Four years ago - how has it been that long?!? - I made THIS , a combo dog pfd & saddlebag contraption that worked really well.

Cerberus carried her food and other odds & ends on 70-75 days over four seasons of canoe trips with this setup, and it performed really well.

However at the close of the ’23 season, I resolved to make new Sinful Saddlebags. The old ones were fraying, and zippers were beginning to go. They were also not remotely waterproof.

Her saddlebags were not all that big, and nothing remotely bulky (her insulated jacket, for example) could fit.

New saddlebags are waterproof cordura with waterproof zippers. There’s a truss in the interior so the middle won’t balloon out - it stays the same width there as at the edges. This sort of partitions each main compartment into two halves. Then each bag also has an external sleeve pocket.

Like the old ones, these clip to her Pestilential Pupvest (PFD) for speedy transitions at portages.

The new saddlebags are the same depth, and only an inch taller and an inch wider. However they are more rectangular, where the old ones were more egg-shaped. I believe this is probably 35-45% larger in terms of capacity. They are 13 x 8 x 3.5.

She won’t carry more weight in Fiendish Fardel, but she will carry more volume.

And with the tougher materials, these should last a very long time. I hate to think it - but they really should outlast her, as she’s 6.5 now.

Certainly the most polished-looking piece I’ve made.

I’m not yet ready to be Dan Cooke’s understudy, but perhaps I am now ready to be waterboy to the understudy.

Beautiful Springer.

okinaw55: "Beautiful Springer. "

Close - Cerberus is a Small Munsterlander! Thanks, regardless.

Just thought I would report back now that these saddlebags have two trips under the belt...

She's carried them many miles, over Yum-Yum, several bushwhack portages - the bags are holding up great. The 1000D Cordura seems to be bulletproof. Functionality is excellent.

Hey SNS, have you thought about marketing these saddle bags? My border collie wears a pfd but I have no way to have him carry bags with the vest on.

I’m wondering if the way you clip the bags to the vest is universal or specific to the vest you use? Having my pup carry some weight would be very helpful to me.

Tom, happy new year!

I don't think I am in a position to go pro...however I am thinking about getting a true commercial/industrial machine to aid my addiction.

I also probably need to spend some time learning how to make felled seams and other technical aspects of construction...

The attachments are custom, to answer your question. I sewed standard side-release buckles onto Cerberus's PFD, and matching ones onto each saddlebag.

I think this could be done with most PFDs, though the real challenge is sewing through some webbing plus the foam. Was difficult with my cheap machine.

Thanks for the reply! Your idea is a great solution instead of having to leave the pdf home or switch back and forth at every landing.

If you get the new machine and want to custom make a few let me know. I could send you the pfd I use and pay for everything to be shipped back plus whatever your cost is for the bags etc.

Tom
Email: raiseyoursail@gmail.com

Tom, I don't want to get your hopes up on this...but will keep it in mind.

The shortcut here is to buy a dog pack (or any other) you like, remove the saddlebags, and take them along with your PFD to a local tailor to fit the webbing and buckles.

Cheers.

sns: "Tom, I don't want to get your hopes up on this...but will keep it in mind.


The shortcut here is to buy a dog pack (or any other) you like, remove the saddlebags, and take them along with your PFD to a local tailor to fit the webbing and buckles.


Cheers."

That's a great idea thanks!