Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

So I went out to several stores and tried on several different packs in the 100- 200 dollar range. This one was about 75 in the stores so I thought what the heck let's try it on and give it shot. It fit me well and overall was very comfortable. I am fairly short by guy standards; 5'6 160. So I hoped on Amazon and saw it was just about 50 bucks. Well like most, I was expecting some of the problems I have read about here. However, I have yet to have any of them. Since buying this, I have hiked Mt Washington in NH, Mt Davis in Pa, and Back Bone Mountain in. I have also taken this pack on multiple climbing excursions. I must say this things has held up amazingly. I have had zero problems with it thus far. For my local climbing trips, it has handled my full climbing gear (200 ft rope, harness, helmet, carabiner, belay, etc...) plus food water etc for the day. For my hike up Mount Washington, which anyone who has done that knows how crazy it can get, it performed very well... I ended up having to use the handy dandy waterproof "sheath" that came with the pack. It has endured some serious abuse and keeps on taking it. I would recommend this pack to anyone at this point. As to the pack itself, it has tons of little features. It has locking mechanisms on the lumbar straps, 2 outside pockets that are literally the perfect size for a Nalgene, It has a pocket on the top for random things (I used it for flint and my back up plan of 9V battery and steel wool), At the bottom it has a place for your sleeping bag. All in all a fantastic pack for the price, until I wear this one out I do not anticipate needing another one. Well at least not until I learn how to ice climb and knock out Mt Rainier! All in all this is a great pack for the price and I would recommend this to anyone who is just starting out in their hiking career UPDATES!!! 6/22/2011 So over the last week I did 3 more high points with this pack where the use of a ultra-lightweight tent was required (i have the Seedhouse SL-1 in case you are in the market for a tent). And again this performed more than adequately. I trekked up the Appalachian trail to Mt rogers in VA and then drove to Black Mtn. in KY and then spent 3 days hiking on and around Spruce knob in WV. Once again the rain fly came in handy mt Rogers was under severe winds the entire time i was there... This pack hold everything I needed. I have added some D-ring accessories to it my self for easy access to food and my camera, but otherwise it is the pack as I bought it. I am not sure if I am missing something the other reviewers are saying, but the side pockets (the ones about mid way up the pack) are large enough to Hold my 32oz Nalgenes, but you just can't zip them shut (mostly because of the lid), if you need clarification on this I can send some pictures to you. The only down side I can see thus far is the eventual need for space for longer duration and technical climbs... But as i am using this for 2-4 days trips, it works great. Likely My Last update! 11/28/2011 As the winter approaches and my hiking time is slowly replaced by strip mall and market time. Since my last update I have used this pack extensively. I hiked a 30 mile portion of the Appalachian trail on my way to Clingmans Dome in TN and then in once that was completed I did about a 10 mile hike on my way to the top of Mt Mitchell in NC. I must stress that I am very much the minimalist... I take very little extra that one could safely do without. That means a couple sets of clothes, cold gear, tent, bag, food, water, and obviously first aide and water purification. I keep a small multi-tool on me and a rather large knife I was issued in the desert... That's about it... I have yet to come across i situation where the pack is more than maybe 2/3rds of the way full... But at any rate, I have had very little issues with this pack aside from the chest strap... The clasp did give way finally, about mid way through my 30 miler to clingmans... Luckily I came across a nice woman who was willing to give me one of her extras... I made on modification to the pack it's self. The mid-side pouches sewed on some netting so over the top of them and got ride of the zipper so I could fit my nalgenes there. But other than that the thing has been flawless... I likely will not need a new pack for some time... Hope this info has been helpful