Iron Doggy SideKick Hands-Free Dog Leash Review
I reviewed an Iron Doggy Runners Choice leash almost 4 years ago now and it has been one of my best pieces of gear for my pup Brecken. I am now reviewing their other SideKick hands-free leash. My previous Runner's Choice leash is still going strong but shows some normal wear. This new leash is somewhat lighter at 4.8oz which is nice for when we run. Not that the past leash was too heavy but 4.8oz is extremely light and I try to be as light as I can while running.
Webbing: Mil-Spec to minimize wear and tear
Bungee: Marine Grade - stands the test of time
Length: 37"
Weight: 4.8 oz.
Color: Black with Pumpkin
Handcrafted in Denver, Colorado
MADE TO LAST
Like the past leash, the Sidekick has a bungie that helps take the slack out of the leash while running and is much more comfortable when Breck does pull towards a squirrel or something. She is normally very good but occasionally pulls and this leash does a great job at taking that sudden jerk out of the equation.
The Sidekick leash has two grab handles that are a great feature. This allows me to be able to grab on to the leash and move Breck if I need or help me control her. All of the stress points on the leash are box stitched and you can tell it is a product that will last. Truthfully I never really thought much about the quality of my leash for Breck the first year or so I had her but I think that it is a super important piece of kit for your pup - The last thing I want failing when I am out near a busy road or on a trail would be the leash.
I will say one downside I have found to the Sidekick is that it does feel somewhat heavy while running but that is somewhat expected due to the heavy-duty clips and build of the leash. It is definitely not something that hinders my experience but something to be noted for sure.
The best part about the Sidekick is the “Belt” that comes with the leash that you can buckle around your waist. This is the only way I will run with Brecken now and is a must for anyone who runs or even walks with their dog and trusts them to not wander or trip them up. I absolutely love running with the Sidekick and will continue to use it for this reason alone.
OVERALL
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Heavy-Duty Build
Belt Attachment
Grab Handles
Shock Absorption
Heavy-duty Hardwear
Made In The US
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Not The Lightest Leash
If you want to pick up the Sidekick CLICK HERE
Big Barker Orthopedic Dog Bed
I had been looking for a quality dog bed for the living room of our house for a while. Brecken my 5-year-old lab loves sleeping in the bed with me at night but during the day she spends time downstairs in the living room and she really didn’t have a dedicated spot. I wanted to get the best dog bed I could for her and I came to Big Barker. After some emails back and forth, I was able to score one for Brecken to have and test out. I will say that normally she does not love dog beds and I’ve had a hard time in the past with getting her to use one frequently. It took some time but she finally uses the bed when at least I am downstairs or when no one is home.
10 YEAR WARRANTY - MADE IN THE US - 1 YEAR TRIAL
Above are the main 3 reasons I decided to reach out to Big Barker, anyone willing to stand behind their product with a 10-year warranty and one that goes the extra mile to produce here in the US is one I will support. Big Barker offers a full 1 year trial with a 100% moneyback guarantee, pretty awesome if you ask me. The Bed I have does come in at $300 which is deftinley not cheap. I do think with what Big Barker stands for, the warranty/trial and the build quality this price is completely justified.
The beds are all made with American Foam along with American Zippers which is great to see. There are only two more materials in the bed - the Fabric and the glue.
I love to see American made products… especially when they actually say why the product is superior because it is made in the US. Big Barker ——- “(Normal dog beds are made with wimpy polyfill or substandard Chinese foam. That’s why normal dog beds are infamous for falling apart and flattening like pancakes under the weight of big dogs. Also, be careful letting your dog sleep on Chinese foam… many well-known dog bed brands have tested positive for harmful chemicals like lead, arsenic, chlorine and other bad stuff)”
The Barker bed is not made like your normal run of the mill dog bed. It has a 3 stage blend of American foam that helps your dogs joints and a high-density core that keeps pressure points from coming in direct contact with the floor. I can say this works very well as even when I lay on it at 200lbs no part of me touches the floor. No dog beds I have had in the past I can say this about.
One place Brecken loves having the Big Barker bed is in the kitchen/dining room. A lot of times I work at the island in the kitchen and there is tile all around. I use to wonder why Brecken would just sit at the stairs and whine at me while I tried to work. Now I move the bed right at the base of my chair and she lays there without a peep.
Breckens Favorite Spot
The one thing that people could be worried about in a normal dog bed is the “flattening” of the bed over time. I can say I am extremely confident in the Big Barker bed to not do this. The build on the bed is second to none and can pretty much fully support me laying on it. I will see how it stands up and post a follow-up review if needed on the bed.
If you are interested in buying a Big Barker dog bed for yourself just follow the link below. If you were on the fence about buying one and this written review or the video review helped you out leave a comment!
The EZYDOG Convert Harness Review
To a human, a harness is nothing more than a few straps and some nylon. To Brecken however, a harness is her one-way ticket to adventure. With everything that I do here at RMK, I normally take my best friend Brecken along with. We hike, climb, swim, bike, run and everything in-between. I have always used a normal collar while taking her with on our adventures here and finally realised that a harness would be a way better option.
Brecken has always been great on the leash when we walk, run, bike anything. However, when I take her on nightly runs in the neighborhood she always likes the try to catch the first rabbit she sees and forgets she is hooked around my waist. Thanks to my Iron Doggy Leash which I have a separate review on. When I would run with her and she made the powerful lunge towards the frozen rabbit she would end up giving herself whiplash and I could tell it did not feel great. Since I've switched over to the Convert Harness from Ezydog it has made a world of difference. Not only does she not hurt herself anymore she has been ever better about "pulling" towards other dogs or animals while we run.
One of the best features of the Convert is the ability to just slip on and off the harness without having to adjust anything. Once you first size the front strap you will never have to touch it again. Simply slide it over your pups head and then buckle the chest strap underneath and you are good to go. It is the quickest and most streamlined harness I have used so far with Breck. There is also a reflective strip on the front chest strap for added visibility during night time runs.
On the top of the Convert, there is a big beefy padded grab handle. In front of the grab handle, there is a large stainless steel leash ring. Which is great for quick clipping on as it is super easy to reach down and clip on one handed.
The Convert is built to last with heavy duty materials and buckles. Along with top of the line stitching and execution. On either side of the Convert, there are two velcro strips that allow for many different patch combos. The people over at Ezydog were nice enough to also included a patch for Brecken's nick-name. The Convert Harness can also be used a service dog vest and one can buy "Service Dog" patches for it as well.
The Convert comes in right at $46 which for the build quality and features is a great price point. The Convert also has the option to purchase Saddle Bags which can be attached to each side and turn the harness into a trail machine. The Convert only comes in Red, Blue, and Grey and I would like to see a more "Princess" themed color option.
The Ezydog Convert is a great harness for anyone looking for a safer and more comfortable way to adventure with their best friend.
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- Heavy Duty Materials
- Reflective strip
- One Time Fitting for Quick On and Off
- Velcro sides for Patches
- Stream Lined Design
- Great price point
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Only 3 Colors to choose from
Iron Doggy Runner's Choice Hands Free Leash Review
One of my favorite things to do in my free time is run or hike with my best friend Brecken. I absolutely love taking her with me on my adventures and watching her take in the outdoors and go crazy with energy and excitement. When I take her up in the mountains hiking I normally let her go off-leash as she is great about staying near me and coming when I let her know she has gone too far. However there are many populated trails where I like to hike or run where having your friend leashed is enforced strictly. For the past two years I have used the conventional leash and harness when taking her out. I recently found a company that goes by the name of Iron Doggy who specializes in making hands free leash and belt combos to drastically change your dog walking experience.
"Built right here in the US"
Iron Doggy is a Colorado-based company who builds all of their products right here in the US. As soon as I read that I had to ask to try one of their products. They responded right away and were kind enough to send me out one of their Runner’s Choice leashes for review. The Runner’s Choice is built to the same qualifications as most of my backpacks are. The leash has a minimum breaking strength of 215 pounds. The leash is also adjustable from 30” to 56” to give you extra slack when you need it.
"Make running with your pup fun"
As soon as I opened the package I could feel the quality and attention to detail in the Runners Choice. It is heavy enough to feel like you can trust it, yet light enough to run/trek with all day. I hardly notice the leash is there on my runs with Brecken and have noticed I get less tired and make better time when running with this leash as compared to a normal hands on leash. Brecken is fairly good about keeping up with me and staying on my left when we run however there are the occasional smell stops that end up throwing me off stride and slowing me down. With the Runners choice I continue with my run and she feels the slight tension and continues with me. It also allows me to literally run “hands free” which is better when running then trying to hold onto a leash and mess with your stride again.
"Slide buckle for easy transitions"
The belt on the leash is easily adjustable and has a sliding snap buckle which allows the leash to slide on your hips to whatever way your dog is headed. This is a must have feature and is beyond nice to have. I was able to effortlessly swing to either side of Breck on my runs or her to me and the leash would slide right over and keep going.
"Bungee sections to take away tugs and slack"
Moving onto the leash itself, there are two “bungie” parts of the leash with a handle in the middle and on the front. Each of these parts of the leash stretch to almost another size length and are the perfect amount of resistance. They are not too hard to stretch so you will be getting yanked around however, they are enough so that there is not a quick max out on slack.
"Adjustable length"
Each of the two handles on the leash have a hook on point so that you are able to double up link to the belt and adjust the length. I normally double up to the first handle which brings the leash down to around 40”, I have found this to be a perfect length for running and walking leave me enough slack for Breck to have breathing room and not too much to where the leash is dragging on the ground or getting caught up on her.
Each connection point on the leash is triple stitched and I have no doubt will last forever. The bungee part of the leash is covered with the heavy duty nylon to match the rest of the leash.
The materials are top notch and to top it all off every Iron Doggy product is built in the US. As I have stated in many reviews before this I love supporting companies that take the time and effort to build their products in the US. Not many companies have their direction and ethics nowadays.
Overall, the Runner’s Choice by Iron Doggy has become my favorite piece of kit when it comes to anything I do with Brecken. From the amazing build quality to the ease of use, and the difference it makes when adventuring outdoors with Breck this leash is second to none. Although I received this leash for review it has not impacted my review in any way and I would have no problem buying my next product from Iron Doggy for full price if it is anything like the Runner’s Choice. If you need a leash that will finally last and help you run, hike, or just explore the outdoors with your best friend this is the leash.
You can purchase the Runner's Choice here
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- Made in the US
- Top-tier materials and construction
- Multiple attachment points
- Slide buckle to allow for easy use and transitions
- Adjustable Belt
- Bungee sections to give extreme comfort while running
- Re-enforced stitching
- Amazing Customer Service
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- Only comes in one color, which is the only “negative” I found