After using Ruffwear’s Front Range Harness (see our review here), we were looking for an upgrade. We wanted another over-head harness that held up better and fit better than the Front Range Harness. The harness had to endure day hikes, overnight backpacking, active adventures around town, and agility training.
After extensive research, we found Hurtta’s Adventure Harness. Poppy used this harness over a period of 6 months before we wrote this review. She wore the harness on overnight backpacking trips, day hikes through different kinds of weather (including rain and extreme heat), long trail runs, agility training, at dog parks, and on various occasions around town. Our verdict: Hurtta’s Adventure Harness is not only comfortable but it is also a solid harness that can endure the abuse of outdoor activities. If you are looking for a true active harness (one without a handle) we recommend this harness.
Product details:
Price: USD $40-45 (depends on sizes)
Comes in 6 colors.
Available is 5 different sizes. Size guide available here: https://www.hurtta.com/global_en/adventure-harness
For reference, Poppy’s measurements are as follows:
Chest: 27 inches
Neck: 17.5 inches
We purchased the 24”-32” (60-80cm) and it fit Poppy perfectly.
Design and features: 5/5
Some information below was taken directly from Hurtta’s website.
The harness is made of neoprene and an inner mesh-like material that is breathable. The material is soft and flexible. It also cleans very easily!
The harness was designed with narrow-chested dogs in mind. The front chest piece fits comfortably between the dog’s legs; it doesn’t rub or chafe the dog’s legs.
Reflective pipping around the chest piece shines at night if you point a light source on the harness. This is a great feature so that you and others can spot your dog at night.
A sturdy metal ring serves as an attachment point for a leash. This attachment points is located on the back of the harness below the dog’s shoulder.
The Adventure harness is stylish and comes in a variety of colors (6 colors in total). We chose the “orange sun” (yellow) for visibility on the trail and also because it was a nice contrast from her coat. Hurtta offers this harness in both high visibility colors and darker colors.
There are two sturdy buckles around the chest area of the harness that clip/unclip. This makes it easy to slip the harness over your dog’s head when putting it on or taking it off. The straps around the neck do not unclip.
This harness has a lower profile compared to other harness out on the market. While it is not the lowest profile harness available on the market, when compared to Ruffwear’s Front Range harness, this harness has less bulk. This lower profile makes it easy to layer a jacket or coat over your dog. We have layered Poppy’s rain jacket over this harness and you could not tell she was wearing this harness underneath. If your pooch is wearing a fitted sweater or jacket, you can wear this harness over their clothes.
There is an attachment point specifically for Hurtta’s matching Polar Light (sold separately). The attachment point positions the light on the most visible area of the dog (the shoulder area) so that others can see your dog at night.
This harness is part of Hurtta’s Adventure series. The line includes a matching Adventure harness, collar, leash, and LED polar light. The line is available in all six colors.
Fit: 5/5
We used the size chart listed on Hurtta’s website and the harness runs true to size. It sits perfectly around her shoulders, neck, and back, and there is plenty of room behind her arms so that the harness does not rub. The harness is very comfortable, allowed her to move freely, and provided her with a full range of motion.
The harness is adjustable at four points: 2 points around the collar area and 2 points around the chest area. We purchased size 24”-32” for Poppy which could adjust up to 8 inches larger or smaller (the adjustability of the harness depends on the size; the smaller sizes have a smaller range). Hurtta’s harness provided a much bigger range of sizes compared to Ruffwear’s Front Range Harness which could adjust only 5 inches. Thus, Hurtta’s Adventure harness can fit more dogs.
Use the adjustment points to ensure the perfect fit for your dog. It may take a few uses to hone in and fine tune any harness so that it fits correctly. I have noticed that some humans fail to adjust the collar area (not just on this harness but on other harness as well) which leads to the harness sitting either too high or too low on the dog’s neck. Take the time to get to know your gear and experiment with the adjustment points to see how it affects the position and fit of the harness. If your dog can wiggle out of a harness, or if your dog chokes on the harness when it pulls, it is very likely that you have not fitted the harness correctly.
Functionality: 5/5
Just like it’s name suggests, this harness is made for adventure. It is unobtrusive, comfortable from the beginning, and extremely sturdy. It is made from material that is excellent for outdoor activities. We have found that this harness does NOT collect grass, burs, or other plant matter (an occasional stow away is expected off course). When the harness gets dirty, it is very easy to clean (we soak it for 10 minutes, hand wash it, and line dry it). We also love how it doesn’t collect much dog hair; this is a problem we have had with Poppy’s other harnesses. It is truly made for an adventure dog that spends a lot of time outdoors.
We recommend using the harness a few times to break it in. We noticed that after several uses the harness conformed to Poppy’s body. The more you use this harness, the more it adapts to your dog’s specific shape.
Quality: 5/5
Hurtta’s Adventure harness is worth every penny you spend on it. The harness and the buckles on it are very strong and have held up even when Poppy pulled full-speed towards a squirrel. It is also extremely durable; while the harness looks like it has been used after 6 months of adventures, the seams, stitching, and material are in great shape. We are so happy we found this heavy duty, low profile harness for our adventures!
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