Poppy does not mind venturing out in the rain, but we can't or don’t necessarily want to take her a bath every time she gets wet. If we are backpacking or camping we also don’t want her getting our stuff wet (no one likes sleeping in a wet sleeping bag!).
After entering Hurtta’s Rain Blocker tester contest, they picked us to test this piece of gear and sent us this Rain Blocker for feedback. We tested our rain blocker for 7 months before finalizing this review. We've used it on rainy day trail runs, hiking during the winter season, and wet walks around the neighborhood.
Product details:
Price: USD $75-90 (depending on size)
Colors: Raven (black), stream (baby blue), and Hedge (green with teal accents)
Available is 10 different sizes. Size guide available here: https://www.hurtta247.com/rain-blocker
Fit: 5/5
For reference, Poppy’s measurements are as follows:
Back length (from withers to base of tail): 21 inches
Chest: 27 inches
Neck: 17.5 inches
Poppy got this rain blocker in the 20” (50cm) stream color and it fit perfectly. The fit is relaxed and baggy to allow dogs complete freedom to move. Keep this in mind when ordering. If your dog is in between sizes like Poppy, we would recommend getting the smaller size. Poppy seemed very comfortable in it and she didn’t have any issues with chaffing or rubbing.
The jacket is fairly easy to take on and off and it only took a minute to get Poppy dressed. The dog's front arms are the first to get dressed and then we used the snaps along the length of the jacket to hold it in place. Next, we tightened the mid-section of the jacket by pulling and tying the bungee cord and then zipped up the jacket. Make sure you tighten before zipping otherwise you will have to unzip. We then put her legs through the elastic bands in the hind flaps and used the snaps at the bottom of the arm holes to tighten the arm hole openings. Last, we adjusted the rain trap using the bungee cord. Once the rain jacket is on, Poppy is one happy dog and didn’t notice the jacket at all.
Design and Features: 5/5
Hurtta did a great job designing this jacket. It is a well-thought out, functional, and smart design. The rain blocker has the following features:
Waterproof, breathable, and soft material. Unlike other rain jackets which are made of stiff rubber or noisy plastic bag-like material, this rain blocker is made of superior quality material (the same top quality material found on human rain jackets).
Waterproof, taped seams seal out the water.
An off-center zipper along the length of the dog’s back makes it easy to put the rain jacket on or take if off.
A soft, inner rain trap at the neck prevents water from getting through to the dog’s body.
3 snaps along where the zipper runs help you put the rain blocker on your dog; the first snap is located around the dog’s withers and the other two are located around the rain trap in the neck.
2 snaps along the bottom of each arm hole; these keep the rain out and are used to tighten the arm holes so that your dog’s arms do not get caught in the jacket.
Three bungee cords that can be used to customize the fit of the jacket: one adjusts the back length if the suit needs to be shortened (located above the dog’s tail), one tightens the mid-section, and the third tightens the neck.
Reflectors in the rear and collar area shine when light hits these areas.
Soft elastic bands located on each of the dog’s back legs hold the jacket in place.
A leash opening in the jacket for attaching a leash onto the dog’s harness.
Unlike Hurtta’s other jackets and sweaters, unfortunately this rain blocker did not come in a storage pouch. We wish it did so that it would be easier to pack or store away after use without getting other items wet.
Functionality: 5/5
Upon testing this jacket for the first time, we saw the water roll right off the material. Besides the body parts that stuck outside of the jacket (i.e., her feet and back legs), Poppy was dry. Since then Poppy has worn this jacket anytime there has been a storm while we are on a trail run, hike, or backpacking trip. We have gotten so much use out of this jacket, especially this winter season. It has provided superior rain protection. There is also room for Poppy to wear a light layer underneath the rain jacket if the temperature gets particularly cold.
On one particular backpacking trip in Oregon, we were in a rainforest and it was extremely wet and muddy. This jacket prevented her from shivering because she kept dry. Surprisingly, the jacket also worked great at preventing Poppy from getting mud all over her body. The underside of the suit was completely covered in mud but once we took the rain blocker off, Poppy was completely clean. We only had to clean her arms and legs. This was extremely helpful because it meant that she didn’t get mud all over our shelter and sleeping bags. At home, it also meant that she didn’t get mud all over the car or all over the house. We just wiped her feet. What we love the most about this jacket is that she doesn’t need to take a bath after being out in the rain.
Be sure to use the snaps at the bottom of the arms if the arms are loose. We forgot to use them our first time which translated into her feet getting caught in the arm holes. If you tighten the snaps, the dog’s arms won’t get caught inside. The snaps also tighten the arm holes so that water and mud do not travel up the rain jacket.
The jacket is very light and packs down very small. We pack it in a larger-sized Ziplock bag if we need to carry it with us.
Quality: 5/5
The quality of this jacket is evident right out of the box. Before we used it, we inspected the jacket. The stitching and seams were impeccable. We were very impressed by it's craftsmanship and design. It is made with the same attention that my human North Face rain jacket received upon construction.
After 7 months of use, the waterproof material has kept the water out, the stitching and seams are in perfect condition, and the jacket is holding up to trail running, hiking and backpacking.
To clean the jacket when it got muddy, we hand-washed it in water (we didn’t use detergent). The mud came right off and the jacket cleaned up very nicely. Another time, I accidentally got blood on the jacket after scratching my hand while hiking and that stain came right off as well (I did not use detergent).
We honestly love everything about this jacket! If your dog doesn’t like going out in the rain, if s/he gets cold when wet, or if you want to save yourself the trouble of taking your dog a bath after the rain we highly recommend this piece of gear.
Update (April 3rd 2020): It's been two years since we first got this rain jacket, and it is still working like new!
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