This is a solid pack. Nothing that made me go 'wow,' but it's flexible and good for either international travel or as a daypack.The major selling point is that it has a metal frame that curves away from you, with a thin mesh web where a normal pack would press against your back. There are three points of contact where your back touches the bag, two on your hips and one across your shoulders. This is great for someone who sweats a lot (me), I was able to wear it on a recent hike where my back would have been soaking wet, and it was very comfortable.
The design is nice, there's an elastic pouch inside for water bladders, a large main pack, and then a lower pack where I stored clothing. The lower pack is configurable and can be joined to the main pack. There are also two bottle holders and then an easy-to-reach small pouch at the top that could fit a small camera, papers, etc. There are compression straps on the side that are long enough to reach around a rolled-up jacket, so if you end up taking off your coat you can strap it outside the pack.
Also nice is having the frame in a daypack for support. Previous daypacks I've used had no frame and were consequently difficult to pack.
In Germany I saw a lot of people with Deuter packs, so I think that says something about the construction quality.
The only downside is that the pack isn't too stylish. Because it's held off your back by the frame, it looks a little bulkier than if it lay right against you. Still, I never felt self-conscious, it's just that the bag doesn't win any points for looks.
Overall, highly recommended.
5 stars would have been awarder if it wasn't for the hip-wings that I find chafe a bit. Maybe I have love handles? It took a while to find the right position for the bag to sit on my back; once I did it feels fantastic. But if the hip-wing material wasn't SO ROUGH it would have earned 5 stars.
No comments:
Post a Comment