User Review: REI Mars 80

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November 9, 2012

Greg-n-houston (Guest)

Rating:
Source: bought it new
Price Paid: applied a 20% discount to full price - $172 with tax in Texas

Summary

An REI homerun! Perfect performance/price ratio. REI always comes through. Love their R&D folks and great products (like this!) and support.

Pros

great weight distribution and adjusments
fits a wide range of torso lengths perfectly
durable

Cons

larger and heavier than pricier brands
no lumbar ventilation
the elastic side pockets could be made of a better material

I am a father, so i frequently carry more than my own full load. i often backpack with my 11-year-old daughter, and i don't want to ruin her experience (or love of backpacking!) by making her carry more than a fifth of her body weight. this is why i have a pack this large.

I have used this pack in yosemite (30 miles per trip of backpacking <35 lbs. because i also carried daughters' food and other items), zion (30 miles per trip of backpacking <25 lbs.), and all over texas (including 25+ miles in guadalupe mountains and 45+ pounds due to having to carry water).

I love this pack. for summer backpacking it is a bit large for one person and anything less than three nights, but i think it nevertheless compresses well and carries both heavy and light loads perfectly. Another REI homerun!