For years, TrOP dog sportswear has followed a clear and consistent philosophy: minimalist harness design that fits like a second skin. Lightweight construction, precise geometry, and minimal padding have defined our approach to dog pulling gear — trusted by athletes across mushing, sled dog sports, and other pulling disciplines.

The preference for heavily padded harnesses has existed in mushing and dog pulling sports for a long time. It is a direction TrOP has never actively pursued — until we were confident we could execute it without compromising freedom of movement, efficiency, and fit.

Heavily padded harnesses are not a new trend in sled dog gear or mushing equipment. Many athletes prefer additional chest support, especially during:

• longer training sessions

• higher pulling loads

• multi-dog team setups

• winter sledding conditions

While TrOP has traditionally focused on minimal padding and direct power transfer, we recognize that different disciplines and dogs require different solutions. Rather than abandoning our philosophy, we expanded it — designing padded harnesses that still perform as true pulling sports equipment.

Both new harness models introduced over the past year feature enhanced chest padding, developed to distribute pressure more evenly during sustained pulling. The padding is functional, not excessive — supporting the dog while preserving natural movement, breathing, and stride length.

These harnesses were tested to ensure they remain high-performance dog pulling gear, suitable for both training and competition in mushing and sled dog sports.

A key design update shared by both models is the sliding rope attachment system.

This mechanism allows the tug line to move naturally during turns, helping the harness realign itself after corners. The benefits include:

• reduced twisting

• smoother transitions

• more consistent positioning during pulling

This feature is especially valuable in technical terrain, team setups, and sled training, where stability and alignment matter most.

The Backbone 2.0 Harness is designed primarily for mono-dog pulling disciplines, such as canicross, bikejoring, skijoring, and scooterjoring.

With its refined X-back geometry, targeted chest padding, and sliding attachment system, it offers:

• efficient power transfer for single-dog setups

• improved stability during acceleration and turns

• comfort during high-intensity training and racing

👉 Explore the Backbone 2.0 Harness here:
https://www.tropdogsportswear.com/product/backbone-2-harness/

Backbone 2.0 is ideal for athletes who demand precision, speed, and efficiency from their dog pulling gear.

The Wolfclan Harness was developed with broader versatility in mind. It is suitable not only for individual pulling, but also for multi-dog teams and winter sled activities.

Its supportive chest construction and adaptable attachment system make it an excellent choice for:

• sled dog training and racing

• tandem and team setups

• long-distance or endurance-focused sessions

👉 Discover the Wolfclan Harness here:
https://www.tropdogsportswear.com/product/wolfclan-harness/

Wolfclan bridges traditional sled dog harness concepts with modern performance design, making it reliable mushing gear for demanding conditions.

Introducing padded harnesses does not signal a departure from TrOP’s identity. Minimalist, second-skin harnesses remain at the core of our collection.

Backbone 2.0 and Wolfclan exist to offer choice — for athletes whose disciplines, dogs, or preferences call for additional support, without sacrificing efficiency or performance.

This is how TrOP approaches evolution in dog pulling sports equipment:
not by following trends, but by responding thoughtfully — when we can do it right.