Honest NZ review of the Kurgo G-Train K9 Pack — who it's actually for, how it fits the human, weather performance, and whether the price is worth it.
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By Jess Aldridge Pōhu will never be carried anywhere in a backpack. He will be carried, under protest, into a hard cat carrier for his annual vet visit, and he will express quiet displeasure the entire trip. This review isn’t for him.
It’s for the owners of the dogs who are genuinely carrier candidates — the Cavoodle who can do the first half of a track then wants out, the older Mini Schnauzer whose knees aren’t what they were, the rescue French Bulldog who overheats after twenty minutes. A proper dog carrier backpack earns its keep in exactly that slot: not as a stroller for a lazy small dog, but as a way for a walker to keep a real small dog moving with them when the dog can’t manage the ground.
The Kurgo G-Train K9 Pack is the most expensive product in Kurgo’s NZ-accessible range — around $270 NZD once converted from AUD pricing on Kurgo AU, more at Kiwi Canine. That’s more than most people spend on their own daypack. Is it worth it? For the right owner, yes. For everyone else, it’s overkill. Here’s the honest breakdown.
Yes, there’s an affiliate link. No, it doesn’t change the recommendation.
The rest of this review is the detail — what the G-Train does that cheaper packs don’t, what it doesn’t do, and how it actually sits on a person over a few hours on the track.
Most people browsing dog carrier backpacks don’t actually need one. The Instagram version — tiny Pomeranian smiling out of a stylish pack on the Auckland waterfront — is a different use case from what the G-Train is built for.
The G-Train makes sense if:
The G-Train doesn’t make sense if:
If you’re honest and the use case fits, read on. If it doesn’t, save the money.
The G-Train is built more like a human daypack than a pet carrier. That’s the point.
The back panel is rigid — a moulded plastic frame with padded foam against the wearer’s back. That frame is what separates the G-Train from soft carriers like the Kurgo Rucksack or the K9 Sport Sack Air. A soft carrier deforms around 8kg of live dog weight and pushes it into your lumbar spine. A framed carrier holds its shape and transfers the load to the hip belt where a tramping pack would.
Other structural points:
Empty, the G-Train weighs about 1.8kg. That’s not light — a Kurgo Rucksack is closer to 1.1kg — but the weight is structural, and it’s the structure that makes the pack comfortable loaded.
Fit note for the human: The G-Train is sized one-size-fits-most, with a broad adjustment range on the shoulder straps and hip belt. It fits an average NZ adult torso (45–55cm back length) well. Very tall or very short wearers may want to try it on before committing — Kiwi Canine’s return policy is worth checking.
The cabin dimensions are roughly 30cm wide x 33cm tall x 22cm deep, with a mesh floor and padded sides. A dog in the pack sits with their head up through the top opening or curled sideways inside with the lid closed.
What that means in practice, for common NZ small breeds:
Dogs acclimate to the pack at wildly different rates. Some are in and settling in thirty seconds. Others take a week of at-home conditioning with the pack on the floor, treats, and eventually short laps around the house before they’re comfortable being lifted in. Plan for the slow version and treat the quick version as a bonus.
I borrowed a G-Train for a couple of weeks from a Wellington neighbour whose ten-year-old Cavoodle does the first hour of a walk then visibly wants to stop. Load for the test: dog (7.5kg), 500ml water for her, 500ml water for the human, jacket, snacks, pick-up bags. Call it 10kg total on the back.
On the flat — a loop around Oriental Bay, about 90 minutes — the pack sat comfortably. Hip belt took most of the load, shoulder straps steadied rather than carried. The only notable thing was the height of the load: a dog riding at shoulder height is a different balance point from a standard daypack, and you need to duck lower under low branches than you’d expect.
On a modest incline — the Tinakori Hill loop, about two hours — the structure earned its money. A soft carrier with the same load would have been punishing after the first climb. The G-Train stayed stable. The dog stayed settled. I did get warmer than I would have with a regular pack — there’s less airflow between you and the back panel than on a proper tramping rucksack, which is the trade-off for having a pet cabin there.
What I wouldn’t do with it: anything with rock steps, loose scree, stream crossings, or the sort of ground where a fall would be serious. An 11kg weight high on your back changes your centre of gravity, and dropping that weight hurts the dog. Stick to graded tracks.
The G-Train is water-resistant, not waterproof. This matters in NZ.
The outer fabric shrugs off a light drizzle for a while, but sustained rain will soak through eventually. The mesh panels and the main zip are not sealed, so a proper southerly or a Fiordland-grade downpour will get inside. There’s no included rain cover.
In practice, for NZ conditions:
Ventilation in summer is adequate but not abundant. The back panel doesn’t have an air channel the way a dedicated tramping pack (Osprey Stratos, Deuter Aircontact) does, and on a hot day you’ll sweat where the pack sits. The mesh top and side windows help the dog stay cool — they matter more than the human vents.
For serious summer heat, do the walk early or late, carry more water than you think, and consider a dog cooling vest if your dog is prone to overheating.
Kurgo Rucksack (~$195 NZD): The cheaper Kurgo sibling. Soft-sided, no rigid frame, lighter at around 1.1kg. Fine for vet trips, short walks, city use. Not comfortable for longer walks with a heavier dog — the load sits badly without a frame. Buy the Rucksack if you’re using it under an hour at a time; buy the G-Train if you’re using it longer.
K9 Sport Sack Air (~$200 NZD, imported): The main global competitor, shipped into NZ by specialist pet retailers. Similar layout — front and back carry options, mesh windows, internal tether. Slightly lighter than the G-Train, less structured. A reasonable pick if the G-Train is sold out or the price bites. The G-Train’s hip belt and frame make it the better choice for regular longer use.
Ruffwear Hitch Hiker (~$200 NZD, Further Faster): The direct premium competitor. It carries dogs up to 18kg (vs the G-Train’s 11kg ceiling), has an adjustable torso length, a breathable back panel, and an integrated harness. The G-Train wins on external storage and hip belt load transfer for heavier loads. The Hitch Hiker’s higher weight ceiling makes it the better call for dogs in the 11–18kg bracket. If you’re in Auckland or can order online, Further Faster stocks it directly in NZ.
Generic Amazon / Mighty Ape packs ($70–120 NZD): These exist, they work for short trips, and they’ll fail sooner. Thin webbing, cheap plastic buckles, no frame. Fine for two or three uses a year. Not built for weekly use.
Hard crate ($40–90 NZD): The honest answer for annual vet trips. If your use case is genuinely “get the dog to the vet once a year,” buy a proper hard carrier — the same ones that work for cats work for small dogs — and save two hundred dollars.
Skip the US Kurgo site (kurgo.com) — shipping to NZ and warranty don’t apply the way they do for the AU listing.
If you’re undecided between the G-Train and the Rucksack, Kiwi Canine sometimes has both in stock for side-by-side comparison. Worth the trip if you’re in Auckland.
The G-Train is genuinely well built — the kind of pack that’ll still be working in ten years with a new dog in it. For the right owner it’s an honest piece of kit. Pair it with a proper harness for the dog and a sensible weather plan, and it earns a place in the gear cupboard.
Spend the money only if the use is real. The most expensive pack is the one that lives unused on a hook.
Prices are approximate NZ retail as of April 2026 and vary by retailer, exchange rate and current sale status. Last reviewed April 2026.
The G-Train is rated for dogs up to 11kg (25 lbs). That puts it in range for most Cavoodles, Shih Tzus, French Bulldogs, Miniature Schnauzers, Bichons, smaller Jack Russells, and most toy breeds. Over 11kg you're into Kurgo Rucksack territory or — more honestly — the dog walks. Measure your dog's length from chest to tail base as well as weighing them; the cabin needs to fit the dog lying curled, not just the number on the scale.
Yes, on the right terrain. The G-Train is built like a real pack — proper hip belt, sternum strap, padded shoulders, back panel with structure. It carries comfortably on well-formed tracks for a couple of hours. It's not a mountaineering pack, and you shouldn't be scrambling or on loose ground with 11kg of live weight high on your back. For day walks on graded tracks, boardwalks, coastal paths and rail trails, it does the job.
No — it's water-resistant at best. The main fabric panels will shed a light shower, but the mesh windows and the zipped cabin opening are not sealed. In a proper Wellington southerly or a Fiordland downpour you'll need a pack cover (the G-Train doesn't ship with one). For most NZ day use in unsettled weather, a light rain shell over the pack and the dog are drier than leaving the carrier to fend for itself.
The K9 Sport Sack Air is the main imported competitor in NZ. It's cheaper (around $200 NZD landed), lighter, and has a very similar layout — front-carry option, mesh windows, internal tether. The G-Train wins on structure (stiffer back panel, proper hip belt, more robust hardware) and on comfort for the human over longer walks. For vet trips and city use, the Sport Sack Air is fine. For regular half-day walks with weight in the pack, the G-Train's frame earns the extra spend.
Kiwi Canine stocks the G-Train directly in NZ. Kurgo's Australian site (kurgo.com.au) ships to NZ and is often the cheapest path once the exchange rate and shipping are factored in. Animates and Petdirect don't currently carry the G-Train — they stock the cheaper Kurgo lines. Check sale pricing on both before buying; Kurgo AU discounts the G-Train periodically.
Possibly, but check with the airline first. Air New Zealand doesn't carry dogs in the cabin on domestic or international flights — they travel as cargo in approved crates. For international carriers that do allow in-cabin pet travel (some US and European airlines), the G-Train's dimensions fit most under-seat requirements, but the carrier itself isn't IATA-approved. For cargo travel you need a specific IATA crate, not a backpack carrier.
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