Crates
Midwest iCrate Review: 18 Months of Truck-Bed and Camp Duty
Eighteen months, two deer seasons, and more muddy-dog campouts than I can count. Here is what the Midwest iCrate actually withstands, and where you can save money.
Our two dogs treated every campfire morning like a job interview for the bacon. One folding crate later, they sleep through the whole thing.
Eighteen months, two deer seasons, and more muddy-dog campouts than I can count. Here is what the Midwest iCrate actually withstands, and where you can save money.
It is the bestselling folding wire crate in the country for a reason. But the five-star crowd leaves out the assembly quirks, the door-warping gotchas, and the honest reason to pay more for the double-door version.
Stops the wandering, dries the mud, and keeps a tired dog from blocking your gear. Ten reasons a folding wire crate is the first thing I pack for any trip with dogs.
One breathes, one contains. After a full season running both in the back of a pickup, here is when a wire foldable makes sense and when nothing beats a hard-sided kennel.
Our two dogs treated every campfire morning like a job interview for the bacon. One folding crate later, they sleep through the whole thing.
A calm, crate-trained dog is safer in the truck and quieter at camp. Five steps to get one there, with the crate sizes, door drills, and travel rules that actually stuck with our dogs.
Two summers of camp-outs, a 70-pound retriever, and one mesh bed that never flattened. Here is what the Coolaroo gets right, where the frame flexes, and who should buy one instead.
The Coolaroo is the classic elevated dog bed and it works. But a long-term owner notices the frame welds, the fabric sag over a heavy dog, and the size math you have to do yourself.
Dirt, ticks, heat, and a dog that hogs the whole tent. Ten reasons the mesh cot-style bed earns its spot at every campsite.
Coolaroo and K&H both make a mesh cot that keeps dogs off the ground. One season of camp use separated them on frame strength, fabric toughness, and how easy they are to clean.
Fourteen ticks pulled off one afternoon fixed my opinion of ground beds forever. The elevated cot was the smallest change of the season and the one that stuck.
Mesh or canvas, raised or flat, and what size is really the right fit. A checklist for outdoor dog beds that still look right after a real season of camp use.
Six months of camp tethering on our two dogs, from hard-packed sites to muddy yard ground. Here is what the Petbobi holds up to, and the two spots I replaced out of the box.
The Petbobi is a solid mid-price tie-out, but the reviews read like they were written on a lawn. Rocky campsites, sandy ground, and a dog that lunges at deer teach you what the stake really is.
Tree bark, trip lines, and dogs that wander at gunshot. Ten reasons a real tie-out stake beats tying a leash to a branch at every camp.
Two tie-out kits, near-identical prices, and a full season of hard dirt between them. Here is which spiral stake survived, which swivel wore out, and the one upgrade that made both work.
At a camp edge with no fence in any direction, a slipped collar at dusk is everything. The tie-out stake that sat in my gear bag all season earned its keep that night.
Stake depth, cable length, swivel upkeep, and the supervision rules that keep a tether a safety tool and not a hazard. A practical guide to setting a tie-out up the right way.
Six months of steady abuse from a dog that chews through everything. Here is how the Nylabone Power Chew held up on the trail and in camp, and the honest limits of any chew toy you buy.
It is one of the most-reviewed chew toys for aggressive chewers on Amazon, and most of those reviews are fair. But the flavor reality, the sizing confusion, and the dogs it will not slow down deserve an honest look.
Bootlaces, chair straps, and one truck seat later, the lesson stuck. Ten reasons a genuinely tough chew toy is insurance for any household with a heavy chewer.
Nylon versus guaranteed rubber, two wildly different takes on the same chewing problem. Here is which one survived our hardest chewer and what the price difference actually buys.
One chilly morning I found my best hunting boots with a new fashion of holes. The Nylabone Power Chew ended up saving the boots, the furniture, and a decent chunk of my patience.
Chew toy shopping is mostly buying throwaway furniture protection until you get the material and size right. Here is how to match a durable chew toy to a heavy chewer and know when to replace it.
One season of trail miles, gravel streams, and dusty campsites with the Kalimdor bottle clipped to a pack. Here is what stayed dry, what dribbled, and why we still pack it every trip.
Every water bottle on Amazon says leak-proof. After a season of jostling packs and dusty trails, here is how the Kalimdor actually holds up, and which dogs turn any spout into a sprinkler.
A dog that drinks from muddy puddles is a bill waiting to happen. Ten reasons a portable dog water bottle is the cheapest insurance you will clip to a pack this year.
Kalimdor and Cibaabo are the two most-seen bottles on trail heads in our area. One season of testing sorted them on valve wear, leak resistance, and which design a big dog actually likes drinking from.
Halfway down a hot trail our retriever turned down a muddy puddle and that is when you realize you forgot every way to give a dog water. Here is the bottle that never got left home again.
Dogs overheat faster than people and hide it longer. Here is how to carry the right water, deliver it on the move with a portable bottle, and read the early signs of dehydration before they turn into a vet visit.
Eighteen months, two deer seasons, and more muddy-dog campouts than I can count. Here is what the Midwest iCrate actually withstands, and where you can save money.
It is the bestselling folding wire crate in the country for a reason. But the five-star crowd leaves out the assembly quirks, the door-warping gotchas, and the honest reason to pay more for the double-door version.
Two summers of camp-outs, a 70-pound retriever, and one mesh bed that never flattened. Here is what the Coolaroo gets right, where the frame flexes, and who should buy one instead.
The Coolaroo is the classic elevated dog bed and it works. But a long-term owner notices the frame welds, the fabric sag over a heavy dog, and the size math you have to do yourself.
Six months of camp tethering on our two dogs, from hard-packed sites to muddy yard ground. Here is what the Petbobi holds up to, and the two spots I replaced out of the box.
The Petbobi is a solid mid-price tie-out, but the reviews read like they were written on a lawn. Rocky campsites, sandy ground, and a dog that lunges at deer teach you what the stake really is.
Six months of steady abuse from a dog that chews through everything. Here is how the Nylabone Power Chew held up on the trail and in camp, and the honest limits of any chew toy you buy.
It is one of the most-reviewed chew toys for aggressive chewers on Amazon, and most of those reviews are fair. But the flavor reality, the sizing confusion, and the dogs it will not slow down deserve an honest look.
One season of trail miles, gravel streams, and dusty campsites with the Kalimdor bottle clipped to a pack. Here is what stayed dry, what dribbled, and why we still pack it every trip.
Every water bottle on Amazon says leak-proof. After a season of jostling packs and dusty trails, here is how the Kalimdor actually holds up, and which dogs turn any spout into a sprinkler.