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Soft-sided dog crates are handy for pet parents on the go. They’re easier to pack up and transport, and they take less room to store than most traditional metal, plastic, and wood crates. They also provide a good amount of ventilation, which is perfect for car rides, outdoor adventures, and camping.
Ranked as number one under Amazon’s “Soft Dog Crate” category, the EliteField Three-Door is the most popular soft crate on the market. It’s also one of the priciest—so is it worth it?
With help from my pup, Roo, we put the EliteField soft dog crate to the test to find out if it lives up to all the hype.
The EliteField Soft Crate: Dimensions, Design, and Portability
With a 4.5-star rating and nearly 12,000 reviews on Amazon, the EliteField is a wildly popular choice for soft dog crates. Some of its key features include:
- Extra space—Available in five different sizes, the EliteField crate adds two inches more in width and four inches more in height than most other soft crates in similar sizes, making it a great choice for dogs who fall in between sizes or need a bit more head-to-tail room.
- Sturdy design—The collapsible frame is constructed of strong steel tubes, durable 600D polyester, and hex mesh fabric that can be wiped down. Traction at the bottom helps keep paws from slipping, and a zipper lock adds an extra layer of protection against escape artists—though keep in mind that soft crates are better for pups who are already crate trained.
- More style options—Like other soft crates, the design is more aesthetically pleasing than typical metal and plastic crates. The EliteField distinguishes itself, though, with 20 different color options on Amazon, giving pet parents more choice in style.
- Extra ventilation—Providing ventilation on all four sides, the EliteField has two mesh windows and two zippable mesh doors. There’s also a mesh door on the top of the crate, which makes it easy to give treats and pets or provide more headspace when your pup is sitting up—great if you have a taller dog!
- Portability—While the EliteField is a bit heavier than other soft crates on the market, reviewers generally agree that it’s still relatively easy to assemble, pack up, and transport. It also comes with a handle and hand straps on the crate, as well as a carrying case.
- Added perks—Many soft crates come with freebies, and the EliteField is no different, offering a removable and washable bed and a detachable accessory bag (with one already attached to the top).
- Satisfaction guaranteed—The EliteField soft dog crate comes with a two-year warranty and a 100% money-back guarantee.
EliteField Soft-Sided Dog Crate Review Results
The extra width and height initially drew me to the EliteField soft dog crate. My Lab/Terrier rescue mix, Roo, is a leggy gal who is quite tall for her medium frame. I’ve been noticing lately that she hunches over in our metal crate and never really looks quite comfortable.
We’re also moving across the country in a month, and I wanted to find something more portable that I could put in the car and pop up in various vacation rentals. My hope was that we could find a crate that she found more comfortable and would come to see as her cozy, safe space to help as we transition into a new house.
Size
I ended up ordering the 36″L x 24″W x 28″H size, since Roo is a few pounds over the 40-pound limit of the size below. We could have probably sized down, especially with the extra width and height, but overall, I’m happy with the extra space. Roo can now sit in her crate comfortably, turn around, and spread out as much as she wants.
Portability
After almost two years of fighting with the sides of a metal crate, the EliteField felt like a dream to set up. I just popped in the pipes and folded it up, and viola, it was ready to go. While it is big and bulky since we got such a large size, it’s still so much lighter and easier to move than our wire crate. I can pick it up and haul it into another room in one go. It’s going to be a lot easier to pack in the car and take to different rentals when we make the move.
Comfort
As soon as the crate arrived, we started training back up again. To my surprise, after a few short sessions and plenty of treats, Roo began choosing to hang out in the crate on her own—taking naps, eating chews, and hiding from the grouchy family Beagle.
I think a few things in particular made her more comfortable with the EliteField soft crate than her old metal crate. First of all, Roo loves to smash her body against the sides of furniture or prop her head on top of a bolster. The EliteField’s soft but sturdy sides and doors allow her to do both comfortably. Having access to multiple entries and just the general open feel of the crate made her feel more confident in accessing it.
Extra Perks
While the bottom mat was a nice added touch, it wasn’t anything to write home about. It wasn’t very soft or that well designed. Multiple reviewers have also noted that it’s pretty quick to wear down and unravel, especially if you have a more rambunctious pup.
I did, however, love all the included storage space, with the pouch on the top and the accessory bag on the side. I’ll be able to fit all of Roo’s food and treats (maybe even some toys) in the pouches when we make our move, and it’s nice to have everything in one place.
Final Verdict: Is the EliteField Soft Dog Crate Good?
Our review found the EliteField soft dog crate is a fantastic option for both dogs who travel and those who prefer a little more spacious comfort in their day-to-day. But pet parents with puppies on their hands or more rambunctious dogs may want to wait for a fully crate-trained pup before buying.
We think the crate is likely to be hit for a lot of pups, especially:
- Dogs who are tall, big, or often find themselves in the middle of traditional crate sizes
- Crate-trained pups who are looking for a softer den-like experience
- Pet parents who want a versatile crate that can serve as an everyday safe space or a travel crate
- Pups who need more visibility or prefer a more open structure to their crate
The EliteField crate might not work for the following, however:
- Pups who aren’t crate trained or potty trained
- Super chewers and teething pups
- Dogs prone to escaping their crate
- Pet parents who are looking for a more budget-friendly option
How We Chose the EliteField Soft Dog Crate
The soft dog crate featured here was selected based on a combination of our own hands-on testing, a comprehensive look at customer reviews across a wide variety of retail platforms, and interviews with veterinary experts, including Rover’s Dog People Panel. We’re also guided by the experience of living and playing alongside our own much-loved and strongly opinionated pets, who are never stingy with their feedback.