GoLite Quest 80L

I used the 80 litre version on a 600-mile, 2.5-month hike in Idaho last year.

This is a big pack for the weight. The simple big bag swallows stuff like a whale. The suspension system works better than any pack I have ever used. Been backpacking for 30 years+ often for months at a time so I know a revolutionary design in packs when I carry one. With 18 kilos the carry was comfortable, with 20 to 24 kilos I used a tump line to spread the load.

The hip belt is not wide, this helps to focus the weight on a narrow area which stops it from slipping but it allso means a heavy load can produce sore spots on the hips. I countered this by puting a little padding under the belt where it hurt, a wadge of toilet paper worked ok sometimes with 20 kilos+ I needed to wrap my fleece around my waist.

After a few weeks the padding in the belt flattened out and became inefective, the padding was easily removed, it is held in placed by a velcro tab. A pair of socks inserted into the belt worked ok but something more sensible like a strip of sleeping pad foam would work well. The forward facing pockets worked well untill they shredded, these need to be re inforced if you want to keep them.