It’s time to put away those winter coats – summer is officially here! As we gear up for summer we started dusting off some of our gear that we haven’t seen since fall (looking at you life jackets). It got us thinking about what the best summer gear is so we asked a few folks “What is one thing your pup can’t live without this summer?” In no particular order here are their answers!
1. Our must have item is Alcott’s Pup Tent. It provides a cozy and safe place to hang out while at our campsite! @farley_the_labrador
2. Our must have item is a simple, no frills bear bell. It keeps Redford’s whereabouts known to me, to other hikers, and wildlife while we’re adventuring – which can never be underestimated in the backcountry. @redfordtheredheeler
3. There is nothing like being snuggly when out camping and the Hurtta Outback Dreamer is a perfect sleeping bag for maximum comfort at the campsite! The bag has reflective inner fabric which helps to keep the body warmth where it belongs. The Outback Dreamer also doubles as a bed around the campfire which is Atlas’s favourite place to be! @atlastheadventuredog
4. We spend a lot of time hiking and backpacking in areas where there is a lot of wildlife. For us it’s important to have a sturdy but lightweight leash to take on all of our adventures. We’re loving the new Petoji Ultralight Adventure Leash – it’s biothane so it’s waterproof, dirtproof and stinkproof and it weighs in at only 2.5 ounces! @mountainmuttandgirl
5. One must have item is our trusty Ruffwear Palisades Pack. It’s incredibly multi-purpose! We often use the harness in the car for secure travel, to assist Lady when hiking/scrambling, and when backpacking for Chobe to carry their food and gear. On hot days it even pairs with the Ruffwear Core Cooler to keep them refreshed. @pointer_view
6. Our must have item for summer is the Ruffwear Swamp Cooler. This vest is a lifesaver and helps us extend our hiking season. We generally don’t hike in the dead of summer in Southern California due to the warm weather and exposed trails, but when we do we hike early and bring this vest along. The temperature difference between her exposed leg and under the vest is drastic! It’s super easy to get wet and works in just about every climate (with the exception of incredibly humid weather). I feel better about hiking during the summer knowing that she’ll stay cool and comfortable! @ms_fancypants_
7. Summertime is for backpacking so our must have item is Breezy’s Nite Ize clip on lights. We’ve got a few different colours and they are all incredible at keeping Breezy nice and visible around camp at night. They’re also great for sunrise and sunset hikes when she tends to disappear into the shadows. @breeze.e.bear
8. I never leave for a backpacking trip without our Thermarest Corus HD quilt. It’s human gear that my dogs can’t live without. It is big enough to cover both of them and lightweight and packs down small enough that Took can carry it in his backpack. Kind of counter intuitive that this would be our most used summer item, but those mountain summer nights can be quite cold and with this I rarely have to worry about them being cold. @domcarson
9. Nothing works Robin into a frenzy like bugs, but I don’t like to use monthly flea and tick treatments or oily natural bug spray that can damage our tent and sleeping bag fabric. Instead, we use the Hurtta Sun and Bug Blocker, a lightweight suit that repels insects and keeps him cool in the hot sun. @robinventures
10. Our must have item for our backpacking and hiking adventures is Delilah’s Pup Light. This was gifted to us from my brother in law and it’s been the best thing EVER! This reflective collar light is so bright that it’s really helpful to keep an eye on her when she’s wandering around at night or if we are night hiking. @thelifeofdelilah
11. My must have is currently Wondercide tick/flea/mosquito spray because I live in world run by giant, poisonous California insects! 100% natural, smells great and really works – no more DEET for us! @reggieandthevan
12. Our must have item for the summer is our life jackets! Izak wears the Ruffwear Float Coat and Fiona wears the Hurtta Life Savior. I love how both fit each dogs structure perfectly. They are stylish as well as functional. With all the swimming in the pool and at the beach as well as our many paddling trips planned it’s super important to keep everyone safe and afloat this summer on the water! @izak_the_aussie
13. Our summer must haves are our Palomine Lines biothane longlines! They are perfect for keeping the pups close to camp when we can’t give them all of our attention and for when it starts getting dark! The bright colors are easy to see, the biothane doesn’t get caught in things as easily as cotton lines, and dirt falls right off. @tansypup
14. River’s Top Paw Neoprene Life jacket is one of our Duck Toller’s go-to summer essentials. Especially while he “learns the ropes” and is still a puppy. It’s important that he has good first experiences and feels safe and secure around docks and going on boat rides. We also know that water asphyxiation can quickly happen with dock diving and long swimming sessions, so the buoyancy of the life jacket helps to reduce that risk. @littleriverdog
Did your favourite piece of gear not make it on our list? Head on over to our Instagram @dogsthathike and let us know on our most recent post what your favourite piece of gear is!