Sleepypod Clickit Terrain Harness Review

I do a lot of driving with my dog, Barley. We’ve driven from Canada to Panama and have crisscrossed the US several times. I’m always looking for better ways to keep Barley safe on our road trips. That’s where crash-tested car harnesses come into play.

Sleepypod was kind enough to send Barley a free tester harness for us to review for you, so here’s our honest opinion.

Sleepypod Clickit Terrain Safety Harness Quick Stats:

• Meets Center for Pet Safety standards, one of only 3 harnesses to do so
• Easy-to-use step-through design
• D-rings allow you to connect a leash and go for a walk
• Bright reflective strips make your pet visible at night
• Ultra-secure attachment system keeps your pet stationary in the car
• Will feel restrictive for your pet in the car, especially at first – though their S-clip can help reduce this problem.
• Several bright colors are available

My verdict on the Sleepypod Clickit Terrain safety harness: I love how safe it is. I don’t love how restrictive it is for Barley, especially on long trips.

Barley is right in between sizes, and the large is a bit big for him. I will keep using it because it’s the safest option for him, but I wish it was a bit comfier for him in the car!

Update as of June 7, 2019: I sent this review to Sleepypod, and they’re sending me a smaller size to test out! They also helped me understand how to use the S-clip better to give Barley a bit more space to move around and prevent the seatbelt from locking.

Overview of Sleepypod

Sleepypod is a company that’s all about safety for your best friend. Their crash-tested harnesses meet the high standards of safety set by the Center for Pet Safety.

In fact, two of the three car harnesses listed on the CPS site as certified safe are from Sleepypod. That’s pretty impressive!

Sleepypod is so focused on safety that they’ll replace or discount a new Sleepypod harness for anyone whose harness or crate was damaged in a crash – even if the original product wasn’t from Sleepypod.

Aside from the obvious need for restraining your pet in case of a crash, these harnesses will also help keep your pet from jumping out a window, licking your ear during traffic, or otherwise being a danger to you and other drivers!

The Sleepypod Clickit Terrain Harness in Photos

About the Sleepypod Clickit Terrain Harness

This ultra-comfy harness is step-through for your pet, making it easy to get on and off. It’s got high-quality metal buckles and can be used as a walking harness thanks to the D-rings on the back.

It comes in several bright, pretty colors – something I always appreciate. We ordered the robins-egg blue, to match Journey Dog Training’s branding (and my favorite color).

Getting the harness on was really easy – most dogs prefer these step-through harnesses over an over-the-head option.

Unfortunately, the harness’s ultra-safe connection system is also pretty restrictive for your dog. Barley kept getting the seatbelt locked, leaving him pinned in awkward positions.

Sleepypod let me know that their S-clip can help prevent the seatbelt from locking the dog in an awkward position.

What I Love About the Sleepypod Clickit Terrain Safety Harness

Overall, I really like this harness.

It’s got high-quality metal buckles and comes in several pretty colors (including my favorite Robin-Egg blue).

It’s a step-through, back-buckle design that makes it really comfortable for your dog, even on extended road trip potty breaks.

Even better, because of the step-through design, hand-shy dogs can feel comfortable getting this harness put on.

The design seems very well-thought out, with nice reflective strips and high-quality materials. The SleepyPod team was also very responsive to me during the ordering process, which is always a huge plus.

Recap of What I Love:

• Metal buckles
• Pretty colors
• Super comfy for your dog
• Step-through, back-buckle design
• Super helpful support team
• Reflective strips
• Suitable for walking

What I Don’t Like About the Clickit Terrain Safety Harness

This harness is a bit of a pain to “install” for the human.

While it’s really easy to get the harness on your dog, it is challenging to thread the seatbelt through the attachment points across your dog’s back and sides.

The design, while ultra-secure, is quite restrictive for your dog.

Barley keeps getting the seatbelt locked on him because so much seatbelt is drawn out by the design. Then he’s stuck in an awkward position with a locked seatbelt! No fun. That said, the Sleepypod S-clip is made to fix this. Be sure to use it!

My only other complaint is that Barley is 50 pounds, exactly between sizes. SleepyPod erred on the side of caution and sent me a large, but it’s definitely a bit big for him. They’re actually sending me a smaller size, which is REALLY nice of them!

I’m not sure if the medium would fit better, or if they need an additional middle-large size for 50-pound dogs. This isn’t exactly a complaint about the product or the team, but it’s worth keeping in mind if your dog is between sizes.

Finally, it’s important to keep in mind that, generally, car harnesses for dogs are less safe than crates (but safer than having your dog loose).

I’d love to have a crate instead, which can help keep the car from caving in on your dog in a crash. But with my tiny Prius C, there just aren’t any good options for a dog of Barley’s size.

Recap of the Downsides:

• Can be difficult to get dog situated in the car
• Quite restrictive for the dog’s movement in the car (which is arguably safer)
• Sizing was a bit off for my exactly-between-sizes dog.
• Harnesses, in general, aren’t as safe as crash-proof dog crates.
  • That said, Sleepypod has had 40+ customers get into accidents with their dogs using the product – and all 40 dogs walked away without injury!

Overall, I really like this harness. I’ll keep using it, especially for trips that are long enough to merit the hassle of getting Barley in and out of the seatbelt.

I might rely more on the Ruffwear harness for shorter rides where I want an easy-in and easy-out of the car.