Thank you for your review! When I purchased two of these harnesses, I couldn't find any reviews online. I had no idea it was a kickstarter- I was just looking for a crash tested harness for the car. For reference- I only take my dogs on daily walks around the neighborhood and occasional trail hikes of ~1 hour. I mainly wanted these for car safety, but also to use as their daily harness. Unfortunately, there's so many chafing points, the harness moves around quite a bit, and even with the help of customer service I was not able to adjust these so they wouldn't rub my dogs' armpits and chafe. The large buckle also lands right behind where their arm swings back and the whole thing shifts right to left considerably, no matter how tight I make it. My dogs are 45 lb pit bull mixes with quite short hair. Also, I have the original buckles, which have opened in the car- very dangerous to suddenly have a loose dog in the back seat. They're also quite heavy and hot, and are overkill for neighborhood walks. I've had them 10 months, and every time I look at them I get angry over how much money I wasted. I missed the return window and couldn't return them.
Thanks for watching and for your comment. I'm not sure if you've watched my more recent video review of the Säker Ascension Dog Pack, but I did a follow-up after 40 consecutive miles of backpacking with them. While we're not using them for the same purpose that you are, I think we encountered some of the same issues, particularly with chafing. Re/ the buckles: Säker re-manufactured the buckles and the new ones work properly. The packs that are going out now, that were not ordered from the Kickstarter page and not pre-ordered have the new buckles installed. If you pre-ordered, definitely reach out to Säker to get those replacement buckles. I have a video about how to replace them (so does Säker), and it's a fairly easy and quick job. If you decide you no longer want the harnesses and they're still in decent shape, my guess is that you might be able to sell them (on eBay or Facebook Marketplace, etc.) and get at least most of your money back. They seem to be pretty popular right now and do work well for a lot of people/dogs. I agree with you, though, I think they might be too much weight/bulk for some short haired dogs that easily chafe (Pitties are prone to this issue). I'm really hoping that Säker continues to work on the design. Not sure it's helpful or useful to you at all, but I wrote a blog post about this system as well, if you're interested. I'll put links below. Updated video review: th-cam.com/video/bdMXv8cOeG4/w-d-xo.html Blog post review: lovedogs.substack.com/p/review-saker-canine-ascension-dog
There’s a Velcro strip on the outside of the saddlebags for your patch. Also, have you received any info on fixing the buckle issue yet? I really want to pull the trigger on this harness but I’m hesitant. I’m going for the full harness so I guess if one buckle were to pop open, there’s still another buckle on that side so my Buddy doesn’t get loose
Just to confirm: unless Säker has changed the design, there's actually NO velcro on the saddle bags. There are velcro sleeves you can purchase separately that attach to the side straps and the neck straps. When the saddle bags are attached, the side velcro straps are actually covered by the bags and not visible. You could add adhesive velcro to the saddle bags and create your own velcro attachment strips on them, and I did that on my Mountainsmith K9 packs, but I also found that the adhesive velcro strips don't last long if used as heavily as we use them. The buckle issue is indeed fixed. Those of us who pre-ordered were shipped new buckles to put on. It was an easy process. All of the new harnesses ship with 100% fully functional buckles. Hope this helps.
Thank you so much for the video… I love the in-depth review of the Saker harness. I purchased the entire system, in red, for my service, dog, and, other than the buckles and the Slurpee sack sometimes opening itself, I am absolutely thrilled with this harness. I noticed you said you were having trouble getting the Slurpee sacks to screw back on after being refilled… You didn’t show it in your video, so I’m not sure you’re aware… The silicone bowl comes off of the Slurpee sack without it being unscrewed. This makes unscrewing, and reattaching, the slippery sack. MUCH easier! Have a great day, and thanks again for the video it was fantastic!
very good review and super detailed! Kudos to the work put in for the video Did Saker ever fix that buckle issue? Thats the only thing holding me back right now from grabbing one
Thanks for the comment and kind words! Yes, Säker fixed the buckle issue. Harnesses are now shipping with fully operational buckles. They mailed re-engineered buckles to those pre-orders who received the faulty ones. The two I pre-ordered now work the way they were intended.
I whole heartedly agree with you on the wait for the fix on the buckles. Ours will also open with just one pin pushed down. However after many walks and my dog rolling around and playing in the harness I have yet to have a buckle come undone on its own. We even used it in the car for the first time today and had no issues. This was apparently a complaint on the Kickstarter page. I can only assume the fault is spotty on some of the buckles as you noted some were easier to open with just one pin pushed in. They are working on a fix for the buckles and over all I think the quality is top notch. Excellent video break down of all of it.
Thanks. We just got home from our inaugural hike using the new system. Did just over 7 miles on a moderately challenging trail. Empty saddle bags for most of the hike, but I did clip in a Slurpy Sack toward the end of the hike. I need to make a few adjustments in the harness fit for both dogs, but I’m even more of a believer in this system now than I was before. The saddlebags are so easy to put on and take off, and the Slurpy Sacks are a game changer for us. Both of my dogs were able to drink from the same fold-out bowl simultaneously without issue. There are a few very minor things that I think Säker can improve in the next generation, but honestly I’m just so thrilled that Säker is out there upping the game for outdoor dog gear. As a side note, with regard to the faulty buckles: in 4.5 hours on trail today, only one buckle came unlatched one time on one dog.
What do you think of using the hitch clips (carabiners) as the way to attach the extension to the core harness? I don't really like that and the clips seem to dig into my dog. I feel like that would be better if it had padding underneath the clips, and also I'm not sure how secure those clips are. The hitch clips seem flimsy. I just got my harness yesterday and am trying to get it fitted right, and the clips for the extension seem to be uncomfortable. Mine came with the fixed buckles already installed so that is nice. It's hard to get the harness fitted! I fiddled with it for a long time til my dog was kind of frustrated. He is a very fluffy Husky so it's a bit harder to get it fitted properly I think than on a short haired dog like yours. I got my dog a purple because the website made the green look kind of army green but yours looks more like kelly green - it's very pretty! Thanks for the detailed video. I'm hoping to get mine dialed in as well as you seem to have, although I'm still on the fence about those clips. :(
Neither of my dogs have any issues with the metal carabiners that connect the extension on the harness, but every dog is different. I wonder if you could attach a piece of softer material that would sit under that carabiner. For lack of better materials at hand, I just grabbed one of the large velcro sleeves and was actually able to tuck it into the space between the webbing and the belly pad on each side of that carabiner. Not sure if it would stay in place without being sewn/attached some way, and you'd probably want a slightly wider piece of material, but may help? Video: th-cam.com/video/bYExvVexFDg/w-d-xo.html (I'll delete this video once you watch it :). I'm still waiting on my re-engineered male buckles but I did get a shipping notification, so hopefully we'll have those soon. The green is definitely more of a Kelly Green. It's very vibrant! I'm wishing I'd gotten the purple for Japhy instead of black.
@@lovedogsontheloose Thanks for that video! I am not sure if maybe I am anticipating a problem where there will not be one. But, if it does seem that it is uncomfortable or chafing there, I am able to sew and I might sew a piece of webbing to the extension part, and then put velcro on the end that would go to the main harness. Then that could keep a pad of sorts in place, but the pad would be with the extension and so not flopping around when only the main harness is used. But first I think I need to tinker with getting it adjusted better and take a few walks to see how it actually performs. I may be worried about something that will be a non-issue.
They arrived 🥳 Definately not a system for us, but it looks good on your doggies. Love your support towards the company and giving them time to solve the problems.
Yeah, definitely not for smaller dogs. I read somewhere, though, that they may take a look at creating something for smaller dogs eventually. I think these small cottage companies are worth supporting. There just aren't very many that are solely dedicated to designing functional gear for outdoor dogs. Lots of human backpacking companies that try a dog pack or leash or harness, but just not enough that are focused on dogs only and consistently trying to improve designs and functionality. So I'm excited to give Säker the benefit of the doubt and see what comes of them down the road.
I just got my Saker backpacking harness to. I love it! My only 2 complaint is that it is really heavy I would have to carry more of her gear to compensate for the added weight of the pack. Last complaint When they were designing the product, I had mentioned that I don’t believe the handle will lift the dog completely over an obstacle. If the handle cannot be attached to the second belly strap, which they said it cannot. It looks like how it was designed it would only lift the front paws. They assured me that it does lift the whole dog and that it works really well. When I received it I tested that, it only lifts my dogs front paws. If only the front paws lift up, the handle is almost useless. you can’t lift up your dog over obstacles, unless the dog also puts in some effort by jumping. Other than that, I love it so far just not the handle. The handle needs to be completely re-designed to hook to the second belly strap. To allow for better weight distribution.
Yes! My very first reaction when I pulled the harness out of the box was "wow, this is heavy." I think your response to cut back on some of the weight inside the saddle bags is a good one, and I may end up doing the same if it seems like my dogs are struggling on our test hikes before we head out for the backpacking season. Regarding the handle: I had not planned to use it to lift, but I do recall reading on the Kickstarter campaign somewhere that Säker had not designed this one to be load-bearing (for rappelling, specifically), but they were looking into requirements to make it load-bearing in the future. I'm not sure what is required for that, but I think you're right about the handle needing to be changed in order for that to happen, or even for it to simply be used to lift over obstacles. I think the way it's currently designed is more like a traffic handle. I likely won't use it much. Exciting stuff, though. I'm just thrilled that there's a company that's actively trying to make better outdoor gear for dogs. Ruffwear has been the sole 'industry standard' for too long, and I've not found their gear to actually work very well for my dogs. Thanks for watching and commenting! Btw, your dog (in your profile pic) is absolutely gorgeous!
@@lovedogsontheloose I know I’m super excited for this upcoming backpacking season. I agree with you roughwear has had the run for too long. I’ve been searching for other options for years. One of my favorite things that saker has done is making Their product with different color options, to better suit personal preference. Roughwear pretty much only has one color lol. I also love that it is crash tested! I medically Require my service dog to be with me at all times. It’s not the dog in the profile picture, that’s my best bud, journey. My service dog literally goes everywhere with me, so she’s at a higher risk of being in a car accident. This harness will help ease my anxiety in the car knowing that she will be a lot more protected during a car accident, if one ever were to occur. Haha yeah, that was my first thought when I pulled the harness out of the bag too lol, even though I would likely end up carrying a little bit more of my dogs gear. I do like the weight. It’s definitely very high quality. The quality is worth the extra weight for sure.
@@sexibesti40 That's great that you can have that extra peace of mind when traveling with your service dog. I'm excited to see what else Säker creates. I'm already seeing great benefit in using the Slurpy Sacks on trail. So easy, and I love that they snap in and out of the saddle bags. Good stuff!
@@lovedogsontheloose I know I’m really excited to see what they’re going to create next. I gave them an idea to create a cooling vest to attach to the bottom of the extension harness. kind of like the one from roughwear. I find the Cooling vests very useful. It helps my dog not overheat especially during summer backpacking trips, it would be a really nice Addition for her Set up. They said they really love that idea! I’m hoping they will eventually come out with something like that… but right now, they’re focusing on fixing the buckles.
Hi! Yes, they have been successfully re-engineered (I installed the new ones on my two harnesses a few weeks ago and they work exactly as they’re supposed to now), and harnesses ordered now are shipping with the new buckles. A friend of mine just ordered one, so I can positively confirm this. Thanks for watching!
I would think she would be fine in one of these, but I would reach out to Säker to be sure. I have contacted them several times and received responses fairly quickly. Also, if you click on "Size Chart" on the harness ordering page (beneath the color options), it will bring up two methods to gauge proper size. I found that to be very helpful when sizing my two dogs.
Thank you for your review! When I purchased two of these harnesses, I couldn't find any reviews online. I had no idea it was a kickstarter- I was just looking for a crash tested harness for the car. For reference- I only take my dogs on daily walks around the neighborhood and occasional trail hikes of ~1 hour. I mainly wanted these for car safety, but also to use as their daily harness. Unfortunately, there's so many chafing points, the harness moves around quite a bit, and even with the help of customer service I was not able to adjust these so they wouldn't rub my dogs' armpits and chafe. The large buckle also lands right behind where their arm swings back and the whole thing shifts right to left considerably, no matter how tight I make it. My dogs are 45 lb pit bull mixes with quite short hair. Also, I have the original buckles, which have opened in the car- very dangerous to suddenly have a loose dog in the back seat. They're also quite heavy and hot, and are overkill for neighborhood walks. I've had them 10 months, and every time I look at them I get angry over how much money I wasted. I missed the return window and couldn't return them.
Thanks for watching and for your comment. I'm not sure if you've watched my more recent video review of the Säker Ascension Dog Pack, but I did a follow-up after 40 consecutive miles of backpacking with them. While we're not using them for the same purpose that you are, I think we encountered some of the same issues, particularly with chafing.
Re/ the buckles: Säker re-manufactured the buckles and the new ones work properly. The packs that are going out now, that were not ordered from the Kickstarter page and not pre-ordered have the new buckles installed. If you pre-ordered, definitely reach out to Säker to get those replacement buckles. I have a video about how to replace them (so does Säker), and it's a fairly easy and quick job.
If you decide you no longer want the harnesses and they're still in decent shape, my guess is that you might be able to sell them (on eBay or Facebook Marketplace, etc.) and get at least most of your money back. They seem to be pretty popular right now and do work well for a lot of people/dogs. I agree with you, though, I think they might be too much weight/bulk for some short haired dogs that easily chafe (Pitties are prone to this issue). I'm really hoping that Säker continues to work on the design. Not sure it's helpful or useful to you at all, but I wrote a blog post about this system as well, if you're interested. I'll put links below.
Updated video review: th-cam.com/video/bdMXv8cOeG4/w-d-xo.html
Blog post review: lovedogs.substack.com/p/review-saker-canine-ascension-dog
There’s a Velcro strip on the outside of the saddlebags for your patch. Also, have you received any info on fixing the buckle issue yet? I really want to pull the trigger on this harness but I’m hesitant. I’m going for the full harness so I guess if one buckle were to pop open, there’s still another buckle on that side so my Buddy doesn’t get loose
Just to confirm: unless Säker has changed the design, there's actually NO velcro on the saddle bags. There are velcro sleeves you can purchase separately that attach to the side straps and the neck straps. When the saddle bags are attached, the side velcro straps are actually covered by the bags and not visible. You could add adhesive velcro to the saddle bags and create your own velcro attachment strips on them, and I did that on my Mountainsmith K9 packs, but I also found that the adhesive velcro strips don't last long if used as heavily as we use them.
The buckle issue is indeed fixed. Those of us who pre-ordered were shipped new buckles to put on. It was an easy process. All of the new harnesses ship with 100% fully functional buckles. Hope this helps.
Really complete review with follow up on expectations on clip connectors. Hazel and Japhy were such great models. Treats to follow. :-)
They did better than I expected during the sizing!
Thank you so much for the video… I love the in-depth review of the Saker harness. I purchased the entire system, in red, for my service, dog, and, other than the buckles and the Slurpee sack sometimes opening itself, I am absolutely thrilled with this harness. I noticed you said you were having trouble getting the Slurpee sacks to screw back on after being refilled… You didn’t show it in your video, so I’m not sure you’re aware… The silicone bowl comes off of the Slurpee sack without it being unscrewed. This makes unscrewing, and reattaching, the slippery sack. MUCH easier! Have a great day, and thanks again for the video it was fantastic!
Whoa! I didn’t know that! I’ll take a closer look at it. Thank you!
very good review and super detailed! Kudos to the work put in for the video
Did Saker ever fix that buckle issue? Thats the only thing holding me back right now from grabbing one
Thanks for the comment and kind words!
Yes, Säker fixed the buckle issue. Harnesses are now shipping with fully operational buckles. They mailed re-engineered buckles to those pre-orders who received the faulty ones. The two I pre-ordered now work the way they were intended.
I whole heartedly agree with you on the wait for the fix on the buckles. Ours will also open with just one pin pushed down. However after many walks and my dog rolling around and playing in the harness I have yet to have a buckle come undone on its own. We even used it in the car for the first time today and had no issues. This was apparently a complaint on the Kickstarter page. I can only assume the fault is spotty on some of the buckles as you noted some were easier to open with just one pin pushed in. They are working on a fix for the buckles and over all I think the quality is top notch. Excellent video break down of all of it.
Thanks. We just got home from our inaugural hike using the new system. Did just over 7 miles on a moderately challenging trail. Empty saddle bags for most of the hike, but I did clip in a Slurpy Sack toward the end of the hike. I need to make a few adjustments in the harness fit for both dogs, but I’m even more of a believer in this system now than I was before. The saddlebags are so easy to put on and take off, and the Slurpy Sacks are a game changer for us. Both of my dogs were able to drink from the same fold-out bowl simultaneously without issue. There are a few very minor things that I think Säker can improve in the next generation, but honestly I’m just so thrilled that Säker is out there upping the game for outdoor dog gear.
As a side note, with regard to the faulty buckles: in 4.5 hours on trail today, only one buckle came unlatched one time on one dog.
What do you think of using the hitch clips (carabiners) as the way to attach the extension to the core harness? I don't really like that and the clips seem to dig into my dog. I feel like that would be better if it had padding underneath the clips, and also I'm not sure how secure those clips are. The hitch clips seem flimsy. I just got my harness yesterday and am trying to get it fitted right, and the clips for the extension seem to be uncomfortable. Mine came with the fixed buckles already installed so that is nice. It's hard to get the harness fitted! I fiddled with it for a long time til my dog was kind of frustrated. He is a very fluffy Husky so it's a bit harder to get it fitted properly I think than on a short haired dog like yours. I got my dog a purple because the website made the green look kind of army green but yours looks more like kelly green - it's very pretty! Thanks for the detailed video. I'm hoping to get mine dialed in as well as you seem to have, although I'm still on the fence about those clips. :(
Neither of my dogs have any issues with the metal carabiners that connect the extension on the harness, but every dog is different. I wonder if you could attach a piece of softer material that would sit under that carabiner. For lack of better materials at hand, I just grabbed one of the large velcro sleeves and was actually able to tuck it into the space between the webbing and the belly pad on each side of that carabiner. Not sure if it would stay in place without being sewn/attached some way, and you'd probably want a slightly wider piece of material, but may help? Video: th-cam.com/video/bYExvVexFDg/w-d-xo.html (I'll delete this video once you watch it :).
I'm still waiting on my re-engineered male buckles but I did get a shipping notification, so hopefully we'll have those soon.
The green is definitely more of a Kelly Green. It's very vibrant! I'm wishing I'd gotten the purple for Japhy instead of black.
@@lovedogsontheloose Thanks for that video! I am not sure if maybe I am anticipating a problem where there will not be one. But, if it does seem that it is uncomfortable or chafing there, I am able to sew and I might sew a piece of webbing to the extension part, and then put velcro on the end that would go to the main harness. Then that could keep a pad of sorts in place, but the pad would be with the extension and so not flopping around when only the main harness is used. But first I think I need to tinker with getting it adjusted better and take a few walks to see how it actually performs. I may be worried about something that will be a non-issue.
@@katietatey You're welcome! Hopefully it will be a non-issue, but it's always good to have a plan. Seems like a reasonable one, too.
They arrived 🥳
Definately not a system for us, but it looks good on your doggies.
Love your support towards the company and giving them time to solve the problems.
Yeah, definitely not for smaller dogs. I read somewhere, though, that they may take a look at creating something for smaller dogs eventually.
I think these small cottage companies are worth supporting. There just aren't very many that are solely dedicated to designing functional gear for outdoor dogs. Lots of human backpacking companies that try a dog pack or leash or harness, but just not enough that are focused on dogs only and consistently trying to improve designs and functionality. So I'm excited to give Säker the benefit of the doubt and see what comes of them down the road.
I just got my Saker backpacking harness to. I love it! My only 2 complaint is that it is really heavy I would have to carry more of her gear to compensate for the added weight of the pack. Last complaint When they were designing the product, I had mentioned that I don’t believe the handle will lift the dog completely over an obstacle. If the handle cannot be attached to the second belly strap, which they said it cannot. It looks like how it was designed it would only lift the front paws. They assured me that it does lift the whole dog and that it works really well. When I received it I tested that, it only lifts my dogs front paws. If only the front paws lift up, the handle is almost useless. you can’t lift up your dog over obstacles, unless the dog also puts in some effort by jumping. Other than that, I love it so far just not the handle. The handle needs to be completely re-designed to hook to the second belly strap. To allow for better weight distribution.
Yes! My very first reaction when I pulled the harness out of the box was "wow, this is heavy." I think your response to cut back on some of the weight inside the saddle bags is a good one, and I may end up doing the same if it seems like my dogs are struggling on our test hikes before we head out for the backpacking season.
Regarding the handle: I had not planned to use it to lift, but I do recall reading on the Kickstarter campaign somewhere that Säker had not designed this one to be load-bearing (for rappelling, specifically), but they were looking into requirements to make it load-bearing in the future. I'm not sure what is required for that, but I think you're right about the handle needing to be changed in order for that to happen, or even for it to simply be used to lift over obstacles. I think the way it's currently designed is more like a traffic handle. I likely won't use it much.
Exciting stuff, though. I'm just thrilled that there's a company that's actively trying to make better outdoor gear for dogs. Ruffwear has been the sole 'industry standard' for too long, and I've not found their gear to actually work very well for my dogs.
Thanks for watching and commenting! Btw, your dog (in your profile pic) is absolutely gorgeous!
@@lovedogsontheloose I know I’m super excited for this upcoming backpacking season. I agree with you roughwear has had the run for too long. I’ve been searching for other options for years.
One of my favorite things that saker has done is making Their product with different color options, to better suit personal preference. Roughwear pretty much only has one color lol. I also love that it is crash tested! I medically
Require my service dog to be with me at all times. It’s not the dog in the profile picture, that’s my best bud, journey. My service dog literally goes everywhere with me, so she’s at a higher risk of being in a car accident. This harness will help ease my anxiety in the car knowing that she will be a lot more protected during a car accident, if one ever were to occur.
Haha yeah, that was my first thought when I pulled the harness out of the bag too lol, even though I would likely end up carrying a little bit more of my dogs gear. I do like the weight. It’s definitely very high quality. The quality is worth the extra weight for sure.
@@sexibesti40 That's great that you can have that extra peace of mind when traveling with your service dog. I'm excited to see what else Säker creates. I'm already seeing great benefit in using the Slurpy Sacks on trail. So easy, and I love that they snap in and out of the saddle bags. Good stuff!
@@lovedogsontheloose I know I’m really excited to see what they’re going to create next. I gave them an idea to create a cooling vest to attach to the bottom of the extension harness. kind of like the one from roughwear. I find the Cooling vests very useful. It helps my dog not overheat especially during summer backpacking trips, it would be a really nice Addition for her Set up. They said they really love that idea! I’m hoping they will eventually come out with something like that… but right now, they’re focusing on fixing the buckles.
@@sexibesti40 that’s fantastic!
Good afternoon. Do you know if the connections have been successfully re-engineered and if they are on the currently distributed product?
Hi! Yes, they have been successfully re-engineered (I installed the new ones on my two harnesses a few weeks ago and they work exactly as they’re supposed to now), and harnesses ordered now are shipping with the new buckles. A friend of mine just ordered one, so I can positively confirm this. Thanks for watching!
I’ve got a 17kg kelpie would this be suitable or is she too small for this? I’m in uk so don’t want to order if not going to be suitable!
I would think she would be fine in one of these, but I would reach out to Säker to be sure. I have contacted them several times and received responses fairly quickly. Also, if you click on "Size Chart" on the harness ordering page (beneath the color options), it will bring up two methods to gauge proper size. I found that to be very helpful when sizing my two dogs.