The Heel 350 Dog Collar and Remote make it easy to keep track of your dog while exploring the backcountry

What makes your overland trip memorable? Is it the destination? An activity? The people who join you? Maybe, just maybe, it’s all the above. For me, one “item” that makes any overlanding adventure noteworthy is when I bring my dog, Ruby. Yes, you read that correctly. Ruby always creates memorable, lasting moments when she joins me on my adventures.

Ruby is an eight-year-old Australian Sheppard; she has accompanied me and my family all over the desert southwest and north to the Canadian Rockies. She brings copious amounts of energy, which makes her an excellent adventure buddy. She enjoys doing anything outside during the day. Once camp is set, Ruby waits at the bottom of our rooftop tent’s ladder—ready for bed. Resting for the following day’s adventures!

When Ruby joins me, I struggle to keep track of her. Leash or no leash? When should I leash? Can she run around camp and explore? She loves to take hikes and walks. Must she always need leashing? All these questions run through my head during a typical trip. What do to? I want to keep her close to camp and to me as we are adventuring in the outdoors.

The Heel Virtual Dog leash to the rescue! The Roam 350 collar is a virtual leash. The Roam 350 comes with a collar and remote that “talks” to each other. Both the collar and remote talk to each other by tone, vibration, and static electricity.  Once I opened the package, setup took fewer than five minutes. The collar and remote are both charged via a USB-C enclosed cord. The actual collar is available in two different sizes depending on your K-9’s size. The owner dictates the length of the “leash.” Lengths vary from 10, 25, 75, 150, and 750 feet. So, how does the collar and remote work?

After charging both the collar and remote, I synched them following the simple and straightforward directions. Basically, I pushed down a few buttons for a few seconds. I sized the collar for Ruby’s neck, secured the collar with the robust snaps set the remote for the distance Ruby could be apart from (me) to 25 feet. Minutes later, we embarked on our first hike. Ruby sprinted out the door and immediately exceeded the 25 feet. The collar first signaled to Ruby with a tone, beep. Ruby immediately looked back to me; knowing something was abnormal. She glanced back at me but continued walking greater than 25 feet, so the collar vibrated. That was her cue. She ran back to me. I immediately praised her with a “good girl” and a pat on the head. We continued walking around the neighborhood and Ruby heard the tone once or twice more. I decided to decrease the distance to 10 feet for her safety at street crossings. She continued walking next to me. I never once needed to push the button on the remote that would provide a little shock.

The Heel 350 Collar worked as advertised. It took Ruby two more walks before she realized and learned to stay close to me. Granted every dog is different in terms of how long it will take to learn to stay close to their owner. However, I was impressed with the collar and remote. This piece of gear seems high quality and should last many years. Charging is quick and easy with the USB ports and included wire. The overall functionality of the remote and collar is simple and easy to navigate.

Man’s best friend definitely makes any overland adventure memorable. The ability to keep Ruby, safe while adventuring outdoors is paramount. The Heel 350 collar and remote protects my dog, teaches her new behaviors, and provides me with confidence.

Likes:

• Easy to operate
• Solid, robust build quality
• Three modes of warning for the dog (sound, vibration, and shock)
• Different size collar offerings

Consideration for Improvement:

• Improve battery life

Pricing is at $399 and you can learn more by visiting the Heel website at www.heel.dog.

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