How much does dog gear cost for a thru-hike?

Our complete dog gear list for the AT totaled $880, including three months of food. The gear alone (without food) was about $540.

How much weight should a dog carry in a backpack?

No more than 15-20% of their body weight. Our 75-pound dog carried 6-7 pounds max in his Ruffwear Approach Pack — well under the limit.

What's the most important piece of dog hiking gear?

A well-fitted backpack. If your dog can carry their own food, it dramatically extends how many days you can stay on trail between resupplies.

Dog Gear List for Long Distance or Thru Hiking with a Dog

The complete gear list we used for 900 miles on the Appalachian Trail with our dog Toby — every item, what it cost, and whether it held up.

This is the complete gear list we used for our 900-mile Appalachian Trail section hike with Toby, a 75-pound chocolate lab and German shorthaired pointer mix. Every item was trail-tested for three months. Total cost: $880.

Physical preparation was more important to our success than any single gear item. But the right gear made the difference between comfortable and miserable.

The Complete List

Item	Cost
Waterproof dog collar (dogIDs)	$35
Hands-free leash	$23
Dog backpack (Ruffwear Approach)	$80
Dog hammock (VersaTrek)	$55
Dog sleeping bag (Ruffwear Highlands)	$100
Jacket (Ruffwear Quinzee Insulated)	$80
Dog booties (QUMY)	$27
Collapsible bowl	$10
Dehydrated dog food (68 lbs Honest Kitchen)	$340
Trowel (Deuce of Spades)	$20
Collar night-light (6-pack LED)	$11
Paw conditioner (Musher’s Secret)	$12
Elbow conditioner	$7
Multivitamin (90-day supply)	$26
Tweezers	$5
Water filter (Katadyn BeFree 3.0L)	$47
Total	$880

Collar and ID — $35

A waterproof, laser-engraved collar from dogIDs. Soft grip material that wipes clean in seconds after creek crossings. Up to 4 rows of engraved text means no jangling metal tags to lose on trail. Toby’s bright teal collar looked brand new at mile 900.

Hands-Free Leash — $23

A two-part hip-clip system that let us hike hands-free while keeping Toby secure. Versatile enough for trail hiking, securing at camp, and overnight restraint. Worth every penny for the freedom it gives on technical terrain.

Backpack: Ruffwear Approach Pack — $80

Weighs just one pound. Water-resistant interior. Toby carried 6–7 pounds maximum — well below the recommended 15–20% of body weight threshold for a 75-pound dog. The pack fit 4–5 days of dehydrated food comfortably.

This pack was durable through the entire journey, though the interior plastic coating wore through after machine washing. Hand wash only.

Dog Hammock: VersaTrek — $55

Summer setup. This lightweight 8-ounce gear hammock hung directly beneath our hammock, giving Toby his own sleeping platform off the ground with rain protection from above. Handles up to 400 pounds.

Sleeping Bag: Ruffwear Highlands — $100

Winter setup. When we switched to tent camping in colder months, this sleeping bag kept Toby warm inside a two-person tent. Honest note: at 12 × 4 inches packed, it’s bulky for thru-hiking. I carried it, not Toby. For future attempts, I’d look into custom alternatives.

Jacket: Ruffwear Quinzee Insulated — $80

Essential below 40–45°F. Lightweight, machine washable, and compresses small for packing. Toby wore this on cold mornings and at camp during shoulder seasons.

Booties: QUMY Dog Boots — $27

Didn’t need these until New Hampshire’s White Mountains, where sharp granite tore up Toby’s paw pads. Proper acclimation before extended use is important — practice at home so your dog walks naturally in them.

Collapsible Bowl — $10

A large silicone bowl that served for both food and water. Weighs almost nothing and fits three cups of material. Get the large size — you need room for rehydrated food plus water.

Food: Honest Kitchen Dehydrated — $340

68 pounds purchased in bulk, portioned into individual meal bags before departure. Two cups dehydrated per meal, mixed with 3–4 cups water. Added olive oil to boost calories. Toby ate approximately 270 pounds of rehydrated food over three months.

Trowel: Deuce of Spades — $20

At 0.6 ounces, this is the lightest trowel you can carry. Essential for burying dog waste on trail. Only downside: struggles in frozen or packed earth.

Collar Night-Light — $11

LED clip-on lights for dawn, dusk, and night hiking visibility. A pack of six lasted the entire three months with 1–2 hours of nightly use. Cheap insurance.

Paw Care: Musher’s Secret — $12

Applied nightly as a paw pad protector. One can lasted the entire three months. This became a ritual and was essential for maintaining paw health across every terrain type.

Elbow Butter — $7

A lesser-known product that addresses dry skin, cracking, and chafing. Applied to elbows and any friction points. Small tube, lasted the whole trip.

Multivitamin — $26

A 90-day supply of 5-in-1 multivitamin supporting skin, coat, joint health, digestion, immunity, and cardiac function. Peace of mind when your dog’s diet is the same thing every day for three months.

Tweezers — $5

For tick and thorn removal. Used these almost daily. Don’t forget them.

Water Filter: Katadyn BeFree 3.0L — $47

Served double duty for human and dog hydration. The 3-liter capacity was plenty — we rarely carried more than two liters at a time thanks to abundant water sources on the AT.

What I’d Change

Skip the sleeping bag for thru-hiking — too bulky. Find a lighter insulation solution.
Bring booties from day one — don’t wait until paw damage forces the issue.
Buy more Musher’s Secret — one can was cutting it close.