The North Face Thin Air

I borrowed a buddy's for a winter trip - a little concerned that it would not be comfortable as I was used to my TNF Renegade - but was totally blown away - pack weight alone is about 3 1/2 lbs which is 1/2 the Renegade and the suspension system is awesome - carbon composite stays - there is not much to plush straps but as the pack does not weigh that much you don't need them. Not that many pockets so you need to be organized. Rips stop nylon shell and has a waterproof coating inside (saves more weight - re no rain cover to carry). finally compresses to almost nothing and can serve as a little large but still comfortable day pack if needed (for 2 that is). My high recommendations - price wise MSRP - is the same as the Renegade (350 CDN) - you can't go wrong!

Thin Air is a good mountaineering/multipurpose pack from the North Face. It's lightweight (1.53 kg) and bombproof, lots of high-tech details (like carbon composite stays, which flex with your body's movements. From all the packs that I've carried (Karrimor Condor, Haglöfs ShoSho, Jack Wolfskin's bags) it's best. It's expensive, and it's not as big as for example the Karrimor Condor/Endeavour, but it belong to the same category with Bibler tents and Feathered Friends' sleeping bags. The best that money can buy.

I like this pack. I had a med. Snow Leopard before that was very good but this fits me much better. I've used it in Nov. on Mt. Whitney and also in Nov. at Mt. Shasta (6 - 20 F, light snow) without problems. Except one - catalog says "stowaway sleeve for bivy pad"... I can't find it! I have a "Jetstream" also and it does have the stowaway sleeve so where the heck is it located on the "Thin Air"?