Non-Stop Dogwear Trail Quest Pack Review

Bottom Line

The Non-Stop Dogwear Trail Quest Pack is an ideal option for backpackers who don’t want to leave their dog behind, even when hitting the trail for days at a time. This pack has one of the highest capacities available and offers plenty of room for everything your dog needs to sustain them on multi-day trips. It’s also incredibly adjustable and available in several sizes, making it a practical option for all types of dogs. 

The Trail Quest comes at a higher cost than other favorites in our best dog backpack gear guide, and its high-volume design might be overkill for day hikers and more casual adventurers. However, this well-made, high-quality pack is designed to last for years of use, so for those tackling longer mileage with their dog in tow, the Trail Quest is a comfortable and accommodating choice.

We put it to use while testing in the mountainous California Eastside and loved the tailored fit, balanced positioning, and how unencumbered our dog was wearing the Trail Quest, even when carrying weight.

How We Tested

Gear analyst Marion Tucker spends some of her time working for an off-leash dog hiking company and applied her experience hiking with a range of dog breeds towards an assessment of how dog backpacks performed on the trail. 

Testing in the environmental extremes of California’s Eastern Sierra, she and her dog spent months wandering desert landscapes and alpine trails to analyze aspects such as the packs’ durability, practicality, and comfort.

Fit & Comfort

The Trail Quest is one of the most size-accommodating packs we’ve encountered. It’s available in five different sizes: extra small, small, medium, large, and extra large, making it a practical option for dogs of all breeds. The chest girth spans from 15.7-42.5 inches, which is also one of the widest ranges of the packs we’ve tested. Non-Stop Dogwear proves itself to be more accepting of a variety of dogs through its inclusive sizing. 

The pack has six adjustment points: two at the chest and four at the belly, with straps that can be easily tightened or loosened to achieve an appropriate fit for your dog. Even with our dog’s narrower waist, we were able to dial in the right strap configuration to get a comfortably snug fit. The pack remained secure and in place while hiking, free of shifting or other unwanted movement, and our dog was able to maintain his typical routines without being encumbered by it. 

The Trail Quest has a soft foam body that wraps over the dog’s back and is covered with a stretchy nylon liner to prevent chaffing. However, the design is somewhat more solid, with less built-in ventilation. Though it doesn’t seem as breathable as other packs, our dog never showed signs of getting too hot. Upon removing the pack after a long day of hiking, we did not find any signs of chafing or hot spots on him, and he generally seemed comfortable and at ease while wearing the Trail Quest.

Weight Distribution & Capacity

The Trail Quest is billed as a pack for extended trips, and the saddlebags have the capacity to support longer forays into the backcountry. Depending on the pack size, the saddlebags hold 2 to 36 liters. Our dog wore a size medium, which has a capacity of 16 liters. The Trail Quest is one of the largest capacity packs we’ve tested. The pockets have spacious interiors, with plenty of room for food, water, and accessories you might need on the trail. Similar to other high-volume packs, the biggest issue with the Trail Quest is potentially overloading the saddlebags- it’s recommended that dogs not carry more than 25% of their body weight. With the generously sized pockets, there is no worry of not having the space to carry your dog’s backpacking essentials. 

We easily fit a bowl, food, and a water bottle into the pack’s pocket. However, our biggest gripe is the lack of dividers or subpockets in the saddlebags. The compartments are completely open, making it harder to organize items or assign them to specific areas. Ideally, heavier items should be placed closer to a dog’s body, specifically their shoulders, and additional dividers better distribute weight. Despite this, though, we didn’t experience any pack shifting or notice any imbalance. 

The Trail Quest offers some organizational strategy through its dual-pocket system. The saddlebags feature a thin-profile pocket on top of the main compartment. A totally separate pocket, it’s got a thinner profile perfect for small items like poop bags, snacks, or a leash that might get buried in the larger compartment.

Durability

This pack not only has storage space for multi-day trips, but it’s also built to withstand extended time in the backcountry. The Trail Quest exterior uses a polyester ripstop fabric, which is tough and tear-resistant. Our dog ran through spiky underbrush while hiking in the desert, and the pack sustained no damage, even after several encounters with unfriendly plants. 

The pack is also water-resistant. It’s moisture-wicking and wards off dampness. It’s not fully waterproof, though, so if it gets soaked or submerged, items in the saddlebags will get wet if not in dry bags. 

The Trail Quest uses reinforced stitching throughout its design, which helps maintain strength and structural integrity. We did notice some exposed threads connecting the rear of the handle to the back of the pack. Though there are multiple threads attaching the handle to the pack, they seem potentially vulnerable to wear and tear and deterioration over time. 

While wearing the Trail Quest, our dog picked up a decent amount of dirt and dust on the pack. A lot of it easily brushed off the pack by hand, but ultimately the dirt stains came out in the wash. The Trail Quest is machine washable- if washed in a bag- but it cannot be put in the dryer. We found it was easiest to hand-wash and air-dry for a gentler cleaning process that helps extend the life of the pack and prevents stitching from deteriorating.

Ease of Use

The Trail Quest takes a minute to figure out, but once you know how to properly size and adjust the pack, it’s a breeze to use. Four clipped straps at the bottom of the pack detach to allow the pack to slide over your dog’s neck and wrap underneath their belly. Initially, we needed more slack in the straps to position them around our dog’s waist, but there wasn’t any extra material. 

We eventually realized that there is another point of adjustability inside the saddlebag pockets. An additional buckle with extra webbing runs behind the saddlebag, keeping the extra material out of the way, but the hidden placement had us thinking we’d ordered the wrong-size pack for our dog. Once we figured out the system with the interior buckles, we were able to loosen the straps enough to secure them around our dog’s belly properly, achieving the perfect fit. 

Both the small and large sets of pockets on the saddlebags are easy to access while a dog is wearing the pack and even in motion. The long pulls and smooth-moving zippers are simple to grab and unzip when you need to remove something from the pouch on the fly. 

All of the Trail Quest’s points of adjustability feature buckles, four at the bottom of the pack and two near the neck. Though all the buckles are easy to adjust, we especially liked that the neck straps are positioned at the top of the pack, rather than on the chest. It’s much easier to access and adjust their tightness from this position, versus fussing awkwardly around the dog’s chest. 

A strip of webbing runs across the exterior of the saddlebags to compress the pockets and keep them from bouncing while the dog is in motion. The webbing traverses the saddlebag in a zigzag pattern before running into the pocket, where an interior buckle controls the webbing’s tightness and looseness. Though it’s simple to use the buckle itself, it took us some trial and error to dial in the right balance of compression. If not tightened enough or if the pockets are fairly empty, the webbing is very loose and bunchy- making it more easily caught or snagged. 

Safety Features

Non-Stop Dogwear incorporates useful features to enhance safety and visibility on the Trail Quest. The top handle on the pack is strong and firmly attached with reinforced stitching. The handle provides a convenient grab point in case you need to suddenly restrain your dog, and it is mounted securely enough to support your dog’s weight if you need to lift them. Similarly, leash loops at the front and rear of the pack are well sewn into the Trail Quest and are strong enough to withstand sudden tugs and movement. 

The saddlebags are framed by a thin strip of reflective material. The trim on the bags is somewhat obstructed and harder to see, but the reflective strip helps you keep an eye on your dog in low light, which is particularly helpful when hiking later in the day. 

The Trail Quest is also only available in one color: teal. Though we like the color, it’s on the darker side, trickier to see in dimmer light, and it blends into forested areas, making it harder to track your dog’s movement when off-leash. We’d prefer a brighter color for added visibility.

Weather Resistance

The Trail Quest’s outer fabric is water-resistant, although not fully waterproof. In light rain and damp conditions, it wicks moisture and keeps any items stowed in the saddlebags dry. If exposed to prolonged rain or water, moisture will eventually seep through, making it better to use dry bags in conjunction with the Trail Quest when hiking in adverse weather. 

We would be less inclined to use this pack in very hot climates. The stretch nylon lining is breathable, but the body of the pack is solid and not well-ventilated. Without built-in vents, the pack doesn’t breathe as well in warmer weather.

Should You Buy the Non-Stop Dogwear Trail Quest Pack?

The Non-Stop Dogwear Trail Quest Pack is a go-to choice for backpackers looking to bring their pup along with them on longer trails. Equipped with large saddlebags, it’s a high-volume pack that provides plenty of space to outfit a dog for several days in the backcountry. The pack is also durable and made with materials designed to resist the toughest outdoor conditions over years of use. 

The Trail Quest does come with a heftier price tag and, unlike similarly priced pack options, the saddlebags are not removable, and there is no option to use the harness component independently. For those more interested in day hikes or whose adventures require a shorter packing list, the Trail Quest might be overkill. However, for those who want their dog to join them on backpacking trips and still carry some of the weight, this pack is a perfect solution that’s got the volume to accommodate extended trips and a comfortable design that will better enable your dog to pull the extra miles.

What Other Dog Backpacks Should You Consider?

We have a few other favorite packs with similarities to the Trail Quest, but also check out our full list of recommendations in our guide to the best dog backpacks.

Ruffwear Palisades Review: Similarly priced to the Trail Quest, this is another high-volume pack with a spacious design intended for multi-day trips. The added bonus of the Palisades is its modular design with detachable saddlebags that allows the harness to be used independently. 

AlphaPak Adventurer Review: The Adventurer is another pack perfect for backpacking trips. It’s got generous storage space that’s made for outfitting all of a dog’s backcountry needs. Like the Palisades, AlphaPak also uses a modular build with detachable saddlebags for a dual-function design, but comes at a significantly cheaper price. 

Ruffwear Approach Review: A close cousin of the Ruffwear Palisades, the Approach is slightly less expensive and doesn’t have the modular design. However, it is another option great for longer trips, thanks to its large and roomy saddlebags. The Approach excels in providing a comfortable and stable experience for your dog.