I had been using an old external frame pack for years but recently bought the Terra 60 after reading many good reviews about it, including backpacker magazines 2008 'best buy' gear award and review. I've used the pack on several multi-day trips in the desert. The outside fabric is tough and seems to sheet dirt and prickly foliage so it's always clean despite my best efforts (read, no hitchhikers poking me in the back after stops). The outside storage pockets actually stretch and expand to accommodate my odd shaped items but are tough and resilient (even when grabbed by branches and thorns). I carried my lightweight gear plus water and food for three people for three days and still had a small amount of room left. Had I only been packing for me I could easily use this pack for longer multi-night trips despite it's advertisement as a 'weekend pack'. With gear and water the pack weighed in at 30lbs (I don't carry a tent). The adjustments are many and really provide the kind of comfort I was hoping for after reading the specs, I wasn't disappointed. Lastly, I LOVE the position and design of all the tie down options on the outside of the pack. There was some real world knowledge applied to the design of this pack and it shows up constantly while packing, hiking and using the pack on the trail.
I'm a big fan, thanks North Face.

Is a good pack, was comfortable on the last 4 trips I took. The only complaint I would have about it are the exterior pockets. They are fairly flat, even though somewhat stretchy unlike the Kelty pack that have more useful pockets. Overall been a pretty good pack though.

Went on a 30 mile hike on the AT and the pack performed great. I think I over packed a little but the pack held everything comfortably! The stretchy spandex outer pockets really allow you to cram a lot more than you might think into little areas. The inner pocket that holds a hydration bladder really came in handy. I put my MSR 4L bladder inside and was still able to put my tent, cooking supplies, a few clothes and food inside the bag. The only thing I put on the outside was my tent poles.. Great bag

Just used this pack on a 5-day, 4-night winter hike on the AT in the Southern Appalachians of North Carolina. Perfect size for the way I hike now. The pack is of good quality and a great price. Lots of padding on the shoulder straps and hip belt. Very simple to adjust for your torso. I also like the way they did the stretchy pockets on the sides and back, not to mention the separate entry sleeping bag compartment, into which I stuff a 0 degree down bag with room to spare. The whistle was also nice to have because I was hiking with my kids, and could always give them a toot when they got too far out ahead of me to let them know to slow down for the old guy. Would be a five star, but I almost never give 5 stars to anything. There's always room for improvement, and a thing or two I would tweak. For this pack I would have liked to see just a tiny bit more room in the top pouch. But it's still a great pack, and will be the one I carry for the foreseeable future. Look for my Kelty 5000 ST and 5400 Red Cloud on ebay. I'll never carry a pack that big and heavy again!!! Thanks, North Face, for designing a great pack.

Well for the price its hands down the best deal!!!
I had seen this in a magazine and it was a very highly rated
and after having it now for a year it really does it all.
Tons of pockets stays cool on hot days with the air flow system!!
I love the two side nets that hold extra water bottles if you
can find it get it!!!

I'm a tall guy (6'2") and the "Long" pack fits me perfectly. To clear up any misconceptions, this pack DOES have a hydration pocket and will accept any standard bladder. The pack holds plenty of gear for a good weekend trip and doesn't sway when fully loaded. One thing to note, I have a 0 Degree sleeping bag this is too bulky to fit inside the bottom sleeping bag compartment. I think if I had a less bulky 40 degree sleeping bag it would work just fine though. Real nice construction and very durable, I'm happy with my purchase.

Great pack got mine in the mail today loaded er up and tried it on it fit perfectly everything was as described the sizing chart was very accurate dont be afraid of ordering packs online from backcountry

This is a great pack it is the most comfortable pack that i have had in a long time. It is also very durable which i think is a very important thing. This is a great pack. For the intermediate weekend hiker.

Like everyone else on this site I love this pack. It is well made and has great fetures for the price. You can always spend more money for a pack but you can't get the fetures of this pack for less. Check this pack out if you need a cheep pack with great fetures. There is a hydration hole on the top right of the pack for anyone worried about not being able to get their hose out of the pack.

I had just started backpacking this last year and this was the pack I got. It's worked great on all of my weekend hikes. Great on your back as air flow is pretty decent so no sweaty backs and the compression straps secure the load really well. I'd suggest it to anyone who isn't going for longer than a weekend and it's definitely the best pack for the money.

I just started backpacking this last year and this is the pack I got and its been wonderful. The size is great you can fit everything in here for a weekend hike and probably more I just haven't tried to. The compression straps are great for adding gear on the outside or keeping your load nice and compressed. All around a great pack and a steal for the price. Definitely a great value

This pack is one of the best I've ever owned and I've gone through a few. I'm a ground search and rescue volunteer and often find myself out in the bush for 2-3 days. Fully loaded the weight rides right on the hips...can carry fully loaded over long distances without shoulder fatigue....great suspension system.

I've used this once and love it. Went on a 16 mi hike in Land Between the Lakes, TN with no problems. Packs well with plenty of room. I'm new so I'm sure it will get even better. The outside pouches stretch quite a bit, enough to hold my fuel items and water filter. There's also plenty of straps and loops to attach items. There are plenty of adjustments to get the fit just right. Not sure about the sleeping bag compartment, it fits my light weight military bag, but looking forward to upgrading that next. Any recommendations on a 0-15 degree syn bag that fits would be appreciated.

I purchased one of these for summer of 08 and have been very happy with it's fit and performance. It holds the weight well and balanced and was very comfortable to wear for a full day of hiking on a multi day wilderness tour. For 2 or 3 day expeditions I highly reccommend this pack

My first pack, but I love it dearly. Worn it on many overnights now and it's still holding tough. The material is super strong and once you get it set correctly you hardly notice your wearing it. I really can't think of anything about it I don't like.

I recently tried this item in Seattle and I must say it has a lot of room. It's excellent for packing all your needs tightly and plenty of room to stuff them if you don't well at packing. The extra sleeping bag compartment works great too if you want to put other items like shoes. I was deeply satisfied with the weight of the bag itself and the support in the back and around the waist. I will use it for a cold winter in Europe in a month and I think it will rock!!

It's perfect for a multi-day trip with lots of space. I have a 46 inch waist and it fits with room to spare. TNF suspension system works really well. There are lots of pockets and compartments to stick the small items. The trampoline bottom separates the sleeping bag compartment from the main compartment and can be removed for one really large storage area. It's a really well put together pack. Doesn't come with a rain cover.

I took my pack on two trips: One to Jamaica for a 1 week mission and the other on a 4 day camping trip. After these two trips I had two small holes on the bottom of the bag. I sent it back to Northface and I have to see what they'll do for me... Waiting for the results.

After seeing a 'Best Buy' for the Terra 40, I thought I'd try the 60. I finally had an opportunity to try the Lg (3850) on a trip up Pikes Peak. Plenty of space, pockets and straps. The suspension was great as it started out around 50lbs fully loaded (ouch, I hate winter treks) - but it rode very comfortably (I'm 6'3). The only thing I could have asked for was a Sherpa. Great pack.

I have had no problems with it yet, the suspension system is very easy to fine tune how you like your pack to sit, and it adjusts great on the fly. Very easy to walk all day with it loaded to its max. I would even take it for up to a week, maybe even more.

This pack is awesome. I use it for overnight approaches, Winter mountaineering, and summer mountaineering. Holds all necessities and never thinks twice about comfort or strength. One addition that would be nice is a few more gear loops(Ice Ax), and/or snowboard/ski carry, but that is why they make dedicated snowboard packs. Great overall though.

Great pack..spent four days on a pack trip. I had plenty of room. I did have to put my tent on the outside due to length of stay but everything stayed well balanced. Make sure you have a clerk or someone who knows what they are doing to tune up the internal bars for a comfortable fit. Difinately a five star

forgot to add I'm 6'4" tall and this pack fit better than anything before

I have the Outrider 60 bag, but my mom and sister wanted something less expensive for our trip to Europe so they both got this bag and LOVED it. Definitely a great buy and price. They were able to fit everything they needed in it without breaking the bank in the process. It is very durable and comfortable.

Pros: Inexpensive, durable, lots of external storage

Cons: Not super light, no rain cover included, the hip straps rip my hips apart. The Verti-Cool is more of marketing ploy.

I really this bag. Its huge and the side straps allow you to keep it small if you dont need all the space. I love the spandex-esque pockets in the front and side. The bag has firm padding and the frame is very basic but it certainly gets the job done. I has large external pockets, but they dont have elastic tops, so stuff can fall out (Lots of dented Sigg bottles). I'd call this a pretty basic bag. I wouldn't take it on a week long trip, but a weekend backpack trip? For sure! The one thing I really hate is the mesh material on the inside of the straps, it basically a cheese grater on long hikes, does a number on my hips and clavicles. For the money, I can't think of a better bag.

This pack is extremely comfortable even with 50 pounds of gear on your back. I packed my tent, and sleeping bag into the bottom of this baby and still had 1/3 of the pack for food and other gear. Great size for longer trips, about 3 to 5 days.

I really enjoyed this pack. After loading it up for the first time, I think I should have went up in size. Maybe that's just my inability to pack effeciently. I think it will do better the next time. Style and comfort are great. Looks pretty darn cool as well. I got my 10 year old son the youth model and he loves it as well.

I received my pack today and it is better than described. It has a great fit and is really comfortable. The separate sleeping bag compartment is nice and there are a lot of external lash points. I received my order quickly and I would recommend this this pack and backcountry to anyone looking for gear.

I recently used this pack for a three-day, two-night hike and was happy with it. When adjusted correctly, it's very comfortable, although I wish it had a bit more padding/structure for the lower torso supports. They tend to slide around under the belt a bit, which lead to having to make brief stops to shift them back into a comfortable configuration.

Despite this one complaint, I'd definitely recommend this pack to others looking for something to use on a three or four day hike.

I got the Terra 60 to partly replace a 5600 cu. in. Kelty bag I had (which I can't complain about it all). I just wanted something smaller and sleeker, since I would get myself pinned in dense shrubbery while going off-trail with the bulk of the larger Kelty pack, and I felt that 5600 was silly overkill for a night or two out. I really would have given this pack 4 1/2 stars if it were allowed.

One of the main reasons I picked the Terra was the stretchy material the side and back pockets are made from, which is durable and protected by some incredible zippers.

The main compartment is, of course, top loading and has a bag division at the bottom; however, this is something to nag about... as the divider itself does not zip shut within the bag; rather, it has 3 elastic loops that connect around oblong connectors. It serves the purpose well if you happen to store like things together in their own organizer bags (clothes in a compressor, tools in a mesh, food in another bag, etc.) If you are ever in a hurry and don't do this, though, expect your items to wind up in the sleeping bag compartment, promised.

There is a spot for a hydration bladder with a well-designed hook, at least for a name brand Camelbag. I'm not sure if it works as well with other brands, but I'm sure it does. Also, there is most definitely a hole for the hose to come out of the bag (as some of these reviewers have not been able to find...), but it comes out near the left shoulder, which is unusual but it's not an issue. The hole itself is pretty tight, and if you have any hardware on the end of the hose, it will have to be removed to pass it through the hole.

The top pouch is fixed to the bag and cannot be removed for use as a day pack, and it is fairly small. I usually stuff this part of my other bag full of things I might definitely need quickly: rain jacket, gloves, toilet paper, med kit, etc. I can stuff most of what I would like in the top, and the rest is able to fix in the stretchy side pouches, so this is really not too big of a problem.

Water bottle mesh pouches on the bottoms of the sides are large, accommodating, and have shock cord loops attached to them, of which I had one outright fail on the maiden voyage with this pack. The little clips that attach the free ends of the shock cord somehow came unclosed, and I was able to fix this, but it seems that it could happen again, so I don't use this particular function of the pack.

My biggest problem with this bag, though minor, is there are no bottom straps to attach a sleeping roll. For the life of me, I can't figure out why this wasn't added. What designer thought this pack was big enough to stash a sleeping roll inside? There are 4 loops on the bottom of the pack that one can pass his own straps through to mount a pack (which I did), and it works just as well; however, it still is bothersome that this was not something that was already on the pack.

The size medium bag fits me very well; I am a 5'7", medium build guy, and after some very minor and easy adjustment, this thing sits on my hips like giving a supermodel a piggy-back ride. All the adjustment straps were well thought-out and have loops at their ends for easy tugging.

Aesthetically, this bag ain't half bad to look at. I've received many compliments and it has helped to convinced some of friends who are newer to the adventures of backpacking to get large packs too. I personally chose the cave black color, and its green highlights look amazing in complement, especially given that my bedroll is a thermarest with a matching bright green stuff sack.

In conclusion, there were 3 minor problems with this pack: the sleeping bag compartment divider, a shock cord failure, and the lack of built-in straps to accommodate a bedroll. These three things are all minor, and hopefully will not deter everyone who reads this, because this pack is otherwise amazing to wear, sleek to off-trail in, and spiffy to look at.

After weeks of searching at countless stores, websites, and magazines, I finally came across the North Face Terra 60. I got it in the Cave Black...btw...it's ballin. I have taken it on several 2-4 day hikes and have been nothing but please. The water bottle pouches are hard to reach without taking off your pack so you have to ask a friend to help you out. That's hardly a big deal.

What sold this pack for me was the suspension. It's so comfortable and the straps are like pillows. I know this sounds trite, but you really forget that you are carrying 20-40lbs on your back. I would suggest that you buy this pack

I bought this pack to use as a carry-on for a trip to Scotland. It worked out fine, and I hiked about 50 miles with it. The zippered pocket on the top was a handy place for stuff I needed frequent access to, and the internal zippered mesh pocket inside it was a good stash for stuff I definitely did not want to lose (passport, keys). The suspension worked perfectly: I never had any back fatigue. Three small nits: the chest strap adjusts, but when I moved it to its lowest position it tended to creep upwards on its own. Second, the side mesh pockets were perfect for a water bottle, but too high for me to access without taking off the pack. Last, there isn't a map pocket.

I used this for a three-week backpacking trip through Europe. The bag was comfortable, reliable and sturdy. There were plenty of pockets, it was not too bulky, and the weight distributed evenly.

It has military-grade quality; it reminds me of my marine corps backpack.

I highly recommend it to anyone.

This pack is great. It is very convenient to use and very comfortable. It does not have any features that are too much and it meets all the requirements for a great pack. I have only used it so far on a two nighter but I know this will have no problem with a 3-4 nighter. The front access pocket is very convenient as well as the pocket on the top. This gives you a lot of options for things to put in a quick access spot. It splits in the middle which is always a plus making it so much easier to get things in the bottom of your pack.

I have yet to find any realy problems with this bag, I love it. I have kicked this thing around Afghanistan for several months and it has never shied from the abuse, taking it all and asking for more. It has seen the inside of several helicopters and MRAP's, and the outside of some serious rugged terrain. I have worh this for several days without problems, and it even adjusts decently well to my body armor. It carries enough food, clothes, sleeping bag and pad, water (hydration bladder pocket), and other gear to get you pretty much anywhere you need to go for a couple of days and stay comfortable the whole time. If you are a more spartan type of person, you could probably go for a long time anywhere in this bag. I can't wait to back and use this for my first hiking/camping trip.

Sure, you can get a better pack for 3 times the money, but this one does the job just fine while leaving cash in the budget for other essentials. The various fabrics are nice too, between the water tight top flap, the highly elastic side pockets, and the easy access sleeping bag compartment, this pack is well built. It carries comfortably as well; I have a "large" for me (6'1"- 165 lbs), and a "medium" for my wife (5'2"- 105 lbs). I load mine up to around 40 lbs, and hers to about 30 lbs. Both of us are very comfortable with it. Highly recommended for overnighters and light weekenders.

Great for weekend trips and maybe beyond depending on your packing style. This was the first TNF pack I'd ever tried and they didn't disappoint. For items you'd keep on the outside there's plenty of accessibility with two 10" zippered pockets on either side of the back of the pack and a 14" zippered pocket with a grommeted hole for wet things to drain in-between these two zippers. The panel with these three pockets is a stretchy softshell material. The Sleeping bag compartment is awesome- very roomy.
Weight: 4 lbs, 5 oz
Internal frame: 27" tall (w/ two Velcro tabs in case you want to take it out)
Another one of the "coolest" features is the mesh on the inside, middle of the back that allows your back to breathe. Lastly, the cushioning on the back , straps and hip-belt are so comfortable, you'll want to sell your other pack on Craig's list.

Comfortable, light, roomy. Carried my 35mm digital inside and my tripod strapped to the side, in addition to all the gear I needed for a three-day outing (given that we were staying in AMC huts, not tenting). Only trouble I had was getting the weight to settle onto my hips more. A knowledgeable clerk would have been helpful, but I bought it online!

My last name is Terra so I had to get this pack... It is so comfortable and has a lot of padding in the hip and shoulder straps. I packed all of my gear for a weekend and still had room for more. Its a great pack and I love it!