I've had this pack for a little over a year now and I have nothing but good to say about it. I've had up to about 35lbs in it and the frame and suspension did a great job of transferring weight, keeping me comfy. The fabric is very tough, and even though I managed to make a small hole it as soon as I got it (not the fault of the pack, the hole was totally my fault), it has not gotten any bigger in a year of use. I have used it for backpacking on and off trail, snowshoeing trips, and traveling, and it has taken everything I've thrown at it. The shoulder straps, hip belt, and lumbar pad are firm, simple, and comfortable. Aside from the light weight and comfort, my favorite thing about the pack is its simplicity. There are no extra pockets, no sleeping bag compartment, and no weird straps hanging off, I love it!

There are a couple things that may be of concern. The lumbar pad, hip belt, and shoulder straps are pre-curved and comfy, but they are not the thick, soft pads found on some packs. I prefer this packs setup, but some may not. Also, the lid is shaped a little strange. I cant really describe it other than that it looks flat and sort of scrunched. This seems to have absolutely no bearing on the usefulness of the lid, but it looks a little weird.

All in all this is great pack for everything from backpacking to alpine climbing to traveling. It's not only the lightest pack I own, it's also the most comfortable and durable. I think the only thing that I would change is the shape of lid, but that is purely an aesthetic change. Thanks Arc' for a great pack and thanks BC.com for a great price.

Man I love this pack... I used it last summer (07) on several mtn ascents. On Mount Shasta I put about 50 lbs on this bad boy and it did really well! This spring I am loading it up with water weight for training and on the way up and it handles 40 lbs of water quite well. I love the large padded him belt and although I agree with most that a sleeve for the water reservoir would be nice.. I do fine with out it. It repels rain water well and the access is great for getting at stuff... Also packs the skis quite nice for a backcountry spring descent! I give it a 4 + as its not perfect but will please most!!

This pack fits very well. I have a trim build and often feel like my pack is wider than I am, no problem with the Needle. It is also very comfortable. The padding is a good medium, not too squishy so there isn't enough support but not too firm so it feels like being strapped to some 2x4's. It is super durable and very water resistant. I can load it up for a week and feel comfortable carrying it. All in all a great pack.

I just picked this up last week and used it the same day on a 3 day hiking trip through the Grand Pass in Olympic National Park. I am 6'1" and I got the long, which is perfect. The Long is 65 L regular but 72 L extended (not written above). This pack was excellent in all aspects; easy to customize to your back, strong and sturdy, easy to access from either the top or the side taped zipper. I agree it could use a bladder holder, but this isn't necessary with proper packing. The material feels like it will outlast my future years of hiking. I will definitely be using this very comfortable and well-sized pack for my two month trip to Europe and then backcountry skiing around Whistler.

For awhile I've been looking for a happy median between a lightweight pack and something that provides adequate support. The Needle 65 (or the 55) does that pretty well for the right price. I have a tall and thin build, so I struggled with many lightweight backs not offering enough padding on the shoulders and hips. The Needle provides the support and padding, and has a taller and slimmer construction to fit my body well. The back support is simple (making it lighter than most), yet tranfers the weight to my lower body well.
The bag also cinches down well, giving it good versatility depending on how much stuff you bring.
I'm a little confused by the inside back pocket on the bag... it would seem to be a pocket for your water bladder, but it's an extremely tight fit. There is a hole for your hose to go out the bag.
There's also a side access zipper to the main bag and a front pocket with side access zipper. The latter is roomy but you have to uncinch the bag to get to it. The top pocket more functional, although I wish Arc'teryx would have implemented its cool roll-down top design as on the Needle 45.
Great pack for price if you are tall and thin and looking effectively transfer more weight to your lower body.

I picked up this pack to use for weekend back-country camping trips.
Having used a friend's Serratus 85L pack I noticed some differences.
I have a really tall torso and the tall pack was perfect (6'1 with 32 length pants).

The thermoform back with good lumbar curve made packing as easy as stuffing things in. The straps allow for easy tuning while on the move and keeps all the weight beautifully on the hips. The thermoform hip supports feel stiff and rigid, but end up being *extremely* comfortable and lightweight when compared to very padded packs.

The only improvement I would ask for would be twin zippers on the side access zipper so that you can get to the bottom of the pack without having to unzip the whole side (maybe not possible with waterproof zippers).

Great pack!