DogTrailGear.com

Gear tested by
a real dog on
real Colorado trails.

Honest reviews for active dogs and the humans who hike with them. No sponsored content. No guess work. Just what Marcus and Rocky have actually tested — across 40+ trails and 3 years of mountain camping.

See our top gear picks → How we test

Zero sponsored posts Real trail testing Updated every season

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Rocky — Lead Tester

Yellow Lab · Denver, CO · 65 lbs

40+

Trails tested across Colorado

18mi

Longest single hike on record

Items of gear permanently retired

200+

Products put through testing

"Rocky doesn't care about affiliate commissions. He cares about whether the zipper holds on mile 8. That's the standard everything gets measured against."

40+

Colorado trails

Where gear gets tested

200+

Products reviewed

Across 3 years of testing

What are you looking for?

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Rocky's picks

Our top-rated gear right now

See all picks →

🎒 Top pick

Dog backpack

Ruffwear Approach Pack

The benchmark for large, active dogs. Rocky has put 1,000+ trail miles on this pack across Colorado. The handle has been used in an actual emergency — it held.

"Rocky sits voluntarily when this comes out. That's the highest possible endorsement." — Marcus

❄️ Best cooling

Cooling vest

Ruffwear Swamp Cooler Vest

Only cooling vest that survived a full Colorado summer and Rocky's swimming habit. Stays cool 2+ hours in 85°F heat. Tested at St. Mary's Glacier and Bear Lake.

"After testing 4 vests, this is the one that actually stayed on after a river crossing." — Marcus

🏥 Safety must-have

First aid kit

Ruffwear Trail Runner Kit

Most complete kit tested. Includes styptic powder, saline, vet wrap, muzzle. Used on Rocky's paw cut at Herman Gulch — everything needed was there.

"This kit was actually used in a real trail emergency. That's the only review that matters." — Marcus

Who we are

A software engineer,
a yellow Lab, and
a lot of destroyed gear.

Marcus Reed spent 10 years writing code and sitting in front of screens in Denver, Colorado. Rocky — a 65-lb yellow Lab adopted from the Denver Dumb Friends League — fixed that. Their first camping trip was a disaster. The gear was wrong. The plan was worse.

Three years and 40+ Colorado trails later, the notes Marcus kept became DogTrailGear.com — an honest record of what actually works for big, active dogs in the mountains. No brand deals. No sponsored picks. Just what Rocky has tested and survived.

Read the full story →

Marcus Reed

Founder & Lead Reviewer

Software Engineer, 10 yrs Denver, CO Weekend hiker Analytical gear nerd

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Rocky

Chief Trail Officer & Primary Tester

Yellow Lab · 3 yrs 65 lbs 18 mi personal record 3 items retired

How we review

Every product is tested on real Colorado trails — minimum 2 full hikes before any opinion is published. Rocky is the final quality control. See our full methodology →

From the trail