Marmot Himalayan 80

I have used this pack mostly in the winter for backpacking with snowshoes. The back external pouch is perfect for carrying snowshoes until needed. I use my Therm-a-rest mat as the support in the back instead of half mat that came with the pack. Comfort is good up to around 40 lbs. but over that the waist band isn't very comfortable. Used, as a day pack the pack tends to sag in the middle. It's best to use fairly loaded and care must be given to pack appropriately in order to maintain back support.

I bought this pack to replace an old Chouinard Ultima Thule frameless pack that finally wore out. The two packs are quite comparable. As with most packs the Himalayan is not very waterproof and during rainy weather a pack cover is necessary. Overall for the light weight it is a good pack. Best comfort level would probably be between 25 and 35 lbs.