Review: How the Hurtta Extreme Warmer Parka Transformed My Dogs’ Winter Walks
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SUMMARY: I found the Hurtta Extreme Warmer Winter Parka exceptional for keeping my senior dog, Bertie, warm in Scandinavia’s harsh winters, with its easy-to-use design and adjustable fit that requires no paw lifting. It proved essential in providing Bertie with comfort and protection against temperatures as low as -22 Celsius (-7.6 Fahrenheit), making it a worthwhile investment for any dog owner facing extreme cold with their pup.
Imagine moving from the sun-drenched dunes of Dubai to the frosty forests of Scandinavia.
That’s exactly the journey my beloved rescue dog, Bertie, and I embarked on as he entered his senior years.
Adjusting to the cold Nordic winters was a challenge, especially for a desert dog accustomed to basking in warmth.
Nothing could have prepared us for the biting cold that awaited.
The solution?
Enter the Hurtta Extreme Warmer Winter Parka.
This coat kept Bertie cozy through snowstorms and temperatures plunging to -22 Celsius (-7.6 Fahrenheit), was easy to put on, and comfortable for him to wear.
Why the Hurtta Extreme Warmer?
- Custom Fit: No two dogs are the same—refer to the size chart and Measuring Your Dog guide for the perfect fit; back length is crucial for apparel.
- Adjustable: Customize the back length, collar, and waist; protective rear hem adapts to various activities.
- Easy to Fit: No need to manipulate your dog’s legs—simply slip it on for hassle-free dressing.
- Heat Reflective Technology: Unique foil lining reflects your dog's heat, stimulating blood circulation for enhanced warmth.
- Functional Design: Protects vital muscle groups for heat production, including the neck and chest, ensuring maximum comfort.
- Warming Hood: Features a tricot hood that can be lifted to keep your dog's ears and head cozy.
- Color Choice: Available in granite, lingon, and orange
Bertie was 14 years old when we moved to Scandinavia.
As can happen as dogs age, he was gradually losing muscle mass and battling stiff joints.
This meant he felt the cold even more deeply.
It also meant that staying warm throughout the icy embrace of long Scandinavian winters wasn’t just a comfort issue for him—it was essential for his health and overall well-being.
In the end, we fashioned an entire winter wardrobe for him, which included a body warmer, a fleece, a doggy “ski suit,” and the Hurtta Extreme Warmer featuring as the signature piece.
Key Factors When Choosing a Dog Coat
The world of dog winter wear can seem overwhelming, but during my journey with Bertie, I learned these four crucial lessons:
- Avoid Lifting Limbs: Buy dog clothing that doesn’t require lifting your dog’s legs. The last thing you want is to cause discomfort or pain by maneuvering his legs into small, restrictive openings.
- Cover the Hips: Make sure the clothing covers your dog’s hips. This keeps those critical, often stiff, joints warm.
- Easy to Remove: Opt for dog clothing that’s easily removable and washable. The ease of slipping clothing over your dog’s head and securing it under his body, as featured in the Hurtta Extreme Warmer, not only ensures a hassle-free experience but also maintains hygiene.
- Style: Style should never compromise warmth and comfort. Ensuring that Bertie remained cozy in the face of sub-zero temperatures became my top priority.
Standout Features of the Hurtta Extreme Warmer Dog Winter Parka
When winter temperatures drop, you need more than just a standard coat for your dog.
The Hurtta Extreme Warmer is packed with thoughtful design elements that make it a standout choice for keeping your dog warm and comfortable in extreme conditions.
Here’s a breakdown of the features that made it indispensable for us.
Ease of Use
When you’re trying to wrangle a senior dog who isn’t keen on getting dressed (and you don’t want to risk hurting him by manipulating those stiff joints), the last thing you want is a complex tangle of straps and buckles.
This coat is different.
Slipping it on Bertie was as easy as 1-2-3, making our morning routine smoother and much more pleasant for both of us.
To put on the parka, simply slide your dog’s head through the top opening, then drape the body of the jacket over his back and shoulders.
Next, fasten the thick, lightweight strap underneath his chest (attaches with a sturdy plastic snap buckle), and secure the snap button behind his back legs.
Handily, there’s a split in the back of the coat that allows for full tail movement (regardless of tail length) and easy bathroom breaks.
For added warmth, the jacket features elastic straps (sewn inside at the back( that can be fitted over your dog’s hind legs to ensure the hem of the coat stays in place.
While I typically didn’t use these with Bertie, they are great for stopping the back of the coat flapping up on freezing cold, windy days, thus keeping the heat in.
Fully Adjustable Fit
No two dogs are the same, and the Hurtta Extreme Warmer takes that into account.
With its adjustable back length (via cinch cord, 0-5cm), neckline (via cinch cord), and waist (via strap and snap buckle), this parka offers a customizable fit for various dog breeds, shapes, and sizes.
Plus, Bertie, like many senior dogs, had his share of weight fluctuations.
The adjustable fit of the Hurtta Extreme Warmer Winter Parka meant that if he lost a pound or two, we could easily adjust the coat to fit him perfectly.
This adjustability ensured that he was always comfortably snug, without any risk of his coat being too tight or too loose.
Paw-Free Dressing
As I’ve mentioned, the paw-free dressing feature of the Extreme Warmer truly set it apart for us.
The design allowed me to dress Bertie without him having to lift his paws or me having to awkwardly manipulate them through tiny armholes.
It was a relief to know I could keep him warm and comfy without causing him any discomfort or pain in the process.
Soft and Lightweight
The fabric feels both durable and soft to the touch, and the coat is surprisingly lightweight.
This allows your dog to move freely, without being restricted by bulky layers of material that could hinder his movement.
Heat Reflective Lining
This is one of my favorite features.
Unlike typical dog jackets, the Hurtta Extreme Warmer is equipped with a unique foil lining that reflects your dog’s body heat.
This feature boosts blood circulation and keeps your pup warmer for longer, making it perfect for frosty weather walks.
It’s a smart, efficient way to keep your dog cozy in the cold.
Muscle and Core Protection
The Extreme Warmer is designed to cover the most important muscle groups responsible for generating and maintaining your dog’s body heat.
As such, it wraps snugly around your dog’s neck and chest while extending all the way back to protect the hips and large muscles in the back of his legs.
This ensures that all the key muscle groups stay warm, offering optimal protection from the cold.
The protective rear hem is firmly stitched too, so in addition to the full coverage provided, your dog stays insulated while still able to move comfortably.
This was ideal for keeping Bertie’s stiff, arthritic joints warm and mobile.
Protective Hood and Neck Warmer for Harsh Conditions
Two more of my favorite features of the Extreme Warmer are the tricot hood and foil-lined neck warmer that provide an extra layer of protection when the weather gets extra rough.
The neck warmer can be raised (like the collar on a winter coat) or folded back, as needed.
The hood can be pulled up even further so it shields your dog’s ears and head from biting wind and snow.
It’s also equipped with a cinch cord, so you can easily adjust it for a snug, comfortable fit around your dog’s face.
The cinch cord’s toggle mechanism keeps the hood in place, without the need for constant readjustment or restricting your dog’s vision.
When the hood isn’t needed, it can easily be tucked neatly back under the neck warmer, keeping it out of the way until it’s required again.
Note: The tricot hood is non-removable, but its lightweight, thin fabric ensures it doesn’t add bulk around your dog’s neck, even when tucked away for later use.
Leash Opening
The Extreme Warmer easily fits over your dog’s regular collar and includes a convenient opening at the back of the shoulders, allowing you to use a harness underneath the coat and thread the leash through.
I typically put Bertie’s harness over the coat, so this feature wasn’t necessary for us, but it’s definitely a useful addition.
When not in use, the opening can be secured with snaps to retain warmth.
Safety
The Extreme Warmer is designed with reflective prints on both the chest and thigh areas, enhancing visibility during low-light conditions.
It also features 3M reflector piping with luminous intensity 500cd/(lx.m2).
These reflective accents help keep your dog safe during evening walks or early morning outings, ensuring that drivers and passersby can easily spot him.
Pros and Cons
After thoroughly testing the Hurtta Extreme Warmer in the frigid Scandinavian landscapes with Bertie, here’s my quick breakdown of its key benefits and things you might want to consider:
Key Benefits
- Exceptional Warmth and Protection: The Extreme Warmer excels in keeping your dog warm even in extremely low temperatures, proving to be a reliable barrier against the cold. I have also found it to be waterproof and it stands up well even in heavy rain.
- Performance in Sub-Zero Temperatures: The unique foil lining that reflects the dog’s body heat plus its almost complete body coverage, ensures your dog stays warm, comfortable, and cozy even in the heaviest of snowstorms.
- Easy to Use: Its design facilitates a hassle-free experience when putting it on or taking it off, a huge plus for both dog and owner.
- Adjustable for a Perfect Fit: The ability to fine-tune the fit ensures that your dog is comfortable and the coat performs effectively.
- Paw-free Dressing: This feature is a godsend, making the process gentler for dogs with flexibility issues or arthritis.
- Durable Construction: Made with high-quality materials, the Extreme Warmer stands up well to wear and tear, making it a wise investment for the long haul. Ours is still going strong several years later and is as good as new. It has now been passed on from Bertie to our new Greek rescue dog, Esme, who is also used to warmer climes.
- Senior Dogs: For an aging dog like Bertie, keeping his stiff, arthritic joints warm was crucial. The Extreme Warmer not only protects the dog’s joints from the cold but also promotes better blood circulation, helping ease discomfort. With this parka, even elderly dogs can enjoy outdoor adventures without worrying about the cold aggravating their condition.
Things to Consider
- Price Point: The Extreme Warmer is on the pricier side, which might be a consideration for some. However, given its durability and performance, it represents good value over time.
- Size Selection: While it offers a good range of sizes and can be adjusted along the back and around the neck for a more custom fit, make sure you measure your dog as per the manufacturer’s guidelines.
- Elastic Straps: The elastic straps designed to fit around the dog’s hind legs, may be uncomfortable for some dogs. There is the option not to use them, but the fit at the back may be slightly less snug as a result.
- Maintenance: I’m not going to lie. As Bertie got older, he would sometimes have accidents and soil his clothing if we couldn’t get to him in time. For this reason, we often left the snap at the back of the Extreme Warmer open which helped a lot. I found a light machine wash was more than sufficient to remedy this issue without having any lasting effect on the coat’s condition.
All in all, my experience with the Hurtta Extreme Warmer Dog Winter Parka has been nothing short of amazing.
It gave Bertie the ability to enjoy winter in comfort and style, and it gave me peace of mind knowing he was protected from the elements.
Now Esme is enjoying the same benefits.
The Extreme Warmer strikes the perfect balance between usability, comfort, and protection, making it the ultimate winter coat for both Bertie and Esme, keeping them as toasty as if they’d never left the indoors.
If you’re in the market for a dog coat that can brave the elements while still giving your dog the freedom to run around, explore, and play, I highly recommend checking it out on Amazon.
The difference it makes could be night and day for your dog.
FAQs
Is the Hurtta Extreme Warmer suitable for all dog breeds?
One of the great things about the Hurtta Extreme Warmer Dog Winter Parka is its versatility.
Whether you have a Chihuahua or a Great Dane, there’s a size that should suit your dog.
The key is to make sure you measure your dog accurately and consult the size chart provided by Hurtta.
Given its adjustable features along the back and neckline, the Extreme Warmer can comfortably fit a wide range of dog breeds and sizes.
How do I determine the right size for my dog?
Measuring your dog is the first crucial step.
You’ll need to measure the length of your dog’s back (from the base of the neck to the base of the tail), the neck’s circumference, and the widest part of the chest.
Once you have these measurements, compare them with the size chart available with the product.
It’s generally better to err on the side of a slightly looser fit than too tight, especially if you’re considering layering underneath.
Can the Hurtta Extreme Warmer be used in lighter winters, or is it only for extreme cold?
The Hurtta Extreme Warmer Dog Winter Parka is surprisingly versatile and can indeed be used in lighter winters as well.
The jacket’s design allows for natural movement and isn’t overly bulky, making it suitable for cooler autumn and spring days in addition to the harsh depths of winter.
As Bertie got older, he wore his parka all year round so we could make sure his joints and muscles stayed warm.
Can I fit a fleece or body warmer underneath the Hurtta Extreme Warmer?
Yes, you can! As Bertie entered his 18th year, he continued to slowly lose muscle mass and struggle with feeling cold.
To keep him extra warm, I began layering a body warmer under his Hurtta Parka.
Thanks to the coat’s adjustable design, this was very easy to accomplish and helped ensure that Bertie stayed warm and comfy, even on the coldest of days.