Impact Dog Crates showed up in my life for a pretty simple reason. I needed a crate I could trust on the road, that did not eat up my whole truck bed when I was not using it.
My bird dogs and I get out for roosters when we can, and they often come along for long cross-country drives. They certainly aren’t escape artists. They’re easy travelers. I just want them safe, settled, and contained when we roll out before daylight or land in a motel parking lot at midnight.
Matt, a second tester, approached this review from the opposite end of the spectrum. He adopted a Belgian Malinois, who has the full working dog intensity and the physical talent to turn a standard wire crate into scrap metal. He needed containment that offered real security and stress-free travel for long highway miles.
He tested both the Collapsible Crate and the High Anxiety Crate with a dog that gave the hardware an honest challenge. His miles on the road helped round out the full picture of how these crates perform for both mellow travelers and chaos-prone escape artists.
In short: The Impact Collapsible Dog Crate ($780-2,550) feels more like equipment than a pet accessory. It is sturdy, rattle-free, and folds flat when you need the space. With Matt’s high-drive Malinois, the High Anxiety ($1,618-2,044) version proved even tougher. Both models are expensive, and neither is crash-rated, yet they deliver serious peace of mind for people who travel often with their dogs.
Shopping for a different style of dog crate? Check out our list of the Best Dog Crates of the year.
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Folds flat for travel -
Lightweight for its size -
Secure latching -
Quiet and sturdy on the road
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Coating scratches easily -
Expensive for casual use
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Extremely secure -
Heavy-duty aluminum build -
Ideal for destructive or escape prone dogs
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Tedious assembly -
Hardware can loosen -
Higher cost
Impact Dog Crate Review
Testing the Impact Collapsible Dog Crate
My Brittany and German shorthair pointer spent their fall in and out of the Collapsible Impact Crate. We used it for short bird days close to home and for long drives that crossed more than one state line. The crate rode in the truck and handled washboard roads, dirt, and plenty of vibration without flexing or rattling, for the most part.
The collapsible design was the most important factor for me. When I needed the full truck bed for coolers, decoys, or luggage, I could fold the crate flat and slide it out of the way. It doesn’t feel flimsy while set up. The panels locked together cleanly, and the door stayed tight, even with regular use.
As I mentioned, my dogs are easy travelers. They don’t try to claw or chew their way out, so my focus was stability, airflow, and comfort. This crate checked all three boxes. They settled quickly, stretched out, and treated it like a familiar cave once they understood it was their space.
The only issue I had was entirely due to user error. Without ensuring the attachment point was completely secured, one side rail did rattle off on a particularly rough road. That being said, the crate stayed upright and put together even without one side attached, which was pretty impressive.
Matt’s Higher Stress Testing of Both
Matt had a very different testing experience. He drove from Wyoming to Wisconsin to pick up a rescued Belgian Malinois. The dog had the classic Malinois traits, which means very smart, very intense, and more than capable of turning a wire crate into scrap in minutes.
He used both the Collapsible Impact crate and the High Anxiety Crate. On the road, his dog slept for long stretches and never managed to work a latch loose or flex a panel open. Containment was his top priority, and he felt confident loading her up for 16-hour drive days.
The High Anxiety crate felt like a tank, yet it arrived in pieces. Assembly took time, two people, and more patience than most dog owners want to spend on hardware. Some of that hardware backed out later, which pushed him toward the idea of drilling and riveting the crate for a more permanent solution.
He also noticed that the coating on the Collapsible Crate scratched quickly. The finish looked different between the two models, and the collapsible version showed wear faster than it should at this price.
That all being said, he was, in the end, a fan of this setup. The crates contained his “uncontainable” pup, and that’s about all you can really ask for.
Who It Is For
Impact Dog Crates make the most sense for:
- People who travel often with their dogs
- Hunters, trainers, and working dog handlers
- Owners of destructive or escape-prone dogs
- Anyone who wants a crate that can fold flat when not in use
- Folks who value durability and security over low price
For someone with an easygoing house dog who rarely leaves town, these crates are overkill. For frequent travelers or high-drive breeds, they start to make sense.
Where It Falls Short
The biggest hurdle is price. At $1,200 for the High Impact Version and $780 for the Collapsible Crate, this isn’t an impulse buy. Most casual dog owners will never feel the need to invest in something this stout.
The High Anxiety crate’s assembly is another drawback. It doesn’t arrive ready to use. The hardware can back out, and fixing that takes time and effort. We found the Collapsible Crate’s coating scratches more easily than it should at this price point, which can frustrate anyone who likes their gear to stay clean and sharp.
Finally, neither crate is crash-rated. If crash protection is the top priority, there are better options designed for that specific need, like a Gunner Kennel (for half the price).
Impact Dog Crates: Final Thoughts
Impact Dog Crates feel like serious equipment. The Collapsible Crate I tested handled bird trips, motel parking lots, and long stretches of highway without a single issue.
Matt’s experience with both the Collapsible and High Anxiety models, and a high-drive Malinois, showed that these crates also stand up when a dog treats confinement as a challenge that they typically win.
They are expensive. They have some quirks. Yet for people who frequently travel with their dogs and want containment they can trust, both on the road and at home, Impact delivers durability and peace of mind that cheaper crates rarely match.
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