johnringle100138088

I purchased the North Face Crestone 60 Backpack Large Version from backcountry.com for a 2-day hike in Joshua Tree National Parl. I walked the California Riding and Hiking Trail for 36 miles. I had a pretty heavy load, I would say 30 to 35 lbs. The North Face Crestone handled it very well. I have to say that the pack itself is a bit on the heavy side (approximately 6 lbs). It is a good balanced backpack that offer a lot of adjustments. I am not sure that I carried it properly the whole way because my shoulders hurt a lot after the first day. I like the two side pockets where I had stored 2 bottles of water. It also has a sleeve for a hydration reservoir (mine is 2.5 liters), a large outside pocket that is easy to access (perfect for maps, sun screen etc...) and a few other nice features. One thing I am not a fan of is the sleeping bag compartment at the bottom: my sleeping bag is a North Face Cat Meow (Large) and I had a hard time inserting it through the bottom opening. When it was time to get it out, I couldn't, it was stuck (even though it had been compressed as much as I possibly could). So I had to take it out through the top, no big deal. Bottom line: for the price, it is an excellent weekend pack with plenty of nice features and built to last.