Osprey Aether 60 Review. Likes The Aether is one of the lighter packs we tested but doesn't give up much in the way of waist belt and shoulder strap comfort.
It is nearly the top scorer for its suspension. It has great features like a stretchy back "Kangaroo" pocket, slick easy-to-grab water bottle pockets, Osprey's famous sraight jacket™ compression straps and well designed articulated shoulder straps. Arc'teryx Altra 65 Review. Likes All our testers loved the pivoting waist belt that carries heavy loads more efficiently than the competition, especially on uneven or steep terrain.
The Altra has the perfect blend of convenience and access without being too heavy. It has two pockets on the top of the lid and one underneath as well as a large kangaroo pocket on the front and two water bottle/snow picket/whatever stretch pockets on the sides. We were pleasantly surprised how durable this pack was despite being made of lightweight material. This is the most comfortable pack in the review along with the Gregory Baltoro 65 and 75. The Altra just edged out the Osprey Aether 65 and 75 and the Deuter Aircontact.
For organization and ease of packing it was a close call between the Baltoro and the Altra. When we first got the Altra we liked how light it was but thought the material wouldn't be that tough. Dislikes There were only a few small things we didn't like about this pack. How to Choose the Best Backpacking Backpack. Dan Whitmore heading into Boston Basin, Backpack testing in the North Cascades, Washington.
Credit: Ian Nicholson Below are some key tips to selecting the right backpack for your backpacking trip. Some Questions to Ask yourself before selecting a Pack How much weight are you going to carry? Are you doing a two-day trip and carrying 30 pounds or a seven-day trip with 60+ pounds? Get measuredTorso Length Getting your back measured is a very useful tool that will help determine what frame length you should buy. Second Ascent Pro Pack fitter Andy Dahlen demonstrates on fellow employee Andrew Magnussen how to properly measure someone for a pack fit.
Test drive…err…walk your pack When trying out a pack you do need some weight but contrary to popular belief tossing a ton of weight into it isn't the answer to seeing what pack feels better faster or even more effectively. Backpacking Backpack Reviews. Best Overall Backpack Arc'teryx Altra 65 Due to its overall fantastic performance, we gave our Editors' Choice for the best all-around backpacking pack to the the Arc'teryx Altra 65.
The Altra 65 was among the most comfortable packs we tested, even with heavier (50+ lbs) loads, yet was still on the lighter end of the spectrum when compared to packs that offered a similar amount of support and features. It features a fairly unique pivoting waist belt that proved to be excellent at transferring the pack's load comfortably to our hips. The Altra is packed with some of the our test teams favorite features like its dual zippered lid (that was the easiest to search for lost items in) and a giant "U" shaped access zipper running around the entire front side of the pack, as well as a huge zippered kangaroo pocket. Backpack Review: 4 Perfect Packs. Backpacker Magazine – May 2006 by: Mike Lanza, BACKPACKER Northwest Editor GoLite Perspective This streamlined go-getter smartly combines our favorite ultralight and traditional pack features.
The Perspective surprised us. It's up to 3 pounds lighter than the other packs in the test, but its suspension handled nearly as much weight--35-plus pounds--in workouts ranging from 16-hour Adirondack days to off-trail scrambles in Washington's Glacier Peak Wilderness. The secret? The pack has more features than many ultralights, including decent compression (it cinches down to daypack size), a removable lid pocket, overlapping front compartments, and easy-to-reach side mesh pockets. Top 10 Backpacks for Hiking and Camping - Ratings and Compare. Top 10 Rated Backpacks 2014 By S.
Dee Davis Following are some of the primary factors we considered when selecting our top 10 backpacks (for men) list. Please see our complete backpack buying guide for more information on how we chose, and you should choose the right backpack for your hiking or camping adventure. 1. If it’s good enough for the pros, it’s good enough for me. At the intersection of performance and cost lies this pack. With this pack, you’ll be able to stay out long enough that they’ll send search and rescue teams after you. A favorite of outdoor educators, the Osprey Aether 85 combines a sharp look with tremendous versatility on the trail.
If you’re just getting into the backpacking game, this is an excellent choice. When you need to get away for a really long time, this is the pack you want on your back. This is another good one if you’re a first-time backpacker. If you like to ski when you’re not backpacking, you can kill two birds with one stone with this pack. Volume. Top 10 Backpacks for Hiking and Camping - Ratings and Compare.