User Review: REI Great Star

I bought this pack around '95 and have used it on various trips since then, carrying as much as 60lbs. This is the only pack I've ever owned so I don't have much to compare it to, but it is an OK pack. Like many others, one of the reasons I bought this pack is because it was cheap. The other reason was because it is BIG, not only volume-wise but fit-wise. I'm a big guy (22+ torso, 58" chest, 42" waist) and at the time it was the only pack in the REI store that fit me, so I really didn't have much choice in that respect.

It has generally been serviceable but there a few issues with the design. The hip belt is probably the biggest negative, it needs to be tightened on a regular basis. The same goes for the belt on the "lumbar pack". It's a nice feature to have the fanny pack, but for me it has been totally useless. I simply can't tighten the belt enough to keep the fanny pack from sliding down. It should really have some type of anti-slip coating to work properly. I've also had problems with stability if the pack has alot of weight in it.

Overall, I think its an average pack, but I wouldn't recommend it for someone who is going to regularly carry large loads on long treks.