![A dog is snuggled in their Ruffwear Highlands Sleeping Bag at camp near a tent, where a human and another dog sit close by.](https://www.rei.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/HERO-Highlands-Sleeping-Bag-Huckleberry-Blue-Steens-Mountain-01.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333)
After mountain climbing the Appalachian Path in 2015, I grew to become devoted to the mountains. Tenting was now not only a interest for me, it grew to become my motivation to stand up within the morning—I found a very completely different way of life. So, when Bowser (half beagle, half pit bull) got here into my life, I knew we needed to discover a solution to journey collectively—for each of our sakes. Since then, we’ve made it a behavior: Each few weeks, we drive my blue Subaru Crosstrek down a ponderosa pine-lined grime street earlier than we pull as much as a dusty Colorado campsite. Bowser whines the entire approach, understanding he’ll get to stretch his legs and sniff all the things within the forest when the automobile involves a halt. The mountains are our completely satisfied place … till it will get chilly.
When darkness descends, Bowser turns into a ninja. He’s so stealthy when the temperatures begin to drop that I barely discover him sneaking into my sleeping bag and kneading my ultralight sleeping pad along with his switchblade claws earlier than plopping down for the night time. He, like me, is a wuss in regards to the chilly, so I perceive his dilemma. However after I hear a thump and a swoosh of air, I do know my sleeping pad is a goner. It’s time for a change.
On earlier adventures, I might use a spare sleeping pad and my puffy to tuck Bowser in for the night time. I’d wrap a jacket round him, fixing it in place with the jacket’s arms. Inevitably, he’d squirm till the jacket fell to the bottom. Then he’d make his solution to my facet to problem the sturdiness of my ultralight gear.
Bowser is such a diligent protector that he struggles to sleep even on his greatest nights. He’s at all times looking out for a resident bear or, God forbid, a moose! Because of the brand new campsite and all the brand new sounds and smells, he’s normally wired for half the night time earlier than I persuade him to go to mattress.
Enter the Highlands Dog Sleeping Bag from Ruffwear, which has fully modified our tenting expertise.
Contemporary out of the field, it puffs out into an oval form, with ornamental stitching all through the material and a grey inside. it, you wouldn’t instantly assume it able to decreasing your extremely anxious canine’s stress, however apparently it will probably.
On our subsequent journey, Bowser initially ignores the sleeping bag. I slide the bag subsequent to mine, ready for his traditional nerves to come back out. His eyes widen once I start coaxing him inside. As soon as he’s in, I zip it closed earlier than he has the possibility to flee. Surprisingly, he grows silent in just some minutes and stays put for the remainder of the night time, resigning himself to his new outside mattress. I by no means even hear him budge.
![A happy dog rolls on their back on their Ruffwear sleeping bag at a campsite.](https://www.rei.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/Web-JPG-Front-Range-Monica-Ethan-Giles-Alta-Print-54-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C683)
In contrast to the fragile fibers of my überlight backpacking quilt, the bluesign®-approved 75-denier polyester of the Highlands Canine Sleeping Bag appears particularly tenacious. It handily stands as much as Bowser’s claws. The purple pooch pouch is sturdy and delicate, which is strictly what we’d like since we frequently discover ourselves in unforgiving terrain. Understanding that the Highlands canine sleeping bag is strengthened additionally offers me the braveness to inch it nearer to the campfire on nights when s’mores and music are the main target.
The worth is correct too. The medium-size sleeping bag clocks in underneath $100, and is constructed for some severe utilization: It has what it takes to deal with Bowser’s scissorhands. It felt like simple cash to spend for his (and my) consolation.
One other bonus: The bag is waterproof—important for Bowser, since he by no means shies away from a very good dousing. In truth, I usually discover him mendacity in puddles simply to take a sip of mud water. Luckily, his sleeping bag’s inside is stuffed with artificial down, which retains him heat even after he tucks his damp physique inside for the night time.
As somebody who’s traveled a number of thousand miles by foot, I’ll admit I initially winced on the Highlands’ bulk. At near 2 kilos, it weighs about the identical as my sleeping pad and quilt mixed. The sleeping bag additionally doesn’t have a temperature ranking, making it difficult to find out whether or not or not it’s satisfactory for, say, the Rocky Mountains’ mercurial circumstances. Nevertheless it does function an built-in sleeping pad compartment that permits me to bump up his system with further heat. (It matches the closed-cell Highlands Dog Pad, however you could possibly additionally create a DIY sleeping pad on your pup, like I did.)
Beforehand, I’d had some dangerous experiences washing delicate sleeping luggage, noticing afterward that the down had develop into limp and the heat deteriorated. In contrast to these sleep sacks, Bowser’s new bag is hand- and machine-washable, and comes clear simply. For small stains, I pull out a soapy rag to identify clear. After lengthy journeys, I stuff it into my front-load washer for a fast, chilly spin. After drying, the bag is fluffy and heat once more. And understanding that the sleeping bag will contribute to a greater night time’s sleep for Bowser (and me!) the following time we exit for an journey brings a smile to my lips.
Associated articles:
The submit Gear I Hold Dear: My Ruffwear Highlands Dog Sleeping Bag appeared first on Uncommon Path – An REI Co-op Publication.