Great for biking

By cap3179791 Ranked #476 - Daypacks - Technical August 7, 2009

It's not perfect, but it's really darn close!

I got this pack as a bicycle commuter (5'9" in Seattle), and I think any cyclist would be happy to use this pack. I got the medium size, which holds a full load of groceries, but would probably buy the large if I had to do it again.

This pack is very well designed, and solved a number of my problems:
-Soft sided packs leave bad lumps, making for uncomfortable riding. The HDPE back plate eliminates this problem, and helps add necessary stiffness.
-The padded, quality waist belt removes unnecessary stress from the lower back. Why don't more cycling packs have a waist belt? It continues to boggle me.
-The pack is nigh water tight, so my gear stays dry. In a pinch, I just put in a plastic bag and then it's hermetically sealed.
-The straps are very adjustable for a comfortable fit.
-The padded bottom means that the fit is extremely comfortable and the durability is great - I have no worries of rub-through.
-The split open design makes finding things a snap.
-The tarp is handy for all kinds of random things you wouldn't expect (need a jury-rigged sun shade, no problemo!)
-The back of the interior cavity has one of those cloth compression areas, which nicely fits a laptop sleeve, making this pack a reasonable applicant for a school pack (important for me as well)

My major complaints are lack of diverse pocket space, and the damned half-moon zipper. Why would you design a pocket like that?! Of course, as a student and commuter I'm not using the pack for its intended purpose, so I let these points slide. Overall, I'm still very happy with my purchase, and haven't found anything else on the market I'd rather have.

View Details: Mountain Hardwear Splitter Backpack - 2150-2350cu in

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