User Review: Mountainsmith Circuit 3.0

Great pack at a great price. I was needing to upgrade from a military CFP 90 pack that I had used for the last 15 years. The things I liked most about the CFP 90 was the size, external pockets and sleeping bag separation. The Circuit 3.0 matched these requirements and exceeded my expectations.

I did an early spring backpacking trip with my 12-year-old in the Red River Gorge of Kentucky and figured I'd load this baby down with more than enough snivel gear and comfort items to make sure his first foray into cold weather camping was an enjoyable experience.

Pack weight was between 60 and 70 pounds and it felt like I was carrying only half that much weight. The waist belt and shoulder straps were well padded and provided a plethora of adjustments to get that "just right" fit and allow you to fine tune the fit based on terrain.

The only downside to this is the detachable lumbar pack. A nice "extra", but a little too awkward for carrying essentials on a day hike.

I'm looking forward to several more trips with this pack and I will follow up with other reviews as I get more "strap time".