Although many of the packs tested were too short for me I usually managed to adjust them so they were comfortable to carry. I failed with this pack. Rather than a full hipbelt it has a lumbar pad ending in two short curved fins that don’t come far round the hips. A curved frame bar runs behind this padding, making it fairly rigid. However I adjusted the pack I found the lower edge of the fins pressing uncomfortably on my back. It may be that it would fit okay on someone with a shorter back. As it was I found it best to leave the hipbelt loose and carry the weight on my shoulders. The curved frame means there’s a wide ventilation gap, which reduces sweatiness on the back but also holds the load away from you. I didn’t find the pack very stable but again this might be because it didn’t fit properly.
I do like the roomy pockets – the lid pocket is big and I can get water bottles in and out of the side pockets when wearing the pack. There’s a lower compartment which can be treated as another pocket so access to gear is good. The weight of the pack is quite high. It’s the fit that matters though. If it was comfortable this would be an okay pack, but on me it isn’t.
