The 9 Best Dog Harnesses for Hiking, Tested On Real Trails With Wagging Tails

Best Overall

Ruffwear Web Master Dog Harness

$80 At Amazon View On Ruffwear.com

Durable and rugged, the Ruffwear Web Master Dog Harness is our top choice for most dogs heading out on a hike. The harness features a Y-neck shape with adjustable sliders for unrestricted front leg movement, and around the torso is a set of adjustable straps which provide support and a secure fit preventing a dog from wiggling out. After multiple romps in the great outdoors, a 50-pound Airedale Terrier was secure and comfortable throughout our testing period in a medium size harness.

The Web Master comes in a variety of vibrant colors along with reflective trim for added visibility in the great outdoors. It's constructed with weather-resistant fabric covering perforated foam for comfort and breathability, The back of the harness features a padded handle so you can lift your pup over obstacles on the trail, or into and out of a vehicle—which also makes this harness beneficial for dogs with mobility issues. At the tip of the harness, you'll find an additional loop where you can attach a GPS tracker.

But there is only one leash attachment point, an aluminum V-ring on the back—which is very secure, but if you have a dog that pulls you should consider a harness with a front leash attachment, like our choice for Best for Accessory Attachment, the Kurgo Front Range Harness. The Web Master harness is machine washable, dries quickly, and we didn't notice any signs of wear after several weeks of outdoor adventures.

Ruffwear is also the brand of choice for Katherine Aromaa, owner and head trainer at Cooper’s Dog Training in Portland, Oregon.

“I have found that their backpacks and harnesses are always well-made, durable, and comfortable for the dogs. They also have so many different options,” Aromaa says. “I think a harness or backpack harness is a great idea to go hiking with dogs. You may need to grab onto something if they start to slip or any other precarious situation arises.”

_{Sizes: Xx-small, x-small, small, medium, large/x-large | Colors: Aurora teal, blue moon, campfire orange, hibiscus pink, purple sage, red clay, red sumac, twilight gray | Material: Polyester ripstop}

Best Lightweight

Blue-9 Balance Harness

$50 At Amazon View On Sitstay.com $40 At blue-9.com

Some dogs don’t like the bulk that comes with traditional hiking harnesses. Depending on their body type or how they move, your dog might feel restricted, or the extra material could cause chafing. Thanks to an exceptional fit, the Blue-9 Balance Harness is the most lightweight harness we recommend for hiking. It's so adjustable that it's possible to find a comfortable fit on most dogs, even if it is lacking the padding that's common to most hiking-specific harnesses.

With six points of adjustment, the Blue-9 harness is capable of providing a secure fit for a wide range of shapes and sizes, like the tall and thin mixed-breed dog who tested it out for us. Unlike other harnesses, the sturdy, close-fitting straps stayed put against your dog's skin so they experienced no chaffing or redness while out exploring. If your dog has a similar habit, this harness offers a front and back leash connection, which can help with loose leash training.

For placement on your dog, there are two buckles, one around the neck and the other at the torso, so it's suitable for dogs that don’t like having things pulled over their heads. To help ensure you are putting on the harness correctly, the strap that needs to be face up on your dog's back is always a different color webbing than the rest of the harness.

This is the harness most often recommended by Rachel Callery, certified professional dog trainer and owner of Unleash ATL Dog Training in Atlanta.

“It’s the best in terms of taking your dog’s anatomy and movement into consideration (no straps in places they shouldn’t be) and provides a comfortable, minimalist fit,” Callery says. “It’s not the style that many people are looking for in a hiking harness, as it lacks the padding and extra storage—but this is exactly what makes it so comfortable."

_{Sizes: X-small, small, medium, medium/large, large | Colors: Black, blue, camo, hot pink, orange, purple, red, sky blue, hunter green | Material: Nylon}

Best Budget

Copatchy Reflective Dog Harness

$13 At Amazon $12 At Chewy

The Copatchy Reflective Dog Harness has a lot of useful features for hiking—reflective stitching, a pull-back handle to keep your dog close, breathable mesh construction—all at affordable price. The lightweight harness is lightly padded and spongy, and its design keeps pressure off of a dog's sensitive neck area where the trachea is located which is very helpful if you dog tends to pull while walking .

Before heading out on a hike, our tester found it very easy to adjust the harness to fit securely and snugly. The harness has two plastic buckles, one at the neck and the other along the torso, making it easy to put on and take off. Copatchy offers the harness in five sizes for chests measuring 12 to 36.5 inches and in five colors. The harness is easy to spot clean and rinse to remove dirt. There were no instructions included with the harness, but we found it to be fairly straightforward.

^{Sizes: Xx-small, x-small, small, medium, large, x-large | Colors: Black, blue, red, green, pink | Material: Nylon}

Best for Accessory Attachment

Ruffwear Front Range Dog Harness

View On Amazon $35 At REI View On Ruffwear.com

After testing over 20 dog harnesses with real dogs, the Ruffwear Front Range Dog Harness emerged as our Best Overall recommendation for most dogs' daily needs. Thankfully, its durable construction and thoughtful safety features also make it a great pick for hiking, especially with its approachable price point. However, it does not have a lift handle, an attribute most trekking dog parents find beneficial for assisting and controlling their canine companions while in the great outdoors.

The Front Range harness features reflective piping on all sides, heavy stitching on sturdy fabric, padded construction, and a slim pocket where you can place ID tags or additional contact information. To put on, the harness must go over a dog's head, but there are four points of adjustment so it doesn't have to be tight over their ears. There is an aluminum V-ring leash attachment at the back in addition to a versatile webbing loop for attachment to a leash (to help redirect pulling), a GPS tracker, or a light.

The harness comes in five sizes and eight colors, and we were easily able to customize the fit of this harness for a Husky mix and a Shiba Inu.

_{Sizes: Xx-small, x-small, small, medium, large/x-large | Colors: Aurora teal, blue moon, campfire orange, twilight gray, hibiscus pink, huckleberry blue, red sumac, tumalo teal | Material: Polyester ripstop}

Best for Medium and Large Dogs

Kurgo Journey Air Dog Harness

$40 At Amazon $40 At Chewy $40 At Walmart

This hefty harness fits dogs up to about 110 pounds. The Kurgo Journey Air is made of a sturdy ripstop fabric, and is both padded and reflective. For smaller dogs (or strong owners of big dogs), there’s a back handle for lift assistance. There are also four adjustment points, and the harness snaps on and off easily with strong plastic buckles, although it can be difficult to adjust the neck area. Aluminum hook leash attachments can be found in both the back and on the front, for if your dog is a puller (front attachments redirect a dog's pulling to the sides, back toward you). There’s a mesh lining in the chest plate for breathability, but the harness is relatively lightweight overall. The Kurgo Journey Air comes in six colors and five sizes.

It's worth noting: the fabric loops on the front are design elements, and so shouldn't be used as leash attachment points.

_{Sizes: X-small, small, medium, large, x-large | Colors: Blue, red, black, orange, violet, coral | Material: Ripstop fabric}

Best for Small Dogs

Gooby Pioneer Dog Harness

View On Amazon View On PETCO

Tiny dogs want to go hiking too. Harnesses for small pups can be difficult to find, but this Gooby version is just for them—it comes in four sizes, and the largest only fits dogs up to 35 pounds. Made of padded neoprene for protection and comfort, the harness is adjustable around the neck and chest. The Gooby Pioneer Dog Harness fastens around the chest, using double fasteners with both Velcro and plastic clips for extra security. Even with this fail-safe design, the harness is still easy to slip on and off. Leash attachment points are located on both the front and back, (but just know that the front leash attachment is fabric, not metal), plus there's a handle for easy lifting.

In addition to the four available sizes, the Gooby Pioneer Dog Harness also comes in five different colors.

_{Sizes: Small, medium, large, x-large (up to 35 pounds) | Colors: Blue, gray, red, sand, turquoise | Material: Neoprene}

Best Budget Backpack

Outward Hound DayPak Dog Backpack

$33 At Amazon $33 At Chewy $33 At Walmart

The DayPak from Outward Hound is a good starter backpack for puppy-packing newbies who want to give their dog the opportunity to share the load. Made with breathable mesh, the DayPak Dog Saddleback Backpack is lightweight, but still has four areas for storage, built into two roomy saddlebags that distribute weight evenly on each side. Adjustable straps ensure a secure fit.

In addition to the D-ring leash attachment on the back, the backpack also includes a handle so you can lift your pup out of any jams. While it's not very heavy duty, and probably not large enough for multi-day camping trips, the DayPak still has plenty of space for poop bags, treats and other day hike basics.

The Outward Hound DayPak comes in two bright colors for high visibility.

_{Sizes: Small/medium, medium, large, large/xlarge | Colors: Blue, green | Material: Nylon}

Best Heavy Duty

Ruffwear Approach Dog Pack

View On Ruffwear.com $100 At REI $110 At backcountry.com

If you and your dog are seriously outdoorsy and ready to carry a lot of gear, this is the pack for the experienced canine hiker. Since carrying a load requires a good fit, the integrated harness has five points of adjustment for optimal load-bearing balance. While roomy, the saddlebags are low-profile, holding close to your pet’s body to allow for a wide range of motion without flopping around.

The 420 denier nylon ripstop fabric is ultra durable and designed for low-light visibility, including reflective trim and an attachment point for a light. Accordingly, the Ruffwear Approach Dog Pack only comes in one color—bright orange—to ensure it's easy to spot.

Even if the Approach Dog Pack has more room in its saddlebags, Ruffwear recommends against loading your pup with more than 25% of his or her body weight, so it's worth being mindful against overloading.

_{Sizes: X-small, small, medium, large/x-large | Colors: Orange poppy | Material: Nylon ripstop}

Best with Pocket

Kurgo Stash n’ Dash Dog Harness

$40 At Amazon $40 At Chewy

This handy harness from Kurgo has two cool features: a pocket for stashing small items and foldability. The snap-close pouch on the back can hold small trail necessities like poop bags or treats. There’s even a carabiner inside to secure clip-on items, should you want to entrust your dog with your car keys. The Kurgo Stash n' Dash Harness also folds up into its own pouch, with the carabiner doubling as a clip for you to attach the harness to your own backpack or belt loop.

The lightweight Stash n' Dash Harness has four points of adjustment, plus leash attachment points on both the back and the front. There's also a layer of mesh fabric for added comfort and breathability. Available only in black, the Kurgo Stash n' Dash includes reflective trim for added nighttime safety.

_{Sizes: X-small, small, medium, large, x-large | Colors: Black | Material: Ripstop fabric}