I don't have a ton of time in with this pack yet, but here are my initial impressions:
A lot of great things about this pack. 32L size is perfect for day tours. Fabric has shown to be burly against what I’ve thrown at it so far (thrown down on rock outcroppings, hung against trees, ski edge abrasion in the A-Frame carry) and fairly water resistant too, though not waterproof. The spindrift collar opens wide enough for me and does a good job of keeping snow out. The side zipper is great to be able to access layers at the bottom of the pack without having to dig from the top. The foam back panel and suspension system give good shape and substance to the pack offering better support than I would have thought just foam would provide. Now this pack seems to fit me pretty well, so your mileage may vary if it doesn't fit you. You may want something with beefier suspension if you tend to carry heavier loads.
Now a few critiques that aren’t deal breakers for me, but may be for you:
A helmet carry would be nice, but you can definitely jerry rig your own using the packs daisy chains.
The bungee coord loops for securing probe and shovel take way longer to adjust than using the more typical sleeves in other packs. I’ve given up using them and just throw my probe in it’s bag and shovel in the pocket wholesale.
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