The best crash-tested dog crates we tested
Best crash-tested dog crate: Gunner G1 Kennel
Just as a car seat is the safest place for a child to ride, a crash-tested dog crate is the best way to keep your pet (and all the other passengers in your car) safe. While it’s cute to let your dog stick their head out the window on a car ride, unrestrained pets can be distracting to drivers and can even become dangerous projectiles in the event of an accident.
We tested the six top crash-tested car crates on the market and evaluated their crash-test ratings, durability, quality and usability. After our in-depth testing, only one crate came out on top.
Gunner’s G1 kennels fit various vehicles and dogs and are impressively safe. The brand’s car crates have undergone extensive crash and durability testing and sit right in the middle of the price range for Center for Pet Safety-certified crates.?
Best crash-tested dog crate: Gunner G1 Kennel
Gunner’s G1 Kennels meet at the intersection of safety, durability, usability and price. Three sizes of Gunner’s crates (small, medium, and intermediate) have been crash-tested and certified by the Center for Pet Safety (CPS) when paired with the brand’s strength-rated tie-down straps. Note that the large Gunner crate hasn’t yet been CPS-certified.
The results of the CPS crash testing for each size Gunner kennel all show minimal movement and no structural or connection issues with the crate, the crate door or the anchor straps. All crash testing was conducted with Gunner’s G1 branded anchor straps, which are sold separately for $90, so make sure to grab a set if you want the full safety benefits of these crates.
Gunner’s Intermediate Kennel was also used as a part of CPS’s 2015 crate study, and CPS dubbed it “the hands-down top-performing crate of the 2015 study.”
In terms of durability, Gunner has performed a slew of additional tests to show just how heavy-duty these kennels are, including squeezing them with 4,000 pounds of pressure in a vise machine, dropping 630 pounds on them, throwing them off a cliff and even shooting them with a shotgun. Gunner’s website features testimonials of real users who have been in wrecks while using a Gunner Kennel, and the stories speak for themselves — tons of dogs (and people) have been saved thanks to these crates.
Gunner kennels are double-wall rotomolded, almost like a Yeti cooler for your dog. Gunner has run temperature tests on its crates in hot and cold weather and the rotomolded design kept dogs an average of 10% cooler in hot weather than typical crates and up to 20 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the air temperature in cold weather. We recreated a temperature test in cold weather and found that Gunner kennels stay quite warm even with no heat on, especially in an enclosed cargo space (like in your car). The kennel also stayed an average of 5 degrees F warmer than the air temperature in an unenclosed space during cold weather.
I’ve tested the medium and intermediate sizes of the G1 kennels for over a year, and have only noticed light cosmetic damage like scrapes to the outside of the kennel. I’ve dropped the intermediate kennel off the back of my SUV, bumped it into doorways and slid it through car doors that were just a little too tight. It held up to the intense day-to-day uses of someone with two dogs who takes them pretty much everywhere.
The one major downside of Gunner crates is that they’re heavy and bulky. The small crate weighs around 27 pounds, the medium weighs about 36 pounds and the intermediate crate weighs nearly 50 pounds. For reference, most crash-tested crates are heavy, bulky and not that portable. However, Gunner’s Intermediate kennel outweighs the similarly sized Intermediate Lucky Duck and Cabela’s Gun Dog kennels by 10 and 18 pounds, respectively. This crate isn’t ideal for constantly taking in and out of your car, especially if you’re not very strong. These crates are best for folks who will almost permanently leave them secured in their vehicle. Strapping Gunner Kennels down, however, is a breeze. Gunner’s straps and anchor points are the easiest and most intuitive to use of any crate I tested. I love them so much that I’ve even used them to secure outdoor gear to my roof rack.
I also loved that the top anchor points and intuitive straps allow for multiple crates in the car. I have a medium and an intermediate Gunner, and a handful of different crate configurations work in my Ford Bronco Sport with these two crates. I found the two-Gunner setup to be my favorite of the crates I tested. Each kennel feels super secure when strapped down, and I love the three high-quality locks and the reversible doors. Like other plastic kennels we tested (Cabela’s and Lucky Duck), Gunner kennels are insanely easy to clean out, thanks to minimal nooks and crannies and a drain plug at the back that allows for easy hose-downs. In more than a year of testing, I never experienced any noise or rattling from the Gunner crates, even when two of them were strapped down next to each other — I experienced rattling from both the Cabela’s and the double Variocage.
Another huge draw to Gunner’s crates is the community. The brand offers A1 customer service and has a Facebook group called Gunner Discussion Den that allows Gunner users and prospective Gunner buyers to ask questions, get info on car and dog breed sizing, and more. In the same way Jeep owners love other Jeep owners, Gunner has created a welcoming dog community. Gunner also has a slew of accessories that can be added to a crate, including beds, fan kits, wheel kits and more.
Regarding price, Gunner’s G1 Kennels sit right in the middle of the price range compared to the other crash-tested crates we tested. Gunner’s crates run $550, $650, $700 and $900 for the small, medium, intermediate and large kennels, respectively. Here are all the crash-tested crates we tried out, in ascending order by price.
- Cabela’s GunDog Intermediate Dog Kennel — $350
- Lucky Duck Kennels — $600 (intermediate) and $700 (large)
- Gunner G1 Kennels —?$550 (small), $650 (medium), $700 (intermediate) and $900 (large)
- Rock Creek 30-Inch Stationary Dog Crate — $743
- MIM Safe Variocage Single — from $930 for the smallest size, up to $1,580
- MIM Safe Variocage Double — from $1,330 for the smallest size, up to $2,400
If you’re serious about car safety and want a crash-tested crate that’s safe, durable, functional and decently priced, Gunner should be your go-to pick. With a variety of sizes that will fit most dog breeds, a huge library of real-life customer testimonials and a substantial amount of performance data backing these kennels, we feel that the price of the G1 line is well worth it.
How we tested
Not every car crate fits every vehicle, so we tested our pool of crates in a Ford Bronco Sport, a Toyota 4Runner and a Jeep Wrangler to try different anchor point placements and overall car fit. We also tested each crate with different dogs, including mixed breed pups, a border collie, a rough collie, an Australian shepherd and a beauceron to see which crate sizes offered the best fit for each dog. Here’s a full rundown of each test and feature we evaluated on the six crash-tested car crates.
Usability
- Ease of use: We noted assembly times and difficulty for the crates that came in multiple pieces. We also loaded and unloaded each crate into multiple vehicles to see how easy it was to move them around and strap them down.
- Multi-crate configuration: If you have more than one dog, you’ll likely need more than one crash-tested crate in your car. We checked each crate for potential issues that might arise with a multi-crate configuration.
Fit and sizing
- Car fit: We evaluated how easy or difficult it was to get a crate that properly fit in a vehicle based on each brand’s sizing resources.
- Dog fit: Using our dogs’ measurements, crate measurements and any onsite tools the crate brands offer, we tested how well our dogs fit in the size that each brand recommended.
- Size options: Not all crash-tested crate brands offer a wide variety of sizes, but we prefer brands that have options to safely transport small dogs like cocker spaniels up to large dogs like German shepherds and everything in between.
Performance
- Crash testing results: The testing pool was completely made up of crates that either had 5-star CPS crash test ratings or verifiable crash testing results from another third-party testing organization. We reviewed the crash testing videos of each of the kennels and read through existing reports.
- Additional performance/durability testing from the brand: Durability testing goes beyond standard crash tests. We gave extra kudos to brands who went above and beyond in proving the safety and durability of their kennels through additional in-house testing.
Design and durability
- Build quality: We thoroughly examined the crates, their materials and their tie-down straps to assess their durability. We noted any rattling pieces, loose or unaligned doors and cosmetic damage from taking crates in and out of a car.
- Locks: We tested all of the locks on each kennel to ensure dogs couldn’t escape if one of the locks failed. We prefer crates that feature multiple locking mechanisms — in the event of a crash, a lock could fail, so having a backup lock is crucial.
- Anchor points: We assessed the durability, quality and placement of each crate’s anchor points, and noted if the placement may cause issues with crate configuration.
Extra features
- Extra features: Extras like drainage holes for cleaning, a large variety of add-on accessories and car crates that are escape-proof aren’t necessities, but are nice to have, so we took note of them.
- Warranty: We looked through the warranty of each crate. The best warranty included a cost-free replacement of the crate in the event of a serious, documented accident — similar to child car seat warranties. At a minimum, we looked for a multi-year manufacturer warranty against defects.
- Versatility: When spending $500+ on a dog crate, you should be able to use it for different purposes. We checked which crates could be used for crating at home, in a hotel, at a dog event or on an airplane in addition to car use.
Price
- Price: Crash-tested car kennels aren’t cheap, so we assessed the bang for your buck for each kennel and considered the price of the tie-down straps (if sold separately) and shipping. We compared each crate’s price to each other given the performance results, and we also made comparisons to non-crash-tested car crates like Ruffland kennels to figure out if the crash-tested counterparts were worth the cost. Our top picks sat at around the $500 to $700 mark depending on size.
Everything you need to know about crash-tested dog crates
It’s not just dangerous for your dog to ride unrestrained in a car — it’s also hazardous to the driver and any passengers in the vehicle. A loose 80-pound dog will exert 2,400 pounds of force in a 30-mile-per-hour collision, which is enough to seriously injure human passengers.
While crash-tested car crates can be expensive and some folks will advocate for crash-tested harnesses instead, there are a few downsides to harnesses. The first is that dogs can be injured or killed by airbags, even if they’re restrained when they go off. The second is that crash-tested car crates keep your dog contained even if you’re involved in an accident. Unrestrained dogs can run into dangerous traffic after an accident or become lost, making a car wreck that much more stressful.
Not every dog crate can withstand the force of a collision, which is why crash testing is so important for crates being used in a vehicle. The Center for Pet Safety conducted crash testing on simple wire crates, and the results showed that the dog dummy would have become a projectile strong enough to break a car’s seat back and seriously injure human passengers in a car wreck. CPS also said that the dog dummy was destroyed in the impact test, proving that dogs are not safe in wire crates in the car.
Pet parents should look out for CPS-certified crates, carriers and harnesses when purchasing products used for car travel. CPS is a nonprofit organization that tests and evaluates products, including car crates, for pet safety. If a car crate or carrier isn’t CPS-certified, look for crash-test results from another third-party lab or organization before buying.
Every crate in this guide, aside from the two Variocage options, has been crash-tested and certified by CPS. CPS crash tests each crate in two different ways. In the first test, crates are secured via four strength-rated anchor points to a flat simulated cargo area using each crate brand’s preferred anchor straps. In the second test, crates are secured behind a metal simulated seatback fixture. This test allows testers to see if any damage would occur to a seatback because of a crate in a collision, which gives an idea of human passenger safety as well as dog safety. Both testing configurations mimic how real users would strap down a car crate in the trunk or cargo area of a truck or SUV.
In each test, CPS places an appropriately sized test dog dummy in each crate, and an impact is simulated at around 30 miles per hour. CPS then examines the structural integrity of the crate, doors, latches and the condition of the test dummy post-impact.
Although Variocage crates did not pass the last CPS testing they were involved in, Variocage crates are crash tested to the Safe Pet Crate Test (SPCT), which the company worked with Swedish government agencies to develop. The latest generation of Variocage crates has been tested with a 99-pound dog dummy for the single crates, and two 77-pound dog dummies for the double crates. Variocage says these tests were conducted at speeds exceeding 30 miles per hour. Variocage crates also work with crumple zone technology intended to keep dogs and passengers safe, so the testing process differs from other crates that don’t use crumple zone designs.
Other crash-tested dog crates we tested
Lucky Duck's kennels are lighter and easier to load in and out of a car than the Gunner; however, they only come in intermediate and large sizes.
With a similar look to the Gunner G1 crates, Lucky Duck Kennels are a lighter, slightly cheaper option. We loved the super-strong anchor points on the top of the crate and the wide base that gives dogs a little more room to turn and lay down. This kennel features two large handles on top for easy movement, and the door comes with three separate locks and is reversible so it can be fixed to open from either side. This kennel ships fully assembled so it’s ready to use right out of the box, but the tie-down straps are sold separately for $100.
This crate is ideal for folks who don’t want to deal with Gunner’s heavy double-wall rotomolded crates. While Gunner’s Intermediate Kennel weighs 48 pounds, Lucky Duck’s similarly sized intermediate kennel weighs 38 pounds. Lucky Duck claims its kennels have been tested to withstand more than 4,000 pounds of force and withstood 630 pounds dropped from above 8 feet onto the kennel — the same as the Gunner Kennel.
Lucky Duck’s kennels only came in two sizes at the time of writing: intermediate and large, making them suitable only for large and extra-large dogs. One perk to Lucky Duck’s sizing, though, is the large crate is CPS-certified and suitable for dogs up to 110 pounds (Gunner’s similarly sized large crate hasn’t been CPS-certified yet).
Gunner beat out Lucky Duck for a few reasons: sizing, strap ease of use, extended durability testing and customer testimonials. Gunner has three CPS-certified sizes, with the non-CPS-certified large crate also available. If you don’t need a smaller size, don’t want to deal with the Gunner’s heavier weight and are okay with straps that are harder to use, the Lucky Duck could be a great pick for you.
Awkward anchor points made this crate a bit difficult to secure and limited the number of crates you could configure into a car.
We loved the sleek look of this crate and how easily it fit in the car thanks to its straightforward rectangular shape. This is a solid pick if you need a car crate that doubles as a house or dog event crate, especially if you add on the wheel kit (sold separately). Rock Creek claims the crate is escape-proof, making it a good pick for anxious dogs. Only one size of this crate (the 30-inch model) has been CPS crash test certified, but it comes in three other, larger sizes.
We didn’t love that the anchor points to secure this crate down needed to be bought separately and screwed into the side of the crate right in the middle. This placement limits the tie-down options and means you can only have one kennel in the middle of an SUV’s cargo area if you want all four anchor points on the crate to be secured. The ratchet straps used in crash testing are extremely heavy-duty, but won’t work for all cars’ anchor points because of the huge clips on the ends. These straps with Rock Creek’s anchor point configuration don’t work when a car’s anchor points are on the back of the second-row seats.
This crate only comes in one size, and its travel safety bar requires a lot of headroom in your trunk to install.
Cabela’s GunDog Kennel is a solid budget option for the right person. We wish this crate came in more sizes, though the intermediate size is best for medium to large breeds, like labs, goldens, vizslas and other typical hunting dogs. The travel safety rod (or “safety skewer” as we called it during testing) requires nearly 21 inches of overhead clearance to put it in and remove it easily. The safety rod worked great in a Toyota 4Runner during testing, but a Ford Bronco Sport didn’t have enough clearance to get it in and out comfortably. It would likely be best in the back of a truck or an SUV with a lot of headroom.
We loved the lightweight design and the three thick handles on top, but wished the door rattled less during drives. The recommended tie-down method requires crisscrossing the anchor straps and having the crate centered in the cargo area of an SUV. This tie-down method likely wouldn’t allow for multiple crates in the back of an SUV, so only spring for this option if you only have one dog to transport.
One of the most expensive crates we tested, the Variocage was held back by confusing sizing. However, the Variocage Double is the only crash-tested crate on the market that fits extra-large dogs.
Loved by dog show and dog sport fanciers, the Variocage double is a unique, space-saving solution for transporting two dogs, or one extra-large dog in the cargo area of an SUV. The compressible design means you can adjust the fit of the crate to your vehicle, and it boasts crumple zones intended to absorb impact force away from your dog in the event of a collision. Though this crate did not pass CPS crash tests, it was tested by the SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden, and the brand claims a perfect safety track record for multiple decades. We liked that Variocage’s crates were tested with front, rear and rollover collision tests, and were tested with both dog dummies and human dummies to evaluate how safe the crate is for human passengers and dogs. The Double Variocage (without the divider) is one of the only crash tested crates on the market that fits dogs over 95-100 pounds.
We wanted to love this crate, but experienced issues with both sizing and durability. Though Variocage markets a size-fit guarantee, the XL double crate we were sent did not fit in our Ford Bronco Sport with the divider in, since the divider requires you to expand the crate more than the minimum depth. Variocage recommended we transport both of our dogs in the crate without the divider, which worked well for our two tester dogs who get along well, but this solution isn’t ideal for dogs who might need their own space in the car. Customer service from the brand was less than stellar, and the crate feels flimsy in some places despite the high price. We managed to bend the aluminum of the rear pieces during assembly, which affected how easy the crate was to put together.
The tie-down straps on this crate feel thin and somewhat flimsy, and it’s clear that the crate relies on the car’s second-row seat back for proper support. We also experienced slight rattling during drives with this crate due to the thin aluminum top pieces and didn’t love the open bar design on the sides. Though this crate offers a ton of ventilation and a safe design, if you store anything next to your crate in your cargo area, your dog will have easy access to it. The open design on the front, however, is great for dog gear storage. During testing, we hung harnesses, leashes and other gear on the front of the crate for easy access. One great thing about the Variocage is that the brand will offer you a replacement if you’re in a documented serious accident.
Like with the Variocage Double, figuring out what size to get was a headache with the Variocage Single, even when getting help from customer service.
While it was easier to fit in a vehicle than the double Variocage, we still experienced similar issues with the single as with its larger counterpart. We liked that the brand offers a large variety of sizing for all sizes of dogs, but after giving the measurements for our dogs and our vehicle, we were sent a crate that seemed far too large for safe car travel for one of our medium-sized dogs. The sizing guide on the MIM website is confusing, and even if you order a crate that technically fits your vehicle’s cargo area measurements, you may end up not being able to shut your trunk due to differences in the angle of the back of the crate and your seat back, resulting in unused space.
If you decide to spring for a Variocage, measure multiple times before ordering, and keep the original packaging including the pallet in case you need to exchange sizes.
