Impact Dog Crate Review

IMPACT COLLAPSIBLE DOG CRATE

 This crate has a sleek, folding design. This durable crate takes up far less room than traditional dog crates and provides maximum safety and comfort for your pooch. It is made out of lightweight yet strong material.

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Good dog crates are pretty hard to come by. Whether flimsy,  super small, or just plain ugly, it can be tough to find a good-quality dog crate that meets your needs. 

My main issue with dog crates was how much space they would take up. Wire crates seem to take up half my room; some are bigger than my bed! This is why I believe collapsible crates are a fantastic way to save space while giving your pup ample room to rest at the end of the day. 

A great crate on the market is the Impact dog crate. This aluminum dog crate has a sleek yet durable design and many unique features that work great for all pups.

Impact Collapsible Dog Crate

Impact makes high-quality dog crates with lightweight aluminum and military-grade hardware. These crates are a bit pricey, but they are incredibly high quality & tend to last a long time.

All Impact dog crates are made in Hayden, Idaho, so that you can be sure of a high-quality, American build.

What other crate options does Impact have?

Impact offers three crates: the Collapsible Dog Crate, the High Anxiety Dog Crate, and the Impact Den. While each of these crates has its benefits, I was drawn to the collapsible dog crate because of how ergonomic it is & how useful it could be while traveling.

Although the high anxiety crate is ideal for dogs that are looking for an escape as soon as they enter their crate, the strength of the collapsible crate lies in its features & functionality. 

This Impact dog crate was designed with the traveling pup in mind. It can be set up in under 60 seconds, which makes it great for use on airplanes or road trips. 

What comes in the box?

It comes folded up in a box with the crate, the 2 IATA side rails, a vinyl pad, keys, and a door guard. It also comes with a QR code with concise video instructions on how to build the crate. 

As soon as I opened up the box, I was shocked by the quality of the hardware. The main frame of the crate is made with a lightweight yet firm aluminum sheet. This sheet has ventilation holes so your dog won’t feel stuffy during long journeys. 

To set up the crate, all you need to do is pull the top of the crate up & pull the door in place. Then, lock it in place using military-grade, twist-and-adjust butterfly clips. Repeat the same with the back wall of the crate. 

To reinforce the sides and ensure that they don’t bow out, clip the IATA rackets on the hinge on the side. These airline rails prevent it from collapsing if one of the clips comes off. 

What about other crates on the market?

What makes this product stand out compared to other crates is definitely how easy it is to set up.

Another high-quality kennel on the market is the Gunner kennel for trucks. This is a popular option for pet parents who love to travel & need a kennel that can withstand bumpy roads.

Although the Gunner kennel is cheaper, it is not collapsible & is quite bulky. The Impact crate, however, provides a similar level of protection, but it is much lighter & takes up less space. 

Another collapsible crate on the market is the Diggs Revol Crate. This crate is also quite sturdy & has tons of ventilation, but it is quite bulky, even after it folds down. The base of the crate is pretty heavy, which makes it a pain to lug around and not ideal for traveling.

So, I believe that the best collapsible crate is definitely the Impact product because it is collapsible while still being lightweight & tough.

What to Consider Before Buying a Collapsible Dog Crate

Who Should Buy a Collapsible Crate?

A collapsible dog crate is a perfect option for 2 types of people. The first type is someone who loves to travel. Since the crate is IATA-approved, you can easily take it on the plane with no issue. Just remember to slide on the airline rails & the door guard before you board!

The other type of person is someone who doesn’t have a lot of space. Since there isn’t a lot of space in my apartment, I often fold it up & slide it under my couch to save some floor space during the day!

What if My Dog Is Anxious?

If your dog is anxious, this crate isn’t the best option. The High Anxiety Dog Crate is a more suitable product as it is a lot more durable & can withstand a larger, more destructive dog. 

Since dogs are companion animals, they are prone to separation anxiety. This may lead to damaging behaviors like whining, barking, biting the bars, chewing the kennel floor, and pooping in the crate. 

While the collapsible crate can definitely withstand tons of force, it may be more suitable to get the high-anxiety stationary crate. For example, the ventilation holes are smaller so that your dog’s teeth can’t get stuck in there & he can’t hurt himself. 

Also, there are four extra butterfly clips on the door, which means your dog can’t push the door open. This crate is also made with thicker aluminum, which is great for providing extra security & durability.

Unique Features

Lightweight, Yet Durable

This crate is really lightweight because it is made of thin aluminum, which makes it only 35 pounds. It’s really easy to carry around, & it is great for traveling. I had no problem hoisting it into the trunk of my car!

Moreover, since the aluminum is so strong, you don’t have to worry about your dog destroying the metal grate.

In fact, they stacked 8 semi-truck tires & 2 tractor tires, totaling up to over 1300 pounds, on top of the collapsible crate, and it didn’t even bend. So, you don’t have to worry about this durable crate being jostled around in the trunk of your car!

Free Vinyl Pad & Door Guard

Although this crate is quite expensive, it comes with a free vinyl pad & door guard. The vinyl pad can be placed on the bottom of the crate and serves as extra cushioning, so your dog won’t have to lay on the hard floor.

The door guard is a black grate with small holes that can be installed over the main door. While it does limit your pup’s ventilation, it makes the crate IATA-approved, so you can carry this crate on flights. The door guard also helps prevent your dog from chewing on the bars of the door, which is common in anxious pups.

Tons of Color and Size Options

I was shocked by the color and size options that Impact offers. There are 6 unique color options which are:

• Gray
• Desert Tan
• Black
• White
• Teal
• OD Green

You can definitely find the perfect color that will suit your home decor. If you’re looking for a really understated crate, the white color blended in perfectly with my walls, which made my living room seem much more spacious than it actually is!

Also, there are 5 sizes suitable for every breed of dog. They even have a 54″ size, which was made for Great Danes!

It can be really challenging to find a good-looking, well-designed crate that won’t cramp up your big dog. However, due to the vast range of sizes that Impact offers, that definitely isn’t an issue, even if you have an Irish Wolfhound!

Airline Bar

At first, I was a bit confused by the 2 airline bars that were packed separately from the rest of the Impact dog crate. After watching the video, I understood that these are airline bars that can convert this collapsible crate into a stationary crate!

Simply attach the airline bars on the side walls over the hinges. It will click in place with the help of the butterfly clips – no screwdriver required!

The airline bars prevent the crate from collapsing again. It also increases the stability of the side walls.

Before I installed the bars, I thought that my dog would definitely be able to break the walls down. However, the airline rails added a ton of structural support which made it much more durable.

This is also a great feature if you want to bring this crate on a plane. This Impact dog crate is only IATA-approved with the airline bars installed; fully collapsible crates are not allowed on board.

You can also store the airline rails on the top of the crate when not in use! This helps you keep all the elements of the crate together when it’s all folded up.

Ergonomic Handles

The handles on the top & side of the crate are military-grade & high-quality. Their unique design is spring-loaded, so it lies flush with the crate, & it won’t stick up when not in use. 

There are 2 handles on the top of the crate to help you move it around when the crate is opened and 1 handle on the side to allow you to carry it when it is folded up.

These handles are also extremely durable & ergonomic. I carried the crate with my 40-pound dog in it, and it didn’t seem like the handles were under a lot of stress!

Ventilation Holes

The aluminum walls have got several holes in them that allow for ventilation. Some metal travel crates only have vent holes on the top, which can cause the inside of the crate to get really muggy, especially in the warm summers. 

Since there are vent holes all around, the inside of the crate stays cool & aired out.

The holes are a rounded diamond shape, so your dog is less likely to cut their mouth if they have a habit of chewing on its cage.

However, if your dog bites his cage aggressively & you’re worried about him hurting himself, I would recommend the high-anxiety Impact dog crate instead. This crate has smaller, completely rounded holes, so your dog can’t snag his teeth in it. 

Stackable Corners

This is a great feature if you have multiple dogs, and they each need their own crate. There is a piece of locking hardware on all of the outer corners of the crate. This feature allows you to stack crates of a similar size. 

This is a fantastic way to save space in your home or transport multiple crates in your car. The crates will lock in place, which means that they won’t be sliding around in the back of your truck.

One-Handed Stainless Steel Slam Latch

If you are still crate-training your puppy, it may be difficult to put him in & latch the door behind him. Sliding latches usually need 2 hands to operate because you have to line up the door with one hand & slide the lock in with the other. 

For this stainless steel slam latch, all you have to do is gently close the door, & it will automatically lock by itself! This is super convenient for parents of young puppies.

Lock & Key

If you’re worried about security as your pup is traveling, a feature you might like is the additional lock mechanism on the slam latch. This crate also comes with keys so that you may lock the door.

This is a good option if you are traveling and the crate will be leaving your sight.

Customer Reviews

The Impact collapsible kennel has glowing reviews. On their site, their customers were impressed by the quality of the build and how easy it was to set up. They found that their dogs were not able to break it or even damage it, despite the aluminum being so lightweight!

A lot of people mentioned that the crate is “well thought-out,” and I couldn’t agree more. There are several unique features that show exactly how much time & effort went into the design of the crate.

For example, they have added a slot on top to lock on the airline rails even when the crate is folded up! This makes transport so much easier because you can carry everything in one go. 

People who took the crate on planes stated that their dogs had ample room to turn, move around, and lay down. However, they did mention checking with your airline before you fly. If you have a large dog, some airlines may not allow the combined weight of the crate and your dog.

They also had great things to say about the Impact customer service; they were quick to respond & extremely helpful.

My Experience

Setting it up

For my 40-pound Jindo mix, I got the smallest size, which has a length of 34.5 inches. This crate weighs only 35 pounds, so it was really easy to carry by myself.

However, setting up this crate was a bit challenging for one person, so I had to enlist a friend to help. It took us a little more than 60 seconds to set the whole thing up! I was having a little trouble unlocking the butterfly clips because they don’t extend too far, and they tend to get stuck. 

Also, it’s a little hard to lift both sides at the same time, so you may need someone to help you. While Impact claims that you can set it up in under 60 seconds, I believe that this is only possible if you have someone assisting you.

The rest of the setup went smoothly. I was impressed by the unique features of the crate, such as the stackable corners & the extra space to store the airline rails.

The vinyl pad was definitely a plus. It fits the crate perfectly, which made it impossible for my pup to pull it up & chew on it. It also seemed to be extremely high-quality. 

What did my pup think?

At first, my dog was a bit wary of the crate because it was a bit bigger than his current one. However, he slowly began exploring it and went inside of his own volition! 

He had more than enough space to turn, sit, and lay down in there. However, he did get a little anxious after a while, probably because the crate offers less visibility than a traditional wire crate.

He pawed at the door to be let out after 15 minutes. But he went in at night to sleep in the crate with no problem!

The slam latch worked perfectly. However, since it is a bit loud, it did make my dog a little jumpy.

Limitations 

 As I was setting the crate up, I realized that this crate would not be ideal for dogs that are still being potty trained because the floor is not at a raised level. This means that if your dog has an accident, he will be standing & sitting in his own mess until you can clean it up.

The slam latch can be a bit scary for pups with anxiety.

The price of this crate is possibly the largest downside. This is one of the most expensive collapsible crates on the market. However, if you’re looking for a crate that will last you years to come & has a unique design, I definitely recommend making the investment. 

Moreover, if you tend to take a lot of road trips or international journeys with your pooch, I think this is a great crate because of how easy it is to transport.

Conclusion

In conclusion, if you are looking for a high-quality, durable, collapsible dog crate, I definitely recommend investing in the Impact Collapsible Crate. 

Although it is a bit expensive, it can handle over 1300 pounds of force, so you don’t have to worry about carrying it around in a car. It is also IATA-approved, making it perfect for long flights.

There are several unique features, like the easy-to-use slam lock, the stackable corners, and the free vinyl pad & door lock, that definitely make it worth the money.

Impact Collapsible Dog Crate

Product Brand: Impact

Product In-Stock: InStock

Editor's Rating:
4.74