Axaeco Harness X Run Review

Axaeco was founded in Gafsele, Southern Lapland, Sweden, in 2007, as a premium dog gear company specializing in high-quality equipment for active and racing sled dogs.

The founder Henry Coronica, has experience with sled dogs since 1997 and participated in renowned sled dog races across Europe. His goal was to deliver innovative, performance-focused sledding products designed with a deep understanding of canine needs.

Axaeco Harness X Run

Lightweight and waterproof

A light but durable medium-length pulling harness with a patented design.

Check their website

About the Axaeco Harness X Run

The “Harness X Run” is an EUIPO-patented pulling harness designed specifically for this activity. It is designed to be between half harnesses and traditional X-back/long harnesses, offering a shorter design that is suitable for activities with higher pulling points such as canicross, bikejoring, and scooter skijoring - however, it shouldn’t be used for sledding.

Axaeco Harness X Run Review | Dog Gear Review

This harness was created to keep weight to a minimum, so it only provides minimal padding by using waterproof synthetic foam. The harness is constructed from Rip-stop nylon with an external Cordura® D500 shell and features 3M™ reflective strips for enhanced visibility in low-light conditions.

This is a very low-maintenance harness: most of the dirt can be just brushed/rinsed off but it can also be machine-washed at a maximum of 30°C if needed - but should not be tumble-dried. It is available in only one color - the high-visibility neon we used.

It comes in 10 sizes (XXS to XXL) and on their website you can find a gallery of photos of different dogs in different sizes to show visual examples of the fit which is very handy when trying to choose a size.

Axaeco Harness X Run Review

Zulu is a gear-shy dog and while she loves pulling sports, she does get stressed out from the process of putting on more rigid harnesses that cover her back. I really like the concept of a well-fitting, durable but super lightweight pulling harness for these dogs or for summer sessions when we don’t want the heat to trap under the harness and the Axaeco Harness X Run provides just that!

The Harness X Run doesn’t have any adjustment points or buckles to ensure they are not chafing the dog while they are pulling. The neck section fit around Zulu’s neck perfectly and while the harness seemed to sit too close to her armpits when there was no leash pressure, it was actually borderline too long when she was pulling with full force and the material was fully stretched out. Comparing the below photo with the cover photo shows a really good example of why we need to evaluate the fit of pulling harnesses when they are being used.

If you want to read more about the pros and cons of different pulling harness lengths, check out our article on the topic!

While this harness needs to go over the head and the legs need to be lifted to put it on, Zulu was more comfortable with this than with putting on a more rigid harness. On the other hand, the lack of significant padding can be an issue when used over a longer period, especially on dogs who don’t have a thick double coat under it.

When it comes to the fit, the harness sits perfectly around ZUlu’s neck and the width of the part between the front legs was a very comfortable fit even on the very narrow Zulu.

Another consequence of the lack of padding and using a shorter design is that this harness is more prone to rotating to the side especially if the dog tends to not run right in front of the bike.

This was a more prominent issue for Zulu for two reasons:

She is still not an experienced pulling dog and having the bike behind her stresses her out so she prefers to run a bit to the right - still out front but on the side of the path which causes the leash to be at an angle. This would rotate all harnesses but the farther back the leash attachment point is, the less significant this rotation would be.
Zulu has an unusually deep and also pointy chest. This is not that visible in the photos but her chest basically has a sharp V shape when you look at it from the front. This makes harness rotations very visible on her and most harnesses slide to one side on her because they naturally slide off that deepest point of her chest. Only heavy padded harnesses with a wider chest piece stay in place on her.

I went into more details on her shape before showing the next photos to understand that, for example, a labrador would be a lot less likely (unlikely?) to have the same rotation issue, or at least not to the extent you see in the photos below. When pulling, the Harness X Run kept sliding into Zulu’s right armpit because she was running on the right of the bike so it rotated the harness to that side and it was clearly uncomfortable for her to pull with the bottom part cutting into her armpit and pulling the right leg out to the side.

Front view of the rotating harness

Side view

While I know some competition-level teams are using these and other similar harnesses, it was not a good fit for Zulu for the above-mentioned reasons and we have only taken it out a handful of times. The Harness X Run could be a good option for gear-shy dogs who only pull lightly or for dogs who have a more “flat” chest and/or pull right in front (in the middle) so the front piece is less likely to slide in the armpits.

This harness is specifically designed for pulling so I wouldn’t recommend it for regular walking, hiking, or for dogs who run without leash pressure as it rides up on the back easily. Having a light, minimalistic harness always comes with a tradeoff in regards to stability and padding so it is important to understand what each dog needs and find a harness that fits those needs.

Axaeco Harness X Run Review Summary

The Axaeco Harness X Run is a well-made, sturdy harness designed specifically for pulling activities with a higher pulling point. It offers a lightweight, minimalistic design that works well for gear-shy dogs or for summer sessions. However, the harness’s stability can be a concern for dogs with a pointy, deep chest, like Zulu, or those who tend to pull at an angle, as it is prone to rotating and potentially causing discomfort.

I liked its high-visibility color, the easy leash attachment with the large rope loop, and that it is a well-made, sturdy but still super light harness.

When choosing a harness, always make sure it is a good fit for YOUR dog. If you need help deciding on the fit, you can read our article on harness fitting.