Choosing The Best Goat Packing Gear 

It’s that time of year when questions arise with regards to packing in the fall season. We get asked about conditioning, gear, and especially which saddles to use. Here are a couple of articles to help answer your questions. These are important in the overall development of your goats over the years. At packgoats.com we are here to help guide you in choosing the best goat packing gear we believe will help make your hiking and hunting season a success.

Conditioning and a Weight-Bearing Timeline

How Much a Pack Goat Can Carry

Kid Trainer Pack 

Beginning around the age of 6 months to year 1 or 2, the kid trainer pack can be used to develop balance in your goat. No more than 5lbs of bulk weight (a sweatshirt) should be carried. Your goat will learn to maneuver through terrain with the pack.  In years 2 and 3, your goat can carry 10% of its body weight. The Pack Goat Training Soft Saddle is a blast for you and your packer in training. It’s important to remember this is not a promotion of having your young goats packing weight too early.  Keep everything light on them until they are ready for a full-blown saddle. They come with a grey saddle and the color choices are olive or blaze orange.

Adult Soft Saddle

It’s the most economic full saddle and pannier combination on the market. This is the ideal saddle for the day packer looking to carry up to about 35 lbs per goat. The soft design allows the perfect molded fit to any goat and eliminates sores. This saddle is not intended for hardcore, high mileage, or heavyweight trips. You may continue to use the Kid Trainer Pack or move onto the Adult Soft Saddle, Signature Series Saddle or Cross Buck Saddle. if your goat weighs 170 lbs or more.

Saddle choice will be dependent upon how you intend to utilize your goats, whether general hiking or hunting.  

Years 3 to 4 will require an Adult Saddle and the goat can carry 15% of its body weight.  At year 4+, your goat should be comfortable carrying 20% of its body weight (25% for short, flat distances).  Remember to account for the weight of the saddle AS WELL, when calculating the total weight that your goat will carry.  

Signature Series Saddle

This saddle allows custom fitting for each goat’s back. The easy adjustment system is compatible with all panniers but works best with the Critter-Getters.

Weighing just under 7 pounds this saddle is built to last. The durability of this design allows for years of use. Also, innovative “horn” attachment points for the pannier loops allow for a much lower profile on your goat. This allows them to go under obstacles much easier than traditional cross-buck designs. Additionally, the front cinch design is the first that allows proper positioning on your pack goat’s sternum. Ultimately, this design makes perfect alignment a breeze.

Classic Pack Goat Saddle

• Bombproof construction updating the classic original saddle design.
• Heavy-duty cinch to prevent slipping and loosening saddles.
• Perfectly designed britchen ensures goat comfort and eliminates saddle sores.

This saddle is compatible with the “Stay Put Pads” Do NOT come with the saddle. They have to be purchased separately.

Pannier Goat Scale 

Why is it crucial to own a pannier goat scale?

The pack goat pannier scale is a critically essential tool for every goat packer. I never leave for a pack trip without at least 2 of these in my group’s backpacks, usually 3. When packing pack goat panniers they must be balanced side to side within 1 lb for safe packing. These lightweight pannier scales are the perfect compact solution for weighing panniers anywhere. Not only for packing, but these scales also work perfectly for weighing newborn baby goats. Document their weight at the time of birth by zeroing the scale with a sling attached. It even includes an integrated ambient thermometer.

More Goat Gear Essentials

Packgoats.com wants you to be prepared. Need help choosing the best goat packing gear? Here to make sure your pack goats are safe, we have the tools to make setting up your camp with pack goats easy!  Here are a few suggestions for you:

Highline Kit

The Highline Kit is the ultimate system for goat camps. Its simple, pre-rigged design maximizes efficiency. For those times you’re caught in the rain or rolling into camp with head lamps, the Highline Kit is the fastest way to set up goat camp.

High Visibility Neckband

The Goat Tie Down

Ultimate Camp Shovel Multi-Tool

This is the ultimate camp shovel multi-tool. Ever had a desperate run for the hills when nature calls only for your dinky camp shovel to break, bend, or not break ground? The blade on this shovel can actually pry rocks and cut through roots with ease. When duty calls, forget the desperation. Trust this shovel can take care of you and can even pack 8 other essential tools. The modular storage handle lets you choose to carry all 3 lbs or only 1 or 2 handle segments.

Pack Goat 101 Course

The Pack Goat 101 Course is the most informational and comprehensive tool anywhere for packing with goats. No matter your level of experience in goat packing there is something in this course for you. This course will benefit anyone regardless of goals for a pack goat string.

Featuring 25 Lessons on topics like training, gear, nutrition and so much more!

WAIT! WE HAVE A BETTER DEAL FOR YOU! Did you know? At packgoats.com, we recently put together a “Goat Club Membership”.  One of the perks to our membership is getting your courses at 50% off!  This would make your Pack Goats 101 Course 1/2 off the original price!  You can’t beat that with all the content, videos, and lifetime access to this well-put-together course!  When you sign up, you immediately get access to all of these benefits PLUS new content on an ongoing basis!

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