DISCLAIMER: I received these Outback Dreamer sleeping bags free of charge from Hurtta North America in exchange for my honest review. The following review is based solely on my honest opinions and experiences with this product.
Creature Comforts at Camp
We started bringing sleeping bags for our dogs on camping trips a few years ago. Our dogs are not dainty, high-maintenance dogs by any means, but they deserve a comfortable place to rest after a long day on the trail. Before getting sleeping bags, we brought dog beds or blankets for them to lie on. The beds weren’t exactly meant to be used outside and got really gross and the blankets didn’t provide much separation from the cold ground at night.
We’ve tried a few different brands of sleeping bags over the years and there was always one thing sorely lacking… Portability. Until now!
Hurtta Outback Dreamer – Comfort & Warmth Without the Bulk
FUNCTION
The Outback Dreamer from Hurtta is an amazing sleeping bag! During the day, it provides a comfortable spot for the dogs to relax around camp between hikes. After the sun goes down, it functions as a perfect cocoon to keep them warm on a chilly night. Hurtta has created a better, smarter sleeping bag! The heat reflective interior layer uses your dog’s own body heat to keep the bag insulated and warm, without it being big and bulky. Plus, the outer layer of the bag is moisture resistant, so you don’t have to worry about throwing it on the ground for your dog to lie on in the mornings, dew and all. It’s an all-around great sleeping bag. 5 stars all the way!
DESIGN
The Outback Dreamer is made with the same attention to detail and craftsmanship that we’ve come to expect from Hurtta products. It’s made with Hurtta’s patented Houndtex® material, which is both weather resistant and breathable, “designed for especially demanding conditions and heavy wear.” The outer Houndtex® shell of the Outback Dreamer keeps out moisture and wind. It’s also easy to wipe down, not prone to getting dirty, and doesn’t pill like some other bags we’ve tried. The inner foil lining reflects your dog’s body heat, providing plenty of warmth, and in between is a thin layer of wadding for comfort and insulation. Because of the heat-reflecting inside layer, the wadding doesn’t need to be bulky and heavy like most of the Outback Dreamer’s competitors.
This enabled Hurtta to make a lighter, warmer, PORTABLE sleeping bag for dogs that crushes the competition.
The Outback Dreamer may not be the shape that you’ve come to expect when you think “dog sleeping bag” but that’s what makes it genius! Unlike other bags that are more oval shaped and elongated, the Outback Dreamer is circular to mimic a dog’s natural sleeping position. This is the first sleeping bag that Boomer (our hound) really likes and I attribute that to her ability to assume her patented “coonhound curl” position in it at night.
Hurtta Outback Dreamer Dimensions – Source: www.hurtta.com
The Outback Dreamer packs up relatively small and is SO much easier to justify bringing backpacking than any other bag we’ve used to date. I do wish that the large was just a tad bit smaller when rolled up to make it easier to pack, but this can be fixed by using a compression sack. I’d love to see the pouch that it comes in replaced with something a bit smaller, possibly even a custom compression sack to make it even more portable than it already is. This is the only thing that I would change about the Outback Dreamer and the reason I gave it a 4.5 instead of 5 star design rating. The sleeping bag itself is a home run, I just wish that a little more thought went into the pouch that it came in.
At this time, the Outback Dreamer only comes in one color, but boy are we in love with it. They call it orange, but it’s more of a sunny yellow and it’s such a fun, happy color. The underside of the bag is black, which is great because it doesn’t show dirt easily.
QUALITY
The rugged Houndtex® material that I mentioned earlier really is built tough. Hurtta products aren’t cheap pieces of dog gear that you’ll find in your big box pet stores. They aren’t marketed towards your average casual dog owner. They’re made for people who adventure with their dogs. People who bring their canine companions with them to climb mountains and backpack and hike during snowstorms. In short, this stuff is made to be abused. Like the rest of the Hurtta line, the Outback Dreamer is built to last. That’s why it’s so easy to justify the higher price point. Unlike the lower price point options on the market, you won’t need to replace this bag next season, or next year. It’ll be with you for years to come.
Would we recommend this to a friend?
The answer to this question is an emphatic yes! We absolutely love the Outback Dreamer and would recommend it to anyone who likes to adventure with their dog(s). Not only is it great for overnight use, but it also doubles as a dog mat. The Outback Dreamer is a perfect spot for your pooch to hang out at picnics, barbecues, even on long hikes. You do not have to be an avid camper to benefit from this stellar sleeping bag.
Overall Rating:
Hope you enjoyed our review! Have questions or comments? Feel free to leave a comment or shoot us an email via our contact us page.
For more information or to order your own Outback Dreamer, go to https://www.hurtta247.com/
For other great Hurtta products, check out our reviews of the Hurtta Life Savior and Hurtta Active Harness.
Thanks for reading!
Debbie & THE MUTTS
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29 Comments
We’ve read some great things about Hurtta. Love this sleeping bag – looks quite cozy! Love that it has multi-function too!
They’re seriously our favorite dog brand. Ever. The quality and craftsmanship is unmatched. Loving this sleeping bag! Thanks for checking out our review!
Debbie your pictures are magnificent!! The dogs are stunning and the scenery!! I had no idea there was such a thing as a doggie sleeping bag, although why should I be surprised. I’ve never been camping, and never adopt dogs that could hike so this is all new and fascinating territory. I really enjoyed reading about your adventure and look forward to more!!
Thank you so much! I love taking pictures of my dogs and they’re become the best models 🙂 We hadn’t heard of dog sleeping bags until a couple of years ago, but as soon as we got our first one, it became a vital addition to our camping gear list. The dogs love them so much that they now use them a lot at home even. They use them in the backyard and we even have one in our dining room that they use to be close to me when I work in there on my computer. lol. Thanks for checking out our review!
Although I am not a camper, and neither is my dog, but why has someone not come up with this before?! What a great product that many people can use for their dogs. I think I would use this even when not going camping.
It really is such a game changer. We use ours for activities other than camping too. If it’s been rainy and gross for a few days and the sun finally decides to come out, my dogs want to stay in the yard for hours soaking up the sunshine. Sometimes I’ll bring out their sleeping bags and lay them out in the sun for them. Our whole pack gets SO excited and runs right over to claim their bags. LOL It’s pretty cute. You can use them at the park, in the car, for picnics, or even just around the house for a comfy relaxation spot. 🙂
Oh my gosh… that is the cutest thing! I didn’t know they made doggie sleeping bags! How cool! I love how practical and durable it sounds too. Glad you guys found something that works so well for you!
Yes! They really are super practical… and ALSO crazy cute. Haha! Our dogs love them and get SO much use out of them, more than I ever would have imagined. We even bring them when we stay in cabins, hotels, other people’s houses, etc as a replacement for dog beds, because they love them so much and they take up a lot less space in the car. Thanks for checking out our review 🙂
I never heard of the Outback Dreamer. Who knew? What a great product for your adventure seeking doggies. I don’t have a dog but can totally appreciate the modern design, especially thinking of the moisture resistant exterior. That makes perfect sense because in the wilderness in nature you never know what mess you’ll encounter. Thanks for sharing your in depth review. Great pictures too.
The Outback Dreamer is a brand new product to hit the market from Hurtta. It’s definitely a very well-designed piece of dog gear. You can tell that a lot of time and thought went in to every aspect of this sleeping bag to make it the perfect solution for adventurous dogs. Thanks so much for checking out our review. So glad you liked the pictures too. Taking them is my favorite part 🙂
This looks great. Do you know how much they cost? I know one of my pups would love this.
Hey Amy! The price differs depending on the size, ranging from $70 for a small to $110 for a large. Hurtta is a premium brand and you can tell by the quality of their gear. Well worth the price tag
This is great, thanks! We are taking Ruby on a camping trip out west in August and this looks like it would be a great choice for her!
P.S.: In response to your question, she absolutely loves her new bed. Took her a day or so to get used to it, but now it is her favorite.
I’m so glad you found our review helpful. I bet Ruby would love an Outback Dreamer of her own for your trip. Where are you headed? We’re trying to plan a trip west in November ourselves to hit AZ and possibly UT.
Thanks for the response about by bed question too. That sounds about right. I’m so glad Ruby loves it. I’m sure ours would once they got used to it too. I’ll definitely look into them.
Those are AMAZING! I love the colour, too. I can picture Henry nesting in one. It’s great that they are designed to create a good protective barrier the cold ground.
Isn’t is such a bright, cheerful color? So happy with it. I bet Henry would LOVE an Outback Dreamer to snuggle up in. Hurtta really has thought of everything and developed such a smart sleeping bag. Thanks for reading our review!
I didn’t even know they made sleeping bags for dogs! What a great product, I love Hurta’s products!
Love & biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Right? Not a product you see in pet stores, but there are actually a lot of brands that make sleeping bags for dogs. We were so excited when we heard Hurtta was coming out with their own design. We are huge Hurtta fans and this sleeping bag was just as awesome as we expected! Thanks for checking out our review!
We are Hurtta fans in our household and have several of their jackets and coats. I did not know a new outdoor gear item was on the market. It looks so well made, and Hurtta has a great reputation. Thanks for the insights on it and cute pics!
I love finding other Hurtta fans! Their gear is amazing and we have never been anything but impressed with their products. We have their coats, jackets, life jackets, harnesses.. Most of our dogs’ adventure gear is all Hurtta at this point. If you’re ever in the market for a sleeping bag, I highly recommend the Outback Dreamer. SO well designed. Thanks for reading!
Thanks for this review. I have been looking at this sleeping bag. I’m glad you enjoyed it. It looks like such a great design.
I highly recommend it! We absolutely love the Outback Dreamer. SO well made and well designed. Thanks for checking out our review 🙂
I used to have an outdoor dog bed (not a sleeping bag) that we wore out. It was great to have something small and light that I could toss on a concrete patio at a restaurant or use when camping. Maybe this would be a good replacement?
It’s great to have something that you can tote around easily to give your dog a comfy place to hang out on the go. We have used these sleeping bags everywhere and they work great for that purpose. They aren’t as plush as some other sleeping bags or beds, which makes them a lot more portable, but also less comfy on super hard surfaces like concrete. For dirt, sand, grass, decks, etc, these are our go-tos though. Hope that’s a helpful answer. Thanks for reading!
This looks like a well-designed sleeping bag! I’ve read a lot of favorable reviews of Hurtta products. I hope to get a canoe one day, and then life vests (most likely from Hurtta.)
All of the Hurtta products that we have used are amazing. The attention to detail and craftsmanship are unparalleled. We have the Hurtta Life Saviors too (their life jackets) and they’re definitely our favorite life jackets to date! Highly recommend them! Thanks for reading our review.
Is this sleeping bag machine washable? My pup is happiest when he’s as muddy as can be.
Hey Becca! Thanks for reading our review of the Hurtta Outback Dreamer. I have personally never washed our sleeping bags in the machine. They’ve gotten pretty dirty, but the exterior fabric is pretty water repellent, so it doesn’t get that dirty. I just wipe or hose them down and hang them to dry. If you did have to wash them, I assume you could wash them on the gentle cycle. I wouldn’t dry them in the dryer though, because of the heat reflective interior lining. I would reach out to Hurtta directly before you put them in the wash though, don’t take my word for it! Hope that’s helpful
I have been researching dog sleeping bags for my 100 lb black lab mix. She is tall and lanky and always out hiking/camping with us. Would you recommend the large to fit my girl? Or are you possibly working on an XLarge version? If so, sign me up first!