Mountain Hardwear Paladin Backpack - 2000cu in - 2008 BCS

I purchased this pack as a replacement for an old book bag that just wasn't doing the job. The materials are tough and the pack is well put together. Some people have mentioned that the bag is heavy. It is certainly heavier than some but it carries a load on your body wonderfully. With the same load inside, despite its extra weight, it feels better than all the other packs I checked out. A+!!

I hiked through parts of southern China with this. Though it rained pretty much every day, and I scraped the pack on trees and a few cave ceilings and walls, it remained scratchless and leakless. It has lots of storage space (my 13" laptop fit just fine, but I worry about a 17" one fitting: there's plenty of screen width to spare in the compartment, but not much height, if that makes any sense). Its narrow shape felt better on my back than wider packs I've tried, and enabled me to be more maneuverable through tight spaces (e.g., the cave as well as airports and train stations).

I have two complaints: because the main compartment is tall, and loads from the top, stuff you put in first may be difficult to get to in a hurry. I had to be careful to prioritize my packing. Also, I somehow pulled off the strap holding the male end of the quick-release buckle on the chest belt.

The bag layout consists of a large top-loading main compartment, a rear side-loading laptop compartment separate from the main compartment, a front pocket & a top pocket on the actual top-loading part cover. The main compartment has a divider towards the back for a portfolio / folders and a clear thin pocket for some papers / map, etc. Additionally, the far right and left of the interior main compartment have long pockets on the sides that run the entire length of the pack. There are also two exterior water bottle pockets and an interior pocket on the top of the top-loading cover (it has a keyring clip in it as well) with a few small padded pockets that have little velcro flaps for a cell phone, pens, etc.

I find it to be a very useful bag because it is somewhat long and slender as opposed to some other bags this size that are short and fat. Because of this I find it not only carries well but also fits beautifully under the seat for airplane travel. It swallows a lot. I just returned from a long weekend trip and carried the following:
- laptop in laptop pocket;
- main pocket: three small bags with cables, camera battery charger, computer USB cards, PC cards, GPS unit, GPS unit bracket, GPS unit power cords and PC cables, large headphones in case with MP3 player, portfolio, magazines, glasses case, computer network cables, spare flashlight batteries ... and still had extra room;
- front pocket: gum, clif bars, laptop power cord, cough drops, pocket digicam;
- top fleece-lined pocket: PDA phone sync cable, bluetooth headset, corded headset, flashlight;
- top of inside pocket: keys, spare change, travel wallet.

I find this to be a great bag for traveling and around town use. The material is very rugged and holds up to rain without any issue. It also handles weight well and the top-loading (I prefer) seems to eliminate the issue of zippers being a PIA when it's loaded up.

Highly recommended.

This pack is very resiliant to weather and outdoor abuse. The laptop sleeve however, won't support the largest laptops. I have a thin toshiba with a 15.4" screen, and it barely squeezes in there. My buddy has this same laptop with extended battery (making it thicker) and his is a REALLY tight squeeze. This is typically a carry-on when i fly, as it holds all my electronics (gps, various wires, SPOT transmitter, phone, etc) and still has some room for a light jacket.

I had been eyeing this backpack for a few months and finally gave in the night before my trip to Mexico.

Absolutely bombproof as any MHW creation. Pockets and zips in all the right places - not too many, not too few. This things eats everything you need for your adventure and then leaves a little extra room. Perfect for warm climates, never seemed obtrusive anywhere i went. Also not a huge voluminous bag, as you dont have to be careful about knocking stuff over or smacking people when you turn. Very form fitting to your back.

Totally recomended for anything whether trashing through europe, or running with the crazy people in the tropics !!!

Must have been ok. I had it for a day and my son took it.