This cost of this pack is low but the weight is high. The last point wouldn’t matter if it was really comfortable and easy to use but it’s neither. It has a sprung frame but this easily inverts unless you pack carefully and don’t stuff gear in. The comfort with it inverted is less but the stability is better. The back length is short. I couldn’t use the top tension straps as they were below my shoulders. I don’t really think packs this size need such straps anyway so this isn’t a big drawback. The thickly padded sections of the hipbelt don’t come round the hips far enough to really support the weight. I found it okay with a 6kg load but most of the other packs are more comfortable.
There are plenty of useful features. Access to the main compartment is good due to the zip-opened front panel. However to fully use this you have to unclip the lower, side and lid buckles, which is a bit of a faff. The top pocket is roomy but the side stretch pockets are on the small side and only just hold a 700ml bottle. The compression straps run behind the side pockets so they can still be used when the pockets are full: a good point.
