Getting Started
The bed shipped fast and came packed well to prevent damage. The large shipping box was great to use later for some dog enrichment games. The bed was wrapped in very tight plastic to protect it, which resulted in it not being the most comfortable right out the box. It needed to breath and settle to start to take shape. Surprisingly my dogs were not interested in it right away, I wonder if it was because it smelled like plastic. Otherwise the bed did come ready to go, I didn’t need to put the cover on the cushion or anything like that.
Design
As far as the design goes, it is a simple but nice bed. I feel like it can easily go with indoor decor as well as be a great outdoor bed (in non-wet environments). Carhartt is known for their hunting and camping style, and camo is an option for this bed if you’re looking for one for your hunting dog. The bed I got is classic Carhartt tan on the bottom and Sherpa on the top. It looks nice next to our brown leather couch. It also has a wide tooth zipper that is super easy to open up to remove the cover. Lots of beds have removable covers, but the zippers aren’t always in practical places and it can be really hard to get the inside of the bed out. This zipper placement and bed design makes it super easy to remove the stuffing to throw the cover in the wash. This is a big plus for us!
Performance
I’m disappointed with the performance of this bed for the price point. It isn’t anything fancy as far as orthopedic, cooling, or providing soothing comfort for the dog. It is basically a giant pillow. For the price I was expecting a nicer inner cushion, but it’s basically just a bunch of regular pillow stuffing. When I opened it up it was really lopsided and I figured once it got some air and fully expanded it would level out, but it has remained lopsided. I have medium-sized dogs and the bed we got is a large. Maybe if you had a large dog laying across the whole thing it would even out more? That hasn’t been the case when my dogs, they just kind of get stuck in this little dent in the middle of the bed. They are not choosing to lay on it as their primary bed.
The bed states that it is firm and it is anything but that, it lays like a big fluffy pillow and moves like a pillow when a dog lays on it. Firm would be more like a memory foam bed and have a solid flat surface, this bed does not.
Quality/Durability
This bed does excel in durability, with that classic strong Carhartt fabric on the bottom. I think it would be a great bed to take camping or use on the patio/yard during yappy hours. It does seem to have some water resistance although it’s not stated on the tag (I just did my own testing).
The cover quality is great and I think it will last a long time, but the inside part I’m not so sure about. When looking for a new dog bed I need it to be functional and easy to remove the cover to wash it. We have lots of dogs in and out of our house and I have bad allergies, so dog beds get washed on the regular. I have not yet washed it since it’s so new but I have high hopes considering the fabric.
Price
The price is a big downfall for me. For a $120 dog bed I would expect it to be orthopedic or offer some sort of health benefit. I have purchased dog beds for the past 15 years and my go-to for basic beds is from Costco. Their beds are slightly bigger than this Carhartt one and cost so much less and also have lasted many many years (also washable). Sorry Carhartt but Costco really out does ya here.
Final Verdict
I think the best fit for this bed would be somebody that likes to go camping and maybe travels around a lot (van life) and needs something that won’t get super dirty in the elements. As far as just a bed to have in the home, it’s nothing fancy and I wouldn’t recommend it to friends or clients for that purpose.
