Taking long road trips with the dogs is one of my favorite things to do. I always grew up driving halfway across the country from either Florida or Virginia all the way to Missouri at either Thanksgiving or Christmas time each year with mini van packed full of dogs, people, and all our stuff.
Now in my adult life, I’ve taken Luna on several road trips to the Outer Banks, Nashville, Upstate New York, and now all the across the country to California with new brother Ralph. We’ll also be hitting the road again shortly to visit family in Missouri and then again next year for BlogPaws 2017 in Myrtle Beach.
After doing years and years of pet friendly travel, I’ve learned that it’s worth splurging on a few very crucial items that will make your trip easier and better for all participating parties. Today we’re going to talk about a few of those products and stay tuned for a few more next week! Today’s sponsor of Day 5 of the Stocking Stuffer Giveaways is Solvit. (Did you miss Day 4? Find it here!)
A few years back, we put Solvit’s HoundAbout II to the test on the bike trail near our old apartment. I love bringing Luna along for bike rides, but then again I usually make sure my boyfriend is the one towing her!
But since we had a great experience with our first Solvit product, I was really excited to learn more about what they offered and happy that a lot of the products are designed to tackle problems many pet parents commonly face. Like way too much dog hair stuck to your car’s back seat… and is that a barf stain?
We’ve all been there and learning the magic of a seat cover is absolutely key to surviving pet parenthood without having to buy a new car every month. Sure sometimes seat covers might make it harder for full grown people to ride in the back seat of your car without doing some kind of weird rearranging, but let’s face it – only your dogs ride their anyways, right?
I had tried a traditional seat cover before, so I was interested in trying out Solvit’s Hammock design. I liked that this design would catch more pet hair and prevent it from falling on the floor. It also deters both dogs from crossing into the front seat when they aren’t supposed to. And as an added bonus, you can kind of hide stuff underneath the hammock part, which is great if you need to leave a bag or something in your car for a bit.
We decided to try out the Deluxe Hammock Seat Cover in Classic Green. It was relatively easy to install by just slipping two adjustable straps over the head rests of the back seats and another two over the front seats. I did wish the straps had a buckle, so you could adjust it first and then attach. I think that would also make it a lot easier to convert from hammock to regular seat if you do happen to have full sized humans riding in your back seat, but overall it wasn’t too challenging.
Each seat cover also features two Sta-Put seat anchors, which are essentially small white tubes that you can stick between the gap of the back cushion and seat bottom. They are easy enough to remove, but keep the cover more firmly in place over time. I think these worked really well, but had a bit of difficulty getting the hammock side to lay as flat especially with the dogs in. I think it might be because that side is made out of a slightly different and light material.
The actual seat cover side is made of a much thicker, quilted micro-suede fabric, so it is definitely much more durable. I’d love to see Solvit use this throughout the whole product in future models! Right now, the whole thing is machine washable and treated with Stain-Blok.
If the Deluxe Hammock Seat Cover is the perfect option for you, Solvit also offers a Waterproof Hammock, Premium Hammock, and a wide variety of regular bench seat covers that provide similar benefits. On top of the seat covers, Solvit has also launched a line of Car Cuddlers! You can find all their car travel gear here.
Solvit’s Car Cuddlers were just released on October 15, so you could be one of the first to have one! They combine seat cover with durable and comfortable dog bed, so it’s perfect for pups who like to be comfortable while on the go.
In the past, we always layered a seat cover, a few towels, and a dog bed on long road trips to make sure Luna was safe and comfortable for long hours in the car. I absolutely love that the car cuddler can do both! Car Cuddlers feature a plush central bed with generous side bolsters and that is all attached to a cover that protects the upper half of the seat.
Car Cuddlers are available in two sizes – Small or single seat and Large or bench seat. Since Ralph and Luna cuddle up when traveling in the car, we got them a small Car Cuddler to share.
Car Cuddlers come in both brown and grey and are constructed out of a micro-suede fabric with a faux sheepskin lining. Just like the Hammock Seat Covers, the Car Cuddlers can be used with any existing harnesses you have for your dog to keep them safe while they are in the car.
There is a bit of assembly required, but it’s not too complicated. You just need to shove a few pillows into their zippered spots. It’s a tight fit, so you might need a friend, but I was able to do it by myself with two dogs awkwardly staring at me. So you can to!
Typically I would use the Car Cuddler in our back seat, where Ralph and Luna would be safer and less distracting, but the photos aren’t as good back there! Also please don’t mind those crumbs on my car floor. Well, unless you volunteer to vacuum them right up!
We’ll be bringing our Solvit Car Cuddler along with us on our next road trip to Missouri. It’ll keep the pups comfortable and also give them a defined space in the car, which will surely be crammed full of gifts for good Jessicas! We’ll report back, but I really think they will love it. At least as much as a anyone loves to me crammed in a mini van with three dogs, four humans, and a lot (A LOT) of stuff.
Don’t forget that all Solvit Products including the Seat Covers and Car Cuddlers come with a limited lifetime warranty. They will replace any product with defects in workmanship or materials.
If you want to learn more about Solvit Products, be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!
TWO lucky Beagles & Bargains readers will receive a Solvit Small Car Cuddler or Deluxe Hammock Seat Cover!
Residents of the United States and Canada (except Quebec) are eligible to enter via the Rafflecopter below. Entries must be submitted by 11:59 PM ET on Friday, December 23, 2016. Winners will be notified via email within 48 hours of the giveaway closing and will have 48 hours to respond and claim their prize.
One (1) winner will be randomly selected to receive one (1) Small Car Cuddler and one (1) winner will be randomly selected to receive one (1) Deluxe Hammock Seat Cover. Approximate retail value is $59.99 (Small Car Cuddler) and $64.99 (Deluxe Hammock Seat Cover).
Don’t forget to check out our Holiday Guide!
Don’t miss any of the 12 Stocking Stuffer Giveaways!
Which would you prefer – a Solvit Small Car Cuddler or Deluxe Hammock Seat Cover? Tell us why!
Disclaimer: Solvit Products provided product free to review. I received no other compensation or additional benefits for mentioning the brands or products in this post. The opinions and ideas in this post are my own and are uninfluenced by any other person or business. Solvit Products is responsible for all giveaway prizes including shipping.
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