Trekking line harness CLIP'N: the dog harness that closes at the neck, with no need to go over the head

What it is

The Trekking line harness CLIP’N is a dog harness from the Norwegian brand Non-stop dogwear. It is built on a Y-shaped structure that the brand says is designed to leave the dog’s shoulders, armpits and airways free. It fastens with two side buckles on the chest and a clip buckle at the neck, so it does not have to go over the dog’s head.

The brand intends it for hiking and everyday walks, and adds that it can also be used for trail tracking, running, skiing and cycling. It comes in eight sizes, from 1 to 8, and in two colours: ice blue, a light blue with a geometric pattern, and sand, a plain beige.

Why it exists

The CLIP’N is presented as an alternative to the Line harness, the brand’s most awarded everyday harness, for dogs that need equipment that does not go over the head. It takes over from the Line harness 5.0, of which it is the updated version, with one main difference: the clip at the neck. Fit and function remain, according to the brand, the same.

The polyester is stated to be more weather-resistant, the aluminium ring gives way to a steel one, and the side clips switch to the Duraflex Mojave Hexa model. The reinforced front loop opens wider; the belly buckle has gone.

The brand began with a harness: in Oslo, in 2006, its founders sewed their own for a skijoring dog, the future Freemotion harness. The company was founded in Norway in 2009.

What matters

It all comes down to construction. The outer, the lining and the straps are polyester; the padding is closed-cell foam, placed, according to the brand, where it prevents rubbing and absorbs impact. The neck buckle rests on thick padding and connects to a hook-and-loop stabiliser that holds the harness in place. Hypalon reinforcements, Duraflex buckles certified bluesign APPROVED, and 3M reflective piping complete the whole.

Two attachment points are provided for the lead. The first is a steel ring on the back, which the brand rates at a tensile strength of 221 kg. The second is the reinforced front loop, available from size 3, rated at 119 kg. According to the brand, it acts as a gentle guide: when the dog pulls, the tension of the lead invites it to turn back towards you. The brand states that this is only an aid, which does not remove the pull.

Day to day

Choosing the size takes two measurements, the neck girth and the chest girth, to be entered in the brand’s calculator. The ranges run from 23 to 57 cm for the neck and from 30 to 102 cm for the chest. Between two sizes, the brand advises taking the larger one up to size 6, and the smaller one from size 7.

For a medium-sized dog (sizes 4 to 6), it asks that you can slide at least two fingers vertically between the top of the neck and the harness, then between the chest and the harness. The chest straps are adjusted on both sides, as symmetrically as possible; once the fit is right, you lock them by passing the end of the strap back through the keeper. The armpits must leave the dog free to move. The harness weighs from 64 g in size 1 to 232 g in size 8.

For care, the brand advises closing all the buckles before washing, washing at 30 °C, in the machine in a wash bag or by hand, and not using a tumble dryer. It also offers spare parts, such as the side clips, to extend the life of its harnesses.

Technical specifications

Feature	Value
Type	Y-shaped harness with neck clip, adjustable chest straps
Sizes	1 to 8
Colours	Ice blue, sand
Recommended neck girth	23 to 57 cm depending on size
Recommended chest girth	30 to 102 cm depending on size
Weight	From 64 g (size 1) to 232 g (size 8)
Materials	Polyester (outer, lining, straps), closed-cell foam, Hypalon reinforcements
Buckles	Duraflex, bluesign APPROVED
Attachment points	Steel ring on the back; reinforced front loop from size 3
Tensile strength, according to the brand	221 kg (back ring); 119 kg (front loop)
Stated uses	Hiking, everyday; also running, skiing, cycling

What the brand says

Non-stop dogwear sums up its purpose in one phrase: “Release your dog’s potential”. It claims to start from the dog’s perspective when developing its products, and says animal welfare is its stated priority. Developing a product generally takes two years, from idea to production.

The brand describes itself as a bluesign SYSTEM partner, and states that durable equipment with replaceable parts is its best contribution to the environment. According to the brand, some of its athletes have used the same harness for almost ten years. It manufactures mainly in Asia, in factories many of which are ISO 9001 certified, according to its own statements.

For readers in Switzerland

The brand’s online shop lists Switzerland in its country selector. It is available in French and German, as well as in English, Spanish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish. The size guide, expressed in centimetres, comes with the brand’s size calculator.