Colorado Springs’ Gretchen Dill knows that hiking with your dogs can be challenging.
Where do you keep the leash, the treats, the waste bags, the water, your phone, wallet and keys?
Oh, and what about that waste bag that’s now full? Do you hang the smelly bag off your pack or hold it for the rest of the hike?
With two dogs, one a senior and one a young dog in training, Dill knows that there are never enough pockets on a traditional pack. She’s learned the hard way that pants pockets are unreliable holders for personal items, like sunglasses.
“I thought there had to be a better solution for the things you need to access on the trail,” she said.
So, in late 2017, Dill began developing the idea for the MuttRuk, a backpack for humans with features tailored specifically for hiking or walking with dogs.
“Grabbing three or four different kinds of pouches and packs to prepare for a few hours outdoors with my dogs led me to brainstorming a better solution. One backpack that would meet the needs of both human and dog for a day outdoors,” she said.
While's Dill's product idea was spurred by a personal pain point, it's one that fortunately sits within a booming sector. In 2017, the pet retail sector topped $70 billion, an almost 50 percent spike from just four years ago.
With a background in graphic design and a general grasp of sewing, Dill began developing her first product, the Phoenix 14 pack. After much prototyping, she launched the product on Kickstarter this spring, raising over $25,000 from 190 backers with 10 days still to go.
The pack offers 14 liters of water bladder compatible pack space, with specialized waist straps that offer a waste bag dispenser, leash loop for short hands-free needs, as well as zip-out, washable nylon liners for treats and waste duties.
The shoulder straps offer four additional pockets accessible from the front; for quick access to items like sunglasses, camera phones, keys, safety tools and more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaiHCbNQRik
Dill said the pack’s four straps are her favorite feature and have been a hit with the brand representatives that have been testing the product.
“Having the simplicity of a washable liner and having the treats directly there has been so handy,” she said, adding that this eliminates the need for plastic bags. Dill is working to develop a design patent on the bag’s shoulder straps. The Phoenix 14 pack is currently selling for $140 on Kickstarter and is expected to ship by November of this year. Dill said she’s been blown away by the support on the campaign from a community of people looking to find a better solution for hiking with their dogs.
“It’s honestly been astounding and really mind-blowing, you want to have confidence in your own design and own product, but you hope it resonates with other people,” she said.
Once the Kickstarter campaign is completed, her focus will shift to production and marketing, with hopes to get the MuttRuk on Amazon and in retail stores across the country.
