Great Leaders Pack!

By ben3784337 Ranked #601 - Daypacks - Technical April 17, 2010

Was looking for a pack that I could climb with. I climb a lot of longer routes and have been getting really annoyed with my smaller 16 litter pack. I was always fighting to get that last thing in there. I also have a 40 liter pack, but unless its winter, that thing is just to big to really climb with.
The size is great! I can fit almost everything into the pack for the hike in, and its small enough to be just as out of the way as the old 16 liter was.
I really like the lid on this pack. On my other packs I'd always leave the lid behind, but then I had nowhere for the little things, like sunscreen, snacks, and camera. This style is lighter and simpler then a traditional floating lid.
I agree with the reviewer that said the waist belt is on the small size. I'm 5'10 with a 31inch waist and this thing fits me great, but doesn't have much more room left. I'd think all the straps would be a little short for anyone much bigger then me, especially if you have a few layers on.
The waist belt is not stitched directly to the pack. Its has a plastic end that slides on a section of material that has a wire inside. This allows some adjustment, and even allows the belt to be removed. That would be nice except for the fact that the one on my left side has popped off a few times while hiking. I think I'm going to have to use a needle and thread to create a stop point on that thing. This is an easy fix, but it is a little annoying to have this kind of design flaw.
Overall, I'm much happier with this then any of the other packs I've tried to use for this purpose. It will definitely be getting a lot of use this summer.

View Details: The North Face Mantel 26 Backpack - 1650cu in

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