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Ancol Extreme Harness Review

Quick Verdict

The Ancol Extreme is our number one choice when it comes to picking a harness for your dog. It’s sturdy enough to handle all conditions but remains lightweight and comfortable for your pup to wear. Adjusting the harness is a doddle and so is putting it on your dog thanks to the intelligent design.

While some of the additional features are more useful than others, there’s really not much to fault here. It’s the only harness that Flynn hasn’t tried to chew his way out of – which we think speaks volumes about the quality of the Extreme! 

Pros Cons
+ Fantastic value for money
– Doggy bag holder a nice thought but not executed perfectly
+ Quick and easy to fit and adjust
– No front connection ring on chestpiece
+ Large fittings make attaching a lead a breeze
+ Lightweight but robust
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Dog wearing the Ancol Extreme harness

Introduction to the Ancol Extreme Harness

The Ancol Extreme is specially designed for dogs who love exploring the great outdoors. This weatherproof harness consists of two padded fabric pieces connected with adjustable straps. There is a large padded handle running across the back fabric panel, located next to a large nickel coated D-ring. The Extreme also sports a poo bag dispenser on this rear section, as well as a plastic utility clip on the side of one of the straps, and is machine washable.

We’re reviewing the large version in red here, but the available sizes run from small to extra large. Only red and black versions are available on Amazon, but you can find pink and blue models with other retailers. You can check which size you need by measuring your dog’s chest, making sure to leave enough room for 2-3 fingers between the harness and your dog. The size ranges are as follows:

  • Small: 51-67cm
  • Medium: 67-86cm
  • Large: 71-97cm
  • Extra Large: 87-120cm

What We Liked

There’s a lot to like about this harness. Firstly, it’s really quick and easy to put on. The opening for your dog’s head is nice and big compared with some other harnesses we’ve used, so it slips on with minimum fuss. Once it’s over their head, just lift your dog’s right paw over the strap so their leg is in position then fasten the buckle on the opposite side.

We’ve found putting this on to be much faster than previous harnesses, where you have to contend with a small head opening and/or multiple buckles. If you are struggling with lifting your dog’s paw into position, you can easily undo the chest strap, place the harness over your dogs head, and reattach the strap behind their leg.

The adjustable fit of the Extreme is also another big plus point. Both the chest strap and the belly strap are adjustable, which means you can ensure a nice even fit around the whole harness. The chest panel can also be removed entirely if you want your dog to have greater freedom of movement.

Close up of the Ancol Extreme Harness

This is the first harness we’ve had that Flynn hasn’t actively tried to chew through, and we think that this is due to a combination of both comfort and clever design. The weatherproof material comprising the panels is thick but breathable, and has enough flex in it to not be uncomfortably rigid. Being able to easily adjust it to a snug fit means Flynn can’t get his bottom jaw inside the chest panel like he did with previous harnesses. The style of harness means it also sits slightly further away from his head.

The Extreme also benefits from a large padded handle spanning the back panel. Because it’s so large it’s easy to grab a hold of it quickly when you need to. The padding means that you won’t get friction burns no matter how much your dog is pulling. On a similar note, the metal D-ring next to the handle is also nice and large, meaning you can attach a lead to it swiftly. We far prefer this to smaller rings where you’re fumbling to get the trigger clip in.

The Drawbacks

As much as it excels in most areas, the Extreme does have some minor flaws. Firstly, there’s no connection ring on the chest panel, which might be a problem if you usually go walking with a training lead. When we walk with a training lead we connect to Flynn’s collar rather than the front connection anyway, so it’s not affected us, but everyone has their preferences.

There’s also a couple of features here that while sound good on paper, we think are a bit superfluous. The poo bag dispenser easily holds a full roll of bags, but we’ve found it’s a struggle pulling them through the opening, to the point that we prefer to keep them in our pockets instead. The utility clip on the side of the strap is certainly strong enough to hold an accessory like a torch, but we’ve never felt the need to make use of it. 

Conclusion

The Ancol Extreme is a well-designed weatherproof harness for dogs who love outdoor adventures. It’s easy to put on and has adjustable straps for a comfortable and snug fit. The large padded handle and metal D-ring on the back panel are convenient for quick grabbing and attaching a lead. However, it does have a few drawbacks, such as the absence of a chest connection ring and some features that may go unused. Overall though, the Ancol Extreme is a great choice for dog owners looking for their pup’s next harness.

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