This is my second year with this pack.

The pros have been covered by other reviewers below: it has an external shovel pocket, it has an external probe pocket, it has plenty of straps to attach skis, ice axe and/or poles to, it has an insulated hydration system, it has convenient hip pockets, you can access the main compartment from both the side and the top, there are plenty of straps to clip your gear to, great compression straps and IT IS LIGHT.

The only issue I have had with it so far was that the "Nalgene-compatible" hydration system on mine was not actually Nalgene compatible, so I replaced it with an MSR hydration system (that I still run through the insulated sleeve).

Other than that, this is a sweet light pack that works well for my purposes. I have used it for two- and three-day ski tours and glacier climbs in Washington Cascades. Nothing on it has ripped or fell apart yet. I haven't pounded on it with an ice tool, or jumped on it while wearing crampons, but I have bushwacked with it, glissaded with it, practiced prusiking out of crevasses with it and waded creeks with it. It has been rained on and snowed upon. It's still alive and kicking.

It would never occur to me to bring this pack on a rock climb (let alone to go crag climbing with it) -- this pack excels when you are carrying a shovel, a probe, an ice axe, a pair of crampons, a pair of skis, poles and three layers of clothing that you want to access from the side while having a few pairs of mittens, a facemask and other small things accessible from the top. If you are not carrying any of that, then there are many smaller packs of the same weight with probably a sturdier construction.

Finally, while I have occasionally loaded it with 50lbs or more worth of stuff (including a wet rope), I normally travel with less than that in my pack, even on three-day outings. Ultimately, the reason I bought this pack is that it's light, and so is the rest of my gear.

I have been using this pack as my primary daypack for six months now. Good, solid, durable, adjustable pack. Functional, but no frills. I hiked trails with it, I climbed rock and snow with it, I bushwacked with it, and I rode my mountain bike with it, all in Washington Cascades, in scorching heat and in pouring rain/snow and everything in between. It has held up well so far. It does have two gear loops which come in really handy. That said, attaching an ice ax (or something equally long) on the outside requires some ingenuity, as there is nothing readily available in the upper part of the pack to strap the ax to.

One thing to understand about this pack is that the "airflow frame system" (curved frame, basically) is a compromise: you get your back nicely ventilated, but getting to the stuff at the bottom of the pack is harder than it is with a regular pack, particularly if you have a full hydration bladder inside. This is inherent to the airflow frame, though.

The bottom line is, this is a great pack for a very decent price. Oh yeah, I'm a 6'2" 180lbs dude, and it fits perfect.