Gear Review: Surfer Cat Luxury
Just so you know…
We would like to start off by sharing that we do receive a kickback on the sales that we generate for Surfer Cat Luxury. That said, we wouldn't promote anything on our page that we don't trust, love, or use ourselves. We also love promoting a great small business, and in our opinion, everything from Surfer Cat Luxury is 10/10 - from the owners, to the quality, and to the peace of mind their products give us when we take Petra backcountry skiing, whitewater rafting, and camping.
So if you are stoked about them after reading this review and want to buy their products, use the yellow button right below this for 10% off your order. We promise you won't regret it!
Let’s get started on the products they offer:
HarnessLeash TrainerLife JacketTraining bag
THE HARNESS
Cats are obviously very athletic creatures and don't like to feel restricted. So when we were looking for a harness, we wanted to find one that was ultralight weight, barely there, but also...escape proof! Initially, we thought we would find something with one or two of our preferences, but not all three. We are happy to share that Surfer Cat Luxury has all three and more! The harness is tiny with a floating back strap construction. It weighs under an ounce, and the back strap (connecting the neck and chest straps) moves with your cat, which means Petra has a full range of motion with no restrictions.She is noticeably more confident with this harness than others, and I attribute that to its lightweight and minimalist build.
It grows with your cat. We have had and used the same harness since Petra was a kitten. Just extend the straps; you'll only need to get another one when you want a different color.It is escape-proof. Long story, but regretfully (completely avoidable and my fault), Petra nearly escaped when we were flying from Anchorage to Denver. She almost managed to get her head out of the neck loop but was secured by the chest loop. This was not an ideal situation, but this harness worked when I needed it. Can you imagine how stressful it would have been to have your cat free on an airplane? It's like snakes on a plane, but cuter!
THE LEASH TRAINER
As I am sure many readers will know, walking a cat is nothing like walking a dog. It's rare for them to walk with you and never mind in the direction you want to go, which is what makes this leash so unique. The lease trainer is in the name; it trains your cat to walk on the leash. It is retractable and has a bundle of feathers and bells attached, a clever design for your feline's instinctual drive to chase. It also has a low recoil, so it not when your training your cat, you can easily give the leash some slack to let the feathers hit the ground, and when your cat starts to chase them, it will be in the direction you want to go - really a brilliant idea! Learn from our mistakes:Do NOT immediately use the leash when you get it. Instead, give it a couple days next to your cat's favorite toys and surround it with treats. We were so excited when we opened our beautiful Surfer Cat Luxury leash, and we immediately went to use it - bad idea! We clipped the leash to her harness, and instead of being excited by the feathers, she bolted, and of course, being attached to them, the feathers chased her. After that, she didn't want anything to do with the feathered leash, and we couldn't use it for a couple months.Over time we desensitized it and made it into a toy, and eventually, we were able to use it properly, but we recommend taking a look at our Leash Training blog.
THE LIFE JACKET
If you haven't picked it up my now, the name Surfer Cat Luxury comes from a cat that surfs (check out @SurferCatMav)! Evidently, this life jacket was designed by a cat dad, Red Bull pro athlete, and X Games wakeboard champ - so you know it's the best and most epic life jacket out there! In the summer and fall, we are on the water with Petra, and there is NO other life jacket we trust more than theirs. You can tell it is made specifically with the anatomy of cats in mind (none of this small dog stuff), and it has all the features you want: great buoyancy, a lift handle, reflective, and a D-ring for a leash. Petra loves this life jacket, and she is so confident when she uses it - check out her swimming here.
THE TRAINING BAG
This training bag is your one-stop shop for all things traveling with your cat. While we use a backpack for our outdoor endeavors where we need free hands, we use this training bag nearly every day for going around town, seeing friends, and the big one...travel! We LOVE this bag for long flights and general travels. Petra is obsessed with it because it is so comfortable, and we are obsessed with it because it comes with great storage, a tether to keep her attached, a water bowl, and...a travel-sized litter box - which has saved us all many times! What we love most about this bag is how Petra is able to socialize with us. When she is in a backpack, we can't see what she is doing and often isn't as involved, but when she is in this training bag, she can poke her head out and be a part of whatever we are experiencing - which she loves! When we sat down to write this review, we felt so much gratitude for Surfer Cat Luxury. They have truly made all of our adventures possible. We would never have taken Petra on all our incredible adventures if we did not feel that she was safe, secure, and comfortable - Surfer Cat made that possible. A massive shoutout to them; we hope this was a helpful review on why we love their products!
