Serratus Alpine 85

After debating between the Arc'teryx Bora 95, and the never before seen Serratus Alpine 85, i decided to take a risk and order a backpack i have never tried on in my life. I chose the Serratus over the Arcteryx for two main reasons.

-Better suited for mountaineering gear

-Lighter with the same volume and support!

I have taken the backpack on several trips now including the summit of Mt. Washington in winter. The waistbelt is wonderfull and more streamlined, giving plenty of space and freedom of movement. At 6 ft. tall and 150 lbs, i am thin, and had no sore spots anywhere on my body! The padding is I would say better than the Arcteryx because they have small grooves (no stiching) that allowes the waistbelt and shoulder straps to flex comfortably.

I carried loads of 45-55 lbs every time, and the backpack feels so stable that i can double the load! The designs is great! the four compression straps on each side are all buckles and have generous lengths so you can strap just about anything to the side of your pack! The crampon's uretek patch is indestructable! and the shockcord can disconnect easily so you don't have to slide your crampons in, just place them and strap those babies on! The backpack has some nice touches.

So far there is only one complaint that i have found... but it wouldn't stop me from buying the backpack again. When the collar is fully extended (HUGE!!!) the straps holding the lid are too short to allow the lid to reach the top of the load. You really have to compress like a mad man to get it up there. But for me the 90 liters is more than enough to handle all my trips... winter and summer~

If you got any questions... feel free to ask...

Pavlo