I loved the idea of this collar. 3 in collars for everyday use are hard to find. After 8 months of owning it, the buckle is failing at a rate that I have to retire it for my dog's safety.
The buckle comes undone when only one lever is depresed instead of both as it should. If my dog sees a prey animal or threat and he postures at the end of the of leash, the collar slides to the base of his neck. When his neck is erect, the pressure put on the lower lever of the buckle from where his neck meets his back depresses the lever and the collar comes undone.
It's only usable if you constantly adjust it to keep it from the base of the dog's neck (impractical) or you always make sure you have slack on your leash, I would've bought a collar from PetSmart if I wanted to operate like that.
I emailed goat trail and got an automated reply. I wanted to buy another, but at modest discount. I replied again and got no response.
I use a different style 3 in collar from another vendor for working, it's a bit of a hassle for an everyday collar, but I'll probably buy another for walks.
For context, I have a 115 lb Presa Canario.
I ordered the collar July 12th and it still has not arrived and is now September. They won’t issue me a refund and keep delaying my order. Absolutely unacceptable.
I got this harness for my blue heeler and it fits him perfectly great quality
This is the best collar I ever came across. I like it so much. I had to order another one for my other dog.
I have a great pyrenees who is a true beast! Two years ago I had to get him a custom-designed collar because we couldn't find any collars his size. I am glad we found the DIreBeast, it is comfortable, gets the job done very well, and seems very sturdy. I just wish there were more colors, we could definitely use an orange one.
Over all pretty happy with the purchase
I bought this for my 1 1/2 yr old working DDR male German shepherd. I go for daily 3+ mile hikes above my home in rural Washington State where I usually climb 1,000 vertical feet. I bought this to mainly fill the molle pouches with lead shot to slow my male GSD down and keep him closer while we hike. This pack did exactly what i thought it would. Great quality, but i bought a large knowing that he was probably on the smaller side of large but felt he would grow into it. Its to big. If I had to do it over again, I would buy the medium as the large had to be synched tight. The Molle pouches are secured with snaps that did come unsnapped with the weight I had in them but would probably be fine with a lighter load. I will work on finding a way to better secure the pouches. Overall, its a good looking and very functional pack that cause no irritation to my dog and he never tried to throw the packs or bite at them.
It has held up so well and my pitbull gets compliments on it all the time. My biggest worry initially was that the chest buckle would rip out since my pittie likes to pull if she’s excited and we were using it to re-train. Not a single stitch has ripped. The buckles are completely in tact. There are small signs of wear from a few strings around the Velcro part, and the coloring on the buckle has started to come off but that’s it. The patches have never fell off and it’s comfortable for her to wear. The biggest downfall is that my pittie is short, so the straps have to be tucked in so she doesn’t trip. But honestly I don’t think she’ll ever have another harness again!
This review is for the DireBeast XXL from Goat Trail Tactical. Aptly named, as I do not know of another nylon 3 inch width with quick release style buckle available anywhere and I have looked everywhere including custom products. Obviously named after the Dire wolf, the largest now extinct wolf species which weighed up to 175 lbs. My own dog is called a Volkodav, translated as "wolf crusher" and in this case he is half Malakli and half Alabai, weighing in over 220 lbs and standing over 3 feet at the shoulder. He is a chunk of muscle and very unforgiving on equipment that is inferior, making him a real test to this collar. While Austri Alpine types might say they are rated to x lbs, my boy seems to be able to bust them along with many other hardware devices. In most cases the hardware is the weak link. This is true in collar buckles and in leash attachments. The buckle So far has surprised me in that it has held tight and not shown signs of stress. I think it might just be the ticket. One note though: When connecting, make sure that that you are square on and not off center, or it may bind and not connect. The strap itself is a bit thin, also surprising, as I normally prefer such beastly collars to have solid form and support for my beast to support his weight and prevent choking. In this case though it appears to be of decent quality and certainly strong enough to hold up to the task at hand. Stitching is straight and no loose threads were present. There was a nice padded neoprene liner to add cushion which help offset the thinness of the material. As a note: my dog is a working dog and must wear a heavy (almost 1/3 inch thick leather collar over 3.5 inches wide) . Due to this I always carry an emergency backup to change into, and the DireBeast is perfect for this, as it takes up minimal space while still being a full size collar with full size strength. The collar also has a velcro section which should accommodate a patch of approximately 2 inches wide and up to 7 inches long in my case for better identification. As mentioned the thinness leaves a bit to be desired foe true big dog stability, but otherwise it seems to be a very strong and well made collar with a lot going for it, including being the only model on the market to fit this important role. With sizes going up to 34 inches, and down to quite small sizes considering the 3 inch width, it is a good investment that can grow with your pup as well. To summarize, the only entry I know of similar in the marketplace, a great price and quality product. Apparently available in any color you want as long as it's black. If your best friend often gets mistaken for a bear or lion, then this is the collar for you!
In the photo: 100kg (220 pound ) 3 feet at should Colt wear the Goat Trail Tactical DireBeast Collar model while resting from a day of hard work.
