User Review: Arc'teryx Bora 65

Arc'teryx Bora 65
Above: The current Bora 65, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed August 7, 2002 by Warren Stevens

Rating:
Design: Top loader w/ side zip
Size: 4330/4940cu in
Number of Pockets: 3
Max. Load Carried: 50lbs (aprox)
Height of Owner: 5' 10"
Price Paid: paid around $350

6lbs, 12 oz

I truely loved this pack. Excellent tough contruction, good design, excellent simple suspension. A bit heavy but so well made it should last years of hard use.

Hipbelt attaches by sliding the stays into two nylon webbing slots. As a result the pack easily pivots with you, personally I loved this. Despite the simple suspension the pack could be compressed down to handle a minimum load very well. The kangaroo pocket--the external vertical pocket roomy enough to hold most anything you'd want to throw in there is very handy. Excellent all around pack.

Nit Picks:

Arc'Teryx thinks of the Bora series as a technical pack, as a result some parts of the pack were specialized for this purposes. The side wand pockets are small and can only hold a Nalgene bottle lengthwise, not standing up. The bottom of the pack compression straps are not large enough to accommodate a sleeping pad (the daisy chain allows you to add straps to attach a pad). The sleeping compartment zipper is a straight cut around the pack making it hard to use when the pack is loaded, the side zipper is usually fine for getting to most of the interior of the pack. The pack is a bit on the heavy side but I trusted it completely and the excellent suspension meant I could really carry alot of in it when the need arised.

I stripped the pack of the sleeping bag compartment divider and top lid to fanny pack belt.