I was somewhat skeptical that such a large pack, with a feature such as removable saddlebags, would stay secure with a very active dog.  The Palisades Pack surprised me and endured the bushwhacking and snow rolling adventures of two very active dogs.

Fit
The harness that holds the pack in place is to be put on first and adjusted to fit your dog. The new system avoids some of the older Ruff Wear harness problems that included some loosening of the harness of over time. Although the new system is very secure over long periods of use, it does take some time to adjust it correctly.

I found that the fastex buckle clips to secure the saddlebags to the harness were very easy to use. That said, there are two tiny clips that fasten the bottom of the saddlebags to the armpit strap of the harness that I found awkward. Even if you want to take the entire product off (saddlebags and harness), you still have to undo one of the little clips to access the larger harness clip.

Handling
The Palisades pack is for multi day adventures or big day trips requiring large loads to be transported. The saddlebags are removable, leaving your dog in Ruff Wear’s five-point Webmaster type harness. This is useful if you would like to take the saddlebags off for rest times or difficult terrain. With or without the saddlebags in use, the harness can be used to restrain the dog, and is plenty beefy enough for some lifting and support.

Features
The collapsible water bottles are a great touch and fit really well in the pack. The compression straps work well and are worth using to keep smaller loads tight to the dog’s body. It is nice that the straps are hidden away in a pocket to keep the pack streamlined.

Water resistant zippers, handle, reflective piping, attachment points for leashes and lights are all nice, well thought out touches to an already sweet product.