Well, what can I say..another fine piece of gear from Patagonia. I enjoy how you can wear it as a warming layer that breathes while you perspire! I'm the kind of person who sweats when its 20 degrees out when I'm ascending a peak and taxing myself. I def. enjoy the grid like pattern and the chest pocket, great piece of gear! I recommend it, but the Patagonia price always kicks you in the ass!

Well, I when I first viewed the pack at Backcountry.com, I was impressed with the description of the product and all the bells and whistles that came along with it. I purchased the pack for 3+ days and nights in the Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness, carrying loads of approximately 50 pounds. I loved the blue bird color and was excited to purchase my first Arc’Teryx backpack.

I was able to load the pack with everything from a down sleeping bag with stuff sack to a bear canister filled with 3+ days of food. The bag was a breeze to pack and held all items and their weight perfectly. When I inserted the hydration system, which easily swallowed a 3 liter MSR bladder, into the top lid, I noticed the lid was very top heavy and became cumbersome to finish loading the rest of the main compartment. It seemed I had to fight with the top lid in order to access the pack. Word to the wise, try to load the main compartment prior to inserting a full bladder! The outside crampon “clam shell” compartment is great. I didn’t use crampons on my trip, but used the extra space for my stove system and its fuel, which disappeared like a dream.

I was very happy with the material the pack is made out of. I am the type of person who likes a burley, bomber-proof pack. I’d rather hike a few extra ounces and have the pack for years to come rather than a lighter pack that I worry about brushing up against rocks or branches on the trail, and scrapping to pieces.

After using the pack for multiple day hikes and a long summit day of Mt. Marcy, my main complaint about this pack was the load transfer to the hip belt. I found it very difficult to crank down the hip belt, and when I was finally able to, there was not a great amount of weight transfer, leaving my upper back and shoulders supporting a majority of the weight. From reading articles on the pack, the hip belt was intentionally made for maneuvering steep ascents and not solely for transfer. I was not impressed the foam the harness was made out of and found it annoying to get the harness to secure properly.

I also found that there may be a serious flaw in the way the pack’s suspension system is constructed. While burdened with approximately 50 pounds or so, the metallic stay that supports the pack, comes loose from the velcro and nylon that attempts to hold it in place. I had to adjust it to its original position every time I released the pack from my back, which takes time and is extremely annoying. I’m not sure whether the manufacturer is aware of this design issue, but please be advised when contemplating a purchase of this pack.

Unfortunately, I decided that this backpack did not meet the standards I was hoping it would. I contacted Backcountry.com and explained my issues to them and without going any further, the representative I spoke with told me to send it back for a full refund. I am very, very pleased with the customer support Backcountry.com offers and I feel there is no other outdoor website that even comes close to them. Backcountry.com also met a competitors price from a different website, resulting in an added appreciation! I hope this novel helps someone out there who is on the never ending quest for the perfect backpack!