My wife had bought a cheap no-name backpack for our 60-lb. Yellow Lab to wear during a recent weekend of hiking. The dog didn't mind the pack at all, and almost seemed proud to wear it. So I decided to splurge and buy her a top-notch backpack.

I found the Palisades II backpack here on BackCountry, and the price and reviews were both very good so I measured our dog and bought it. I also bought the Palisades pack, because I couldn't decide which one to get. The Palisades II pack is actually an older version than the Palisades pack, which is confusing (you would think the "II" indicated a newer version, but apparently not). So here is my comparison review.

Material - The Palisades II has a much sturdier, thicker feel to the material than the Palisades pack does. It just feels like it could better withstand the rigors a dog might put it through.

Harness - The Palisades pack has a somewhat better harness. It has a sturdy metal D-ring, with better padding on the straps. One thing I didn't like about either pack is that the clips to which you secure the backpack are located between the harness and the backpack. This means a heavy pack will push those clips into your dog's back, and even with the harness material there to cushion it a bit it seems like a design flaw. It also makes the pack more difficult to attach and remove from the harness. I think they should have put the clips along the outside edge of the harness.

Storage - The Palisades II has much more storage space, but the trade-off is that it hangs lower to the ground. So if your dog is short or you're concerned about the bag dragging on rocks or logs as the dog is walking, this is something to consider. The Palisades II does have a nice little pocket on top, which is perfect for stashing poop bags or anything you need quick access to. Why they removed this feature on the Palisades pack is beyond me. The Palisades pack does have a wide rubber strip running down the center that is sewn to the pack every few inches, creating little "tubes" you can use to stash poop bags I suppose, but an enclosed pocket is far better in my opinion.

Water Bladder - No contest here: the Palisades has a much better water bladder system. It's very similar to the Camelbak bladder, if you're familiar with those. The Palisades II has a mylar bag serving as its water bladder. If you don't intend to use the water bladder anyway, then it's not going to be a deciding factor.

We ultimately returned the Palisades II pack and kept the Palisades pack instead. The Palisades II turned out to be too big and hang too low for our dog, even though the harness fit her just right. The Palisades fit her better, and even though I didn't like the material as much as the Palisades II, the Palisades was our overall choice between the two. That said, either bag would serve you very well, as they are both extremely well made. Enjoy!

My wife had bought a cheap no-name backpack for our 60-lb. Yellow Lab to wear during a recent weekend of hiking. The dog didn't mind the pack at all, and almost seemed proud to wear it. So I decided to splurge and buy her a top-notch backpack.

I found the Palisades II backpack here on BackCountry, and the price and reviews were both very good so I measured our dog and bought it. I also bought the Palisades pack, because I couldn't decide which one to get. The Palisades II pack is actually an older version than the Palisades pack, which is confusing (you would think the "II" indicated a newer version, but apparently not). So here is my comparison review.

Material - The Palisades II has a much sturdier, thicker feel to the material than the Palisades pack does. It just feels like it could better withstand the rigors a dog might put it through.

Harness - The Palisades pack has a somewhat better harness. It has a sturdy metal D-ring, with better padding on the straps. One thing I didn't like about either pack is that the clips to which you secure the backpack are located between the harness and the backpack. This means a heavy pack will push those clips into your dog's back, and even with the harness material there to cushion it a bit it seems like a design flaw. It also makes the pack more difficult to attach and remove from the harness. I think they should have put the clips along the outside edge of the harness.

Storage - The Palisades II has much more storage space, but the trade-off is that it hangs lower to the ground. So if your dog is short or you're concerned about the bag dragging on rocks or logs as the dog is walking, this is something to consider. The Palisades II does have a nice little pocket on top, which is perfect for stashing poop bags or anything you need quick access to. Why they removed this feature on the Palisades pack is beyond me. The Palisades pack does have a wide rubber strip running down the center that is sewn to the pack every few inches, creating little "tubes" you can use to stash poop bags I suppose, but an enclosed pocket is far better in my opinion.

Water Bladder - No contest here: the Palisades has a much better water bladder system. It's very similar to the Camelbak bladder, if you're familiar with those. The Palisades II has a mylar bag serving as its water bladder. If you don't intend to use the water bladder anyway, then it's not going to be a deciding factor.

We ultimately returned the Palisades II pack and kept the Palisades pack instead. The Palisades II turned out to be too big and hang too low for our dog, even though the harness fit her just right. The Palisades fit her better, and even though I didn't like the material as much as the Palisades II, the Palisades was our overall choice between the two. That said, either bag would serve you very well, as they are both extremely well made. Enjoy!