OneTigris is a tactical-style outdoor gear store selling all kinds of products from airsoft gear to affordable military-style dog harnesses.
FIRE Watcher Dog Harness 2.0
Updated Heavy-duty harness design
Use the code DGRCODE-US10 on their website for a 10% discount on all OneTigris products.
Disclaimer: this review contains affiliate links, which support Dog Gear Review if you purchase the product after clicking on it without costing you anything extra. Using affiliate links will never compromise us in writing unbiased, honest reviews!
How is the 2.0 different from the original Fire Watcher harness?
We also reviewed their original harness two years ago that you can check out here. The review has two sections since they later updated the original design to better fit medium-sized dogs. The photo below shows the updated version of the 1.0 version (not the 2.0).
The most significant difference between the 1.0 and the 2.0 designs is the more streamlined back panel, reinforced stitchwork, and the more robust, thicker feel of the harness. They also replaced the plastic leash attachment points with stainless steel rings and updated the simple webbing handle on the back with a more robust one. They also brought the chest straps a lot closer to the armpits, but it still leaves enough space not to chafe them.
The photo below is from their product site.
About the Fire Watcher 2.0 harness in general
The Fire Watcher 2.0 harness has four adjustable straps with buckles on all of them. This is helpful for gear-shy dogs who don’t like the harness going over their head or if the dog has a proportionally big head compared to its neck and chest.
As most of the OneTigris harnesses, the Fire Watcher also features a large velcro panel. It not only has velcro on the back panel but there is also a smaller one on the chest piece, above the front ring, that’s visible when the dog is facing you.
The harness is lined with a breathable mesh lining that provides padding.
OneTigris offers most colors with the option of getting it either with UTX Duraflex plastic buckles or metal buckles if someone prefers added strength over a lighter harness. The outer material is made of 1000D Nylon, which gives a heavy-duty feel to the harness compared to the flimsiness of the original 1.0 version.
This new design comes in five colors and four sizes and fits medium and large dogs.
Fire Watcher 2.0 Harness Review
Altogether there is a significant improvement between the original and the 2.0 version, and I always appreciate companies who continually improve their products.
Although OneTigris’s products tend to be designed for wider chested, larger dogs, the Fire Watcher fit Mia reasonably well. I had to tighten the neck-straps all the way, and it probably could have been tightened maybe a half-inch more or so but it fit her well-enough altogether.
The original version felt more like a flimsy vest than a harness, but the 2.0 is a much thicker, more rigid harness with a quality feel. We received the version with the plastic buckles, and those are the only part of this harness that didn’t impress me. There is nothing wrong with plastic buckles in general, but these didn’t feel as heavy-duty as the other parts of the harness. However, they haven’t failed us at any point, so no quality issues to mention. I appreciated, though, that the buckles’ color matches the harness itself.
The version with metal buckles has a much more robust look since the metal buckles, and their webbing seem wider on the same sized harness based on their product photos.
An interesting design choice is that this harness only has one leash attachment point on the back panel, which is closer to the dog’s neck. We wrote another article going through the pros and cons of different leash attachment points if you are interested in reading more on the topic.
We used this harness for city walks when having the leash attached closer to the neck provided excellent control. However, some of their other harnesses feature two back rings that would make this harness more versatile as well.
The easy-to-grab handle behind the neck also gives great control over the dog, although it is not helpful if you want to use it to lift the dog or help them over steep sections while hiking.
The section between the front feet narrows down nicely, and it even fit Mia’s narrow chest without touching the inside of the front legs. The no-pull front ring is usable but is positioned a little too low on Mia and makes the harness slide up and rotate around a lot. It could be more functional if it were placed above the front velcro panel. This might not be an issue for a broader and deeper chested dog since the ring would probably be proportionally higher on their chest.
The same is true for the wide neck straps that cover Mia’s shoulders. This could restrict her shoulders if she were pulling on the leash, although with the leash attachment point being right behind the neck, the pressure point on the chest and shoulders will be less significant than we discussed in the article about shoulder restriction and there would be more pressure on the lower neck.
The wide neck straps would probably be ideal for most dogs with a broader chest.
The more rigid material of the back panel results in it somewhat sticking up when the dog’s head is lower. This isn’t a problem, but it shows that it is not a soft, snugly fitting harness and it doesn’t move with the dog much.
The downside of the more robust design and padding is that it does soak in water and mud. Most of it dries pretty fast, but the harness stays damp for some time. Over the summer, the extensive coverage can also be a disadvantage since it will heat up the dog even though the mesh material somewhat helps with the airflow.
Update on 08/2022
The Fire Watcher harness is now OneTigris’ first harness that comes in high-visibility orange color!
Functionality Review of the harness
No-pull correction: Although its position might not be ideal for all dogs, its no-pull front ring can be used for training loose leash walking.
Running/Biking: It is not ideal if the dog pulls. Since the leash attachment point is right behind the neck, the leash pressure will pull the harness up at an angle, probably moving the chest plate higher up and putting pressure on the lower neck. However, if it allows a free range of shoulder motion, it can be used for dogs who run without pressure on the leash.
Hiking: I would use a more visible harness for hiking and prefer one with the leash attachment point farther back. It doesn’t fit into the product line of OneTigris, but it would be nice to have a more visible version of this harness for people who hike in hunting season or for people with service dogs. The handle is also not ideal for helping a dog on a steep hike.
City walk: Works well; the leash attachment point and the handle behind the neck provide excellent control over the dog.
Easy to put on/adjust: Easy. All the straps are adjustable and have buckles.
Visibility: This harness is the opposite of visible, but that’s intentional.
Review Summary
The Fire Watcher 2.0 does have a well-deserved spot on the product list of OneTigtris. We have used this harness for over three months, and its quality and durability are impressive. As with most of their products, it fits broader dogs better, but its sizing and the adjustment range of the straps leave room for finding a good fit for most dogs.
We found it more ideal for structured walks and training over hikes due to the position of the leash attachment points and the handle.
As always, be sure the harness is a good fit for YOUR dog. If you need help deciding, read our article on harness fitting.
FIRE Watcher Dog Harness 2.0
Updated Heavy-duty harness design
Use the code DGRCODE-US10 on their website for a 10% discount on all OneTigris products.
Disclaimer: this review contains affiliate links, which support Dog Gear Review if you purchase the product after clicking on it without costing you anything extra. Using affiliate links will never compromise us in writing unbiased, honest reviews!
Mia’s measurements
Many of you asked Mia’s measurements to better understand the different products’ fit. Your best chance of finding a good fitting gear is always to measure (and remeasure) your dog. Even we grab the measuring tape before getting a new product - even though we tested a lot of them, and have a good feeling of her size by now.
I share her measurements below, but don’t go ahead and order the same size just because your dog is similar to Mia ;)
Shoulder height: 19.5 inches (50 cm)
Weight: 37-44 pounds (17-20 kg)
Widest chest circumference (where the most harness would have the chest strap): 25-26 inches (63-65 cm)
Neck circumference for collars: 15-16 inches (38-40 cm)
Back lengths: 22 inches (56 cm)
