Ruffwear is an outdoor dog gear brand based in Bend, Oregon, founded in 1994. The company is dedicated to creating gear for outdoor adventures and is guided by performance, adventure, and sustainability principles. They are committed to conducting business to maximize the good they can do in the world while being conscious of their impact on the planet.
Powder Hound Jacket
Big coverage with elastic sections
A formfitting winter dog coat with elastic StormSleeves. High-loft polyester insulated upper and belly panels
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About the Ruffwear Powder Hound Jacket
The Powder Hound Dog Jacket is a winter coat tailored to keep your dog warm and comfortable during chilly outings.
Designed with a focus on functionality, this jacket boasts a high-loft recycled polyester insulation on the back and belly sections while its four-way stretch sleeves and side panels offer unrestricted movement. The StormSleeve™ seals in warmth effectively around the core while keeping the snow out.
The full-length zipper offers an easier on/off experience while reflective trim enhances visibility in low-light conditions. The 75 denier polyester shell fabric has a water-repellent (DWR) finish that sheds light moisture.
Ruffwear Powder Hound Jacket Review
The Powder Hound offers form-fitting protection for cold walks without restriction.
The full-length zipper made it a lot easier to get it on and off Zulu compared to the Furness jacket which needed to go over her head. Ruffwear’s recommendation is to zip up the jacket just a little bit before starting to pull the legs through which helps to hold the jacket up while you are dealing with lifting the legs. They pull it over the dog’s head that way in the video but for Zulu, I just connected the zipper after putting the coat in position around her neck as she is more gear-shy.
As Zulu is a narrow dog with a deep chest, we had a bit of extra room under the Small Powder Hound especially when she dropped most of her fur mid-winter. One size down would have been way too small for her and I liked the coverage of the small size altogether but the fit on her was baggier than I see on most dogs.
Even though Zulu is a narrower dog, the width of the section between the legs was still a pretty good fit and the elastic side panels also allow for flexibility to fit dogs with different ratios.
This jacket doesn’t have a leash opening or leg loops - however, the back section still stays in place pretty well due to the extended coverage around the chest.
The big coverage without adjustability will also cause some dogs to fall between sizes which is always a tradeoff with more closed designs. The Powder Hound comes in six sizes which provides a decent range but not enough to work for all dogs.
As the side panels are not waterproof, it is best used on cold dry days or when it’s cold enough that the snow is not melting. While we had no issues with the outer material so far, they are not super sturdy canvas materials that can easily handle thorns and run through very dense undergrowth.
I appreciate the attention to small details - like adding the lED loop light for the back and using nice accent colors for the zipper. This coat currently comes in three colors and Zulu is wearing the Persimmon Orange.
Ruffwear Powder Hound Jacket Review Summary
The Ruffwear Powder Hound is a surprisingly light and packable coat that makes it easy to bring along for adventures. The sleeves and the elastic side panels help keep the heat in and the snow from getting in and melting under the chest area - however, on some dogs, there might be some gap around the neck where deep, fresh snow could get in.
It is a comfortable, low-profile coat that is ideal to run through snow and keep the core of active dogs warm.
Powder Hound Jacket
Big coverage with elastic sections
A formfitting winter dog coat with elastic StormSleeves. High-loft polyester insulated upper and belly panels
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!
Zulu’s measurements
Shoulder height: 19 inches (50 cm)
Weight: 29 pounds (13 kg)
Widest chest circumference: 24 inches (60 cm)
Neck circumference for collars: 14 inches (35 cm)
Back lengths: 18 inches (46 cm)
