Hyperlight Mountain Gear, Gossamer Gear, Mountain Laurel Designs, ZPacks and ULA are making the best backpacks. All trademarks property of their respective owners All of our testers like the wider shoulder straps and felt they were one of the reasons this pack was so comfortable. We especially love the hip belt pockets on the Granite Gear Blaze 60, Gregory Baltoro 65, Gregory Focal 58, and the ULA Catalyst for their unrivaled size and ease of access. Gregorys attention to comfort in its ultralight backpack is evident in the aluminum perimeter wire frame with a fiberglass cross-stay and an HDPE framesheet that lend the pack substantial rigidity, distributing most of the load across the hips. We love the comfort and design offered by the Osprey Atmos 65 AG and consider it one of the best all-around backpacking backpacks. Having straps for a sleeping pad or other oddly shaped items is a small but excellent feature to have. A top-loader, it excels for organization, with nine pockets from the hipbelt to two capacious, zippered front pockets. This system allows for adjustment of both the torso length and hipbelts, for a more custom fit to ensure optimal comfort. You will also find many stories at my blog with tips on backpacking, plus many gear reviews, as youve already discovered. Zippered sleeping bag compartment. Every pocket is a good size and thoughtfully placed. This pack weighs around 5 pounds. What are the most important features to consider when choosing a backpack? Wish they improve the daypack! See Details. Your browser's Javascript functionality is turned off. gregory baltoro 75 m gregory gregory68 35 gregory maven zulu30 . We look to see if the torso length is adjustable and how much adjustability is built into the waist belt and shoulder straps. $167.26 $ 167. The Baltoro/Deva collection is designed with a Response A3 The Baltoro/Deva collection is designed with a Response A3 suspension. This model has extremely well-designed and auto-rotating shoulder straps that conform to the shape of your upper back. The Baltoro 65 is available in three torso lengths with a highly adjustable hip belt that is sized relative to its size. Anything from overnighters to longer hikes. To judge each backpack's adjustability and fit, we considered its overall ergonomics and how adjustable each model was. While ease of access is an important consideration, it's not as important as weight. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. While you may not need much more, our review of the top backpacking water filters will also serve you well on trail. The two most important backpack sizing variables are your torso length and the circumference of your hips. We love the comfort and design offered by the Osprey Atmos 65 AG and consider it one of the best all-around backpacking backpacks. It has the capacity for going several days between resupplies. This has just about every feature you could ask for and nothing you don't need. There are two "extra" side pockets between the water bottle and front stretch pockets. I try to respond to all comments. If youre considering a new pack and liked the previous Flash, you may like the new one even more. Expedition style backpack with all the bells and whistles. I appreciate the review. Which of these packs would fit as a carry on? It's loaded with features that make it easy to pack and organize your gear, with an innovative frame and suspension system that lets you dial in a custom fit. 26 $219.95 $219.95. (There is a larger model, The North Face Banchee 65.). This pack is somehow able to comfortably support up to 50 pounds while only weighing 3.0 pounds itself. We considered any other additional features' usefulness and evaluated them in the field during real-world testing. The Packmod system enables you to customize the pack for your needs by moving or eliminating virtually all external pockets and straps. Gregory Maven 65 Pack - Women's. (26) $279.95. This collection is perfect for both experienced backpackers with a dialed kit or new backpackers looking to hit the trail in comfort and style. If you have to carry bulky or awkwardly shaped gear like a foam pad, a large tent, a packraft, paddle, snowshoes, trekking poles, and ice ax, or bear canister, it pays to get a backpack that has special straps or places that you can attach gear to. We downright love this pack, but we'll acknowledge that it may not be a perfect fit for everyone. The Baltoro 65 is a nylon and polyester backpack for men. He has backpacked the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and the Colorado Trail 3 times, and the Grand Enchantment Trail, along with countless shorter backpacking trips. As before, the LightWire perimeter frame carries 30 to 35 pounds comfortably, while the perforated-foam hipbelt and shoulder straps distribute that weight nicely. Some fabrics are also thicker and tougher than others. Mid-size (under 60 liters) arent wide enough to do that, meaning you have to stand it up and cram stuff in the tight spaces around it. The REI Co-op Traverse 60 comes in a useful extra size: large torso with a small waistbelt, which we thought was useful for all those tall, skinny folks out there. Granite Gears Perimeter series packs feature adjustability for both torso length and shoulder width, easily accomplished by resetting the position of a clip behind each shoulder strap. We loaded them up with various gear and took to the trail on a series of adventures ranging from volcano mountaineering trips to alpine rock approaches and long thru-hikes. So while I cant really comment on that brand specifically, I did, for many years, use sizable front packs for carrying camera equipment, which is a setup similar to the way AARN packs distribute weight front and back. Now with improved comfort, thanks to an adjustable suspension with a four-inch fit range, and made with 100 percent recycled materials, the Exos and Eja come in two torso sizes and three capacity sizes. Rating: (4.7/5) See the Men's Gregory Baltoro 75 See the Women's Gregory Deva 70 The Gregory Baltoro 65 Also has a very wide opening zipper on its lid. United States. Hi Colin, thanks for that question. If the canister is standing up in my pack, its easier to access anything inside it. BUY IT NOWYou can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase a mens or womens Mystery Ranch Sphinx 60 at moosejaw.com or backcountry.com. After a decade of testing close to 60 different models, our expert reviewers purchased 16 top packs available today for a meticulous side-by-side comparison. Frame stays, which are metal rods inside a backpack to keep it from collapsing on itself and prevent objects from poking you in the back. It's loaded with features and provides incredible back ventilation while weighing in at 4.5 pounds. We didn't just focus on the high-end expedition models, either. The Deuter Aircontact Lite 65+10 has by far the most vertical adjustment of any pack in our review. No ads. Some of us need a pack for moderate loads, some for heavy loads, and others, increasingly, for lightweight or ultralight backpacking. Small buckles are hard to operate with gloves. In every respect, the mens Baltoro and womens Deva packs have long filled the big-pack role extremely well, and trips in Idahos Sawtooth Mountains and on the Teton Crest Trail demonstrated that the latest versions of these two packs are only better. The smaller versions of the Gregory Optic and Octal and the Osprey Exos and Eja would probably work, as well as the Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor. 3966 cubic inches (65 liters) Top and front U-Zip access. 3 So many people prefer buying packs with ventilated frames that leave an air gap between your back and the pack to help dry your shirt faster. We tested our lineup of top backpacking packs in a variety of beautiful and remote places around the world. Our testers enjoyed the two zippered pockets on the top of the lid. The Gregory Baltoro 65 pack offers plenty of space in a feature-rich silhouette that's optimized for comfortable carrying. Read my complete review of the Gregory Baltoro 65 and Deva 60. Mystery Ranch Sphinx 60$269, 60L/3,662 c.i., 4 lbs. We also determined how well the pack's top lid provides access to small items and whether those items stayed organized. You could stand upright with them and have the center of balance of a pack lower. And dont miss my popular reviews of 25 Essential Backpacking Gear Accessories and The Best Backpacking Gear of the year. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. How to Choose the Right Backpacking Backpack, the world's most carefully tested and objective gear reviews, A lightweight load hauler that is both comfortable and full of features, This pack blends excellent carrying comfort with arguably the best-executed set of features, all in a light-weight package, It may not be a heavy load hauler, but for moderate loads, this pack is comfortable and has an amazing set of features, all at a great price, Top, front U-shape, sleeping bag compartment, 210D High Density 40% Recycled Nylon, 420D High Density 45% Recycled Nylon with PFC-Free DWR. With SO many options out there, it can be hard to know what bag is going to go the distance with you. Rain covers are a practical addition to any backpacking pack. Free shipping on orders over $49 Learn more. The medium fits 17 to 20-inch torsos and 28 to 50-inch waists. The Arcteryx Altra is no longer available, but the Osprey Atmos AG is very comfortable with 45+ pounds, and thats what its made for. With an easily adjustable torso length, extended, wraparound hipbelts, and a dynamic, breathable backpanel to keep you cool; this award-winning collection offers optimal comfortable and dynamic fit. For example, many backpacks have J-shaped shoulder straps and sternum straps designed for men that crush female breasts. Because they sit low on the pack, water bottles can easily be removed and replaced with one hand. Zulu 65 $249.95 $187.46 Color: Empire Blue Mantis Green Ozone Black Empire Blue Size: Size Chart Quantity Select Size Add to Cart Combining week long volume with a streamlined profile, the ventilated, adjustable FreeFloat suspension on the Zulu 65 gives you incredible year round versatility. Read my complete review of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear 3400 Windrider. The hip belt tends to be one of the main contributors to a comfortable pack, especially a well-loaded one. If your regularly carrying that much weight, I would try it and other big packs in this review on loaded with some weight and see which feels better on you, and also consider which feature set you prefer. We took 16 different models Ready to go backpacking? We've seen these packs last 1000s of miles, so durability isn't a huge issue, but don't go dragging it through any boulder fields. BUY Gregory 65 Liters Zulu FreeFloat Daypack. Gregory Paragon 58 and Maven 55$260, 3 lbs. Some packs, like the Granite Gear Blaze 60, Gregory Baltoro 65, and Osprey Aether 65, allow the foam padding of the waistbelt to extend out to fit larger waist sizes. Whats your take on large pockets at the bottom to store heavier items- like bear cans? Click on the link to the complete review (linked in the above story) for more details on the new model. Leave a comment. $329.95. Many models also have a separate small pocket on the underside of the lid, offering a secondary place to keep small items that don't need to be accessed as frequently, like car keys. Gregory Baltoro 65/Deva 60. Features include a U-shaped zipper that opens up the entire main compartment; nine very functional external pockets; widely adjustable compression straps that cross over the pack bag; and attachments for sunglasses, trekking poles, and ice axes. Thats why weve put together a guide to help you determine which of our backpacking collections is the perfect fit for you. The majority of backpacks have fixed torso lengths and hip belt sizes, which can make getting a good fit difficult because peoples body shapes and proportions vary so much. They're big enough to fit a 500-page paperback book, not that this is where you'd probably pack a book, but you could if you wanted. outlet. Please turn it on so that you can experience the full capabilities of this site. 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