a better one to meet all our day hiking needs right now. My husband will have to carry a pack as well for food and other hiking essentials but Riley will be comfortable for the duration of the adventures….isn’t that all we want for our elderly fur babies?
Happy Tails!
You can find your Kurgo G-Train here!
ASR Adventures 