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Thule, the trusted name in adventure gear, is already known for top-notch roof racks that carry bikes, kayaks, and even tents.
Now, they're bringing their expertise to dog travel with secure car crates. These crates provide a safe haven for your furry friend, allowing you to focus on the road and enjoy the journey together.
Launched in January 2024, their Allax dog crates offer a super safe alternative to a dog guard, it has the benefit of leaving additional boot space for luggage and packs some nifty features.
Ultimately the Thule Allax dog crate range has been designed with a SUV in mind, and we couldn't wait to put it through it's paces.
Thule Allax Dog Crate : At a Glance The ultimate in car safety for your dog. Designed to protect your dog and yourself with superior safety features, it's easy to use and offers peace of mind. |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Thule Allax Dog Crate Review
1. Thule Allax Dog Crate : Basics
The crème de la crème of car dog crates, the Thule Allax is uniquely designed and well built.
This crate provides peace of mind for you and your passengers during every journey. It keeps your dog safely contained, reducing stress for everyone.
For escape artists who love a speedy exit, the lockable crate adds an extra layer of security when you arrive at your destination.
Choosing a Size
The Allax dog crate is available in a range of ten sizes. When it comes to selecting the best crate size for your dog and your car, our first bit of advice is to take some time and several accurate measurements.
Don't fall for the "I have a medium-sized car and dog so I'll chose a medium sized crate" - like we did!
We chose the medium sized crate and whilst it was perfect for our dog, it was slightly too big for a Porsche Macan (mid-sized SUV) with it's sloping rear seats and boot, but it was ideal for a Land Rover Defender as shown below.
Finding the perfect fit just got easier! Visit Thule's website for their new size/car make and model guide for dog crates. While the guide is a great starting point, we'd still recommended measuring your car's boot space to ensure you have enough room for the crate and other travel essentials.
As the Allax crate doesn't slope at the same angle as many car boots do, it's vitally important that you take the measurements correctly.
Here's out top tip for choosing the right crate for your car and dog.
Depth: Measure from the top of the rear seats to the furthest point in the boot. Be careful to only measure to where the boot door begins to slope (at the top) - otherwise your chosen crate may not fit under a sharply sloping rear door.
There is some wiggle room here as cleverly there's a lever on both sides of the crate so you can alter your crate depth to fit perfectly in your boot.
Taking a look at our Size Guide below and you'll see that the Compact models have a reduced depth but the height and width measurements are the same as the standard versions. These Compact models are suited to cars with shallower boots.
Once you've taken your car boot measurements, you'll need to measure your dog. Grab a tape measure and find the height from the top of your dog's shoulders to the floor. You can then match wither height to crate size.
Top Tip - If your dog struggles to keep still, use a piece of string and then place it alongside a tape measure afterwards - seriously so much easier than trying to use a metal tape measure.
Fitting
The first thing to say is that your chosen dog crate arrives flat packed so there is a small amount of assembly to do before you can attach it to your car. We're talking - 20 minutes tops, it's not an Ikea furniture project!
As you'd expect from Thule, the instruction booklet is simple to follow and all the parts are precision engineered to fit together perfectly.
If you prefer there is also a video on their website which you could follow. Although it shows one person with a small crate, we assembled a medium size crate and would strongly suggest it's a two person job!
Once assembled, it slides straight in your car boot and you can fine-tune the depth to fit your available space.
Due to their weight, these crates are best left in place once installed. The XXS starts at a manageable 15.5kg, but the XXL can be quite hefty at 27.3kg.
2. Thule Allax Dog Crate : Design
Crash Tested
Let's talk about that all important crash testing !
As you'd expect from Thule, the Allax dog crate has been rigorously crash tested in their Thule Test Center where they recreated rear-end collisions, front collisions and even roll-over scenarios.
It's also certified by TÜV SÜD, a brand synonymous with quality and safety. Their independent certification instils confidence as it demonstrates Thule's commitment to quality, safety and sustainability.
The innovative crumple zone is designed to provide superior protection for both passengers and your dog in the case of an accident.
But their testing didn't end there! They evaluated the crate over time, to assess durability and long-term performance. They recreated rough and uneven terrain, sharp turns, evasive manoeuvres, and brake tests.
So it's fair to say that this dog crate ensures that both you and your dog are as safe as possible.
If you were involved in a collision, and you can't open the car boot, don't worry. The Thule Allax has been designed with a smaller emergency door. By lowering the back seats to access the crate, the rear door can be opened so your dog can jump out. They really have thought of everything !
It's worth mentioning that for safety reasons, Thule suggest that you don't have a lead attached while the dog is inside the crate.
The Door
One of the best things about the Allax crate for us was the door. It had a really premium look and feel.
The gas dampened mechanism means that it's as light as a feather to use. It makes no noise (always a plus if you have an anxious dog) and you can be confident that once opened it wouldn't accidentally swing shut on your dog.
Thule have designed the crate to ensure an almost unobstructed view so your dog can relax and watch the world go by whilst you're left to concentrate on the road ahead.
Plus increased ventilation has been proven to help deal with dogs suffering from car sickness, so the design allows the air to flow through the crate door and sides.
The built-in door lock adds an extra layer of security for any budding Houdinis !
Straps
In testing we felt that the crate was very stable in the boot, nevertheless, the Allax crate comes with 4 adjustable restraining straps.
These simply thread through the top side bar and then through your car's cargo loops. The straps are can then be tightened to fit. Once in place, the crate and your dog are going nowhere in the event of a crash.
It's also worth noting that all crates come with a 2 Year Thule Guarantee. More details are available here.
3. Thule Allax Dog Crate : Accessories
You can choose from a selection of accessories to accompany your crate :-
Bumper Protect - We loved the Bumper Protector. It folds out to cover your bumper avoiding those nasty (and costly) scratches from paws. Made from a durable and water-resistant material, it does the job well and is easy to fold up and store in front of the crate.
A great investment if your dog jumps into the boot like ours and we noticed that it doesn't slide about like fabric protectors have the habit of doing. Thule offer both a standard and wide version of the boot protector.
If your dog loves mud, simply brush off the dried mud then wipe with a damp cloth.
Storage Bag - Attaching by strong velcro straps to the side of the crate, their zipped storage bag is an optional extra.
Is it essential ? Not really, but it's a great idea for all those dog bits that we're likely to forget - poo bags, treats, ball, paw wipes, small towel even an emergency lead (yes, I have lost a lead mid-walk before, it's amazing what you can fashion out of a scarf 😂)
Dog Mat - Made of non-slip silicone, this mat has been designed specifically for the Allax crate.
It slides into the base of the crate, offering a stable grip for your dog whilst the car's in motion. There are two sizes available - standard or wide and you simply follow the pre-made cutting lines to cut it to size (please note - we hadn't cut ours to size)
Thule Leash Hook - Also on offer is a simple hook to hold your dog's lead and collar whilst they are in the crate. You can attach the hook anywhere on the side of the crate.
You may be interested in taking a closer look at our other popular dog travel product reviews including - Best Boot Liners, Best Car Seat Covers, Best Car Seats & Best Portable Dog Washers |
Our Verdict
After reading this review, it will come as no surprise to you that we fell head-over-heels in love with the Thule crate.
Finding the perfect fit initially proved challenging. Since the crate is bulky, only the XS size would fit a Porsche Macan, highlighting the need for a larger car. Thankfully, Thule now offers recommendations based on car make and model, which significantly streamlines the selection process for pet owners.
Other than that, it's exceptionally well built and nicely designed by people that know dogs.
In addition to it's crash-tested credentials, it includes some nifty features. From the gas dampened door, adjustable depth to make the most of your boot space, emergency rear door, excellent ventilation and all-round views, Thule also offer a range of well thought-out accessories.
Yes it's pricey, but what's undeniable is that the Thule Allax dog crate is probably the safest way for you and your dog to travel in the car.
Alternatives
If the Thule Allax crate is a little out of your reach, what other crate options are available to you ?
Pet World Travel Crates
Offering an extensive range of designs suitable for SUVs, hatchbacks and Estate cars, Pet World based in Newcastle offer a cheaper option.
Their folding crates are strong and lightweight, crafted from high carbon steel and finished in a powder coating. With sloping backs and fronts designed uniquely to make the most of your boot space and offer plenty of ventilation.
Importantly they're designed with an emergency access door in the top and sliding front doors plus Pet World have recently improved the design by adding a waterproof removable base tray.
So lots of great design features, but remember they haven't been through the same rigorous testing regime as the Thule crate.
Henry Wag Air Kennel
Suitable for small dogs and puppies, the Henry Wag Air Kennel is an option for the car boot. Definitely the most transportable of the options we feature, it's designed to be used in your car or a plane or boat and has a carry handle.
Made from a hard plastic shell, it features a front and top opening door for easy access. Considerably cheaper than the other options, we think that it has more limited view and ventilation although both access doors help.
Importantly, the Air Kennel does come with addition straps to secure it to your boot and is available in three sizes.
Again, we need to point out that it's not crash-tested like the Thule Allax.
We really hope you've enjoyed reading our review of the Thule Dog Crate
as much as we enjoyed testing it
