User Review: Kelty Super Tioga

Kelty Super Tioga
Above: The current Super Tioga, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed March 3, 1998 by Brad Moore

Rating:
Design: External
Size: 4300
Number of Pockets: 5
Max. Load Carried: 75lbs
Height of Owner: 6'0"
Price Paid: $180

I researched and researched and researched last spring as to what pack I would buy with my hard earned money. I was planning a summer of backpacking and hiking throughout the western States and Canada, and wanted something that would last for a while, carry everything I could ever want to bring, and mainly.... be an external frame!!!! I am a bit of a traditionalist, and wanted to go against the grain of internal, internal, internal. The results??? After backpacking in Kananaskis Country, Alberta...Columbia River Gorge Wilderness, Oregon... And biggest of all the 75 km West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island, I have a few things of note: For shorter, lighter (25-30lbs) trips, the external allows the weight to be carried beautifully, and the pack is well designed for storage and access to handy on-trip items such as trail mix, H20, binoculars, maps, etc. There is plenty of room for "stuff", and the bottom shelf is great for a tent and sleeping pad(yes, it is a bit of a squeeze).

But.... now for the not-so-good news: On the big, long up and down treks like my B.C. adventure, this pack suffers a bit. First, the pack bag, when stuffed full, literally oozes through the back mesh panelling, providing the exact opposite of the "cooler ride" I expected from an external,(sweaty backs were constant). Second, and most importantly, I think, is that the suspension, although good under lighter conditions, began to sag after a few hours in the harness, and by the end of a day's hike the waist belt, although cinched toooooo tight, kept slipping off my hips and putting the weight onto my ass. I began to envy the more technical, form fitted hip belts of my hiking partners' internal frames. The K2 Longbed/Shortbed frame design appears to be directly adressed to this problem. Also, for those of you that say "oh, most of my hiking wiil be done on level trails", make sure that that is all you will want to do with this pack, because although I easily dealt with the constant swinging of the weight when jumping tree roots, hopping rocks, or climbing ladders, it's not something I felt was worth the difference of having an external frame. To sum it up, although a well made, thoughtful pack, the Kelty Super Tioga offers nothing extra that most well designed internal frame packs can't provide, and seems to be actually lacking in some respects. Dana Designs, here I come!!!!

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