User Review: GoLite Men's Quest

I ordered the Quest with the intent of lightening my entire pack load, including the pack itself. The Quest weighs in at just over 3 lbs, which is about half of some backpacks. That light weight comes with the understanding that you're not getting 20 compartments.  However, it's got all I need in a weekend backpack. 

The main compartment is roomy.  The front panel compartment is large and very convenient for items you need to keep handy.  The Quest has handy pockets in the hip belt that can easily hold a small camera, pocketknife, compass, or whatever. 

I have heard complaints that Nalgene bottles have a tendency to fall out of the side pockets when one bends over.  I have not found this to be the case. 

The ability of the side compression straps to join across the front is really handy for attaching external gear in a variety of ways.  

I typically use this pack for weekend trips of 2 nights. It is comfortable with loads of 30 lbs or less.  My last trip was a 36 lb load. I had to go heavy on water. That really pushed the comfort limit. The shoulder and hips are not padded for that kind of load.

I have also hiked with this pack in light rain.  The rain came down for 3 hours, and the contents of the pack stayed dry.  I don't like the "shiny" material of the pack, though. 

Everything considered, I highly recommend this pack for the money.