We offer Free Shipping on orders over $50 shipped within the contiguous United States...that's the lower 48 to you and me. If your order is received before 5 PM Eastern Standard Time, we will make every effort to get it out the same day. Make sure to take Free Shipping into account when comparing prices.
Free Shipping (Economy) must be selected inside the shopping cart.
Sorry, but some restrictions do apply:
Good only in the contiguous (lower 48) United States
Excludes freight items (i.e. kayaks, cargo boxes, car racks, some bikes, and some surfboards)
Due to contracts with the following brands, we are unable to ship any of their products outside the US.
more...
Int'l Shipping
DepartmentOfGoods.com uses UPS Worldwide Express or Worldwide Expedited
for all shipping outside the United States. We have found this method to be quick,
secure, and cost effective.
While you're hiking in the desert, boating under a noon sun, and playing on the beach in mid-summer, your pup is panting away in a desperate attempt to stay cool. Outfit your dog in Ruffwear's Swamp Cooler. The Ruffwear Swamp Cooler has a three-layer construction—the top air-mesh layer releases heat, the middle layer absorbs and stores cooling water, and the bottom layer uses the water to cool your dog. An auto-lock buckle adjusts around your pup's torso. *Measure around the widest part of the rib cage, and choose a larger coat for more coverage if your pup is between sizes.
Bottom Line:
If you're hot, just imagine how hot your pup must feel.
My yellow lab doesn't like wearing shirts (I really do not understand why wearing a Packers jersey would be torture) but she doesn't mind wearing this. It really does seem to keep her cool. It dries out, but not that quickly...maybe every 20 minutes I'm rewetting it with water from my camelback to make sure she is cool. She is 60 pounds and a medium fits her well. Without the swamp cooler she would be always trying to find shade on our hikes. Now she just runs and doesn't care about the heat.
For the most part when it is wet this coat did keep my dog cool. The problem with it is on hot sunny day it dries out very very quickly. My girl is about 90% black so finding something that will help cool her for summer activites is very important to me. The plus side to it is that when she does wear it she has a very fast recovery time. She doesn't pant nearly as much with it on when it is wet. Also in her case after a few minutes in the shade she is ready to go. This is a good product and I would recomend it, but make sure you have plenty of water to keep it "recharged." Also the instructions tell you to ring it out after getting it wet. If you are in the sun a lot don't bother, I found it kept her cooler longer.
1. How well does it work for a longer haired dog? We shave her
1. How well does it work for a longer haired dog? We shave her a couple times throughout summer but she does tend to grow out pretty fast. 2. LOTS of reviews mention fast dry out but not how long... How long would you estimate before it needs re-watered? 3. Last one!!! Can you just dump more water on it? On review mentioned it needed rung out... Wondering if not ringing it out makes it hold body heat... Like after a bath when she falls asleep with the sopping wet towel over her she ends up very very warm.
This cooling jacket makes a huge difference! I have a black dog and we spend a lot of time in the hot desert. In 85 degree weather, I can put this jacket on him - soaking wet - and we can go for a hike and he won't start panting for an hour! Plus, it reflects a massive amount of sun so even bone dry it helps keep him from overheating. I slide my hand under the jacket every once in a while to test the temp and though his fur is absolutely dry, it is very chilly. I was hesitant to buy this jacket, but after having done so, I am very pleased. The only drawback is the fabric. It's very snag/plant life prone and after each wearing i've had to de-grass, de-sticker, and de-twig it. If you have a black dog in a hot world, I highly suggest you treat yourselves to this jacket.
This vest is the best summer buy I have found for my dog. He plays hard so gets overheated really easy and then spends all night trying to cool down. I got this vest and had him wear it while he fetched the frisbee and there was a huge difference. When we got home he was a little tired but not overheated or panting all night; after about 30 min. he could have gone right back outside to play some more. This vest reflects sunlight and when it needs to be 'recharged' I just get it wet while he's still wearing it. Perfect dog accessory for summer heat!!!
anyone know how long on the back is the xs and s sizes? I want
anyone know how long on the back is the xs and s sizes? I want to be sure it covers my dogs black spots - I asked the online chat over an hour ago and they still haven't sent the return e-mail they said they would. thanks!
The swamp cooler jackets are really the best thing ever invented for dogs. I put one on my little schnoodle who usually gets very hot in the summer and she did great. Barely even panted on a long hike in the sun. I just bought one for my other dog as well.
I bought the Swamp Cooler Vest for my black lab (who just can't slow down out on the trail -- he LOVES to run!). It works great. I bought another one for my Aussie mix because it does keep them cooler. We have to pack extra water or run by a water source to re-wet the vest after about 40 min on a hot day.
Size L was too big for my slender-but-muscular 86 lb. lab -- but the neck had to be widened by about an inch on the size M. Size M fits my 60 lb. Aussie perfectly.
I love the Ruff Wear products- the best brand I've found for big tough outdoor dogs, as extremely well built and durable. We give our Great Pyrenees his annual hair cut in early May, as our summers are unbearably hot, and our winters very cold. He is always panting in the summer, and actually stands out in the river off and on for hours just to stay cool. I think this vest will help out a lot. He is a hard fit, as he weighs about 140 pounds, but the Ruff Wear products are adjustable so that the XL works for him in the Swamp Cooler Vest, and the Float Coat.
I ordered a small after reading reviews, and it ended up being way TOO BIG!...I have a boston terrier mix (26lbs) and definitely needed to have ordered an xs
You want to measure around the torso at the widest part of the rib cage of the dog and then use those dimensions to pick a size based on the specs in the Tech Specs section on the right hand side of the page. If it is between sizes, go larger.
Hi I want to say i am very impressed with the Service from Backcountry made a order last Tuesday evening Aust time- wasnt happy with the restricted options for delivery - paid it and was able to track my order and it came yesterday -Monday here when it actually arrived in Australia Friday - excellent service especially coming from the USAto Australia. Best of all every thing fits my little man. The quality is fantastic and its so light weight. Elliott is a dachshund the only thing that was issue was the K9 coat due to his short legs and extended chest but looks fantastic. Thank you Backcountry i am now making another order for my daughter to collect while in New York yeah free delivery this time
Hi I want to say i am very impressed with the Service from Backcountry made a order last Tuesday evening Aust time- wasnt happy with the restricted options for delivery - paid it and was able to track my order and it came yesterday -Monday here when it actually arrived in Australia Friday - excellent service especially coming from the USAto Australia. Best of all every thing fits my little man. The quality is fantastic and its so light weight. Elliott is a dachshund the only thing that was issue was the K9 coat due to his short legs and extended chest but looks fantastic. Thank you Backcountry i am now making another order for my daughter to collect while in New York yeah free delivery this time
Since it's spring my husky hasn't gotten to fully appreciate the wonders of this product in the heat yet, but once he does I'm sure he will fall in love. It's amazing how long it stays cool for! I got the small because that was the only size left, and it works, but the medium probably would have been ideal for the length. I would like it to cover a little bit more of his back. It is also a little snug around his neck, but we will probably put a little cut in the neck where the material makes a "V" and stitch the edges so they don't fray to give him a little bit more neck room. Overall, we're very happy with this product!
The swamp cooler isn't thicker than a fleece type dog coat (such as the Ruff Wear Climate Changer), so as long as the dog pack is not super tight on your dog to begin with, and if dog pack can be adjusted, there should not be a problem in using both together.
The vest makes a definite impact when wet. Both of our dogs have long coats and get hot quickly, but with the vests the dogs seem to be able to play all day. Like other reviewers, I have noticed that the vest tends to dry out quickly, but if you can conveniently wet it down throughout the day then the vest makes a big difference. It's especially convenient when they come out on the boat during the summer. The occasional quick dip keeps the vest soaked and the dogs cool.
I would have to say that this vest does in fact work. My dog is about 95 % black and it did keep her cool when it was wet. The problem that I found with it is that on a hot sunny day it tends to dry out very quickly, so you will need to keep plenty of water available to "recharge' it. I did notice that when we got to shady spots that she recovered from the sun very very quickly. In her case a few minutes of rest and she was ready to go again.
Comment on Michelle's review >