Lowe Alpine Couloir ND 65+15

I purchased this pack a week ago and used it on a hike last weekend. I am new to hiking and backpacking so I don't have a lot of experience to compare this pack to.

From my fitting at the Kittery Trading Post I was instructed on how a pack should fit and how to make adjustments when available.

This model has an adjustable suspension so it will size to a variety of different framed persons and also provides a little room to tweak as you need. The pack was larger than another Alpine Lowe model with same features I was interested but the hip padding support on this pack and the suspension in my opinion seemed superior. The weight difference for the capacity was also very small.

After purchasing and setting up I tried several loads and settings and headed for the trail. I hiked Mt Jackson and Mt Webster on a 6mi loop. This is a moderate hike and the pack road very well. Even through some scramble areas, balance and movement were great. The adjustable load straps make adjusting the load up and back on the fly a snap. I like the way the pack compresses for small loads and has the ability to expand for the longer trips making it ideal for a day hike or multi-day. I don't have to worry about squeezing stuff in a small sack simply toss what I need in a cinch it down.

I would recommend this pack to anyone wanting a versatile pack with a lot of adjust ability in fit as well as load balance on the trail. The area around the back allows air movement but still provides great support.

This is a decent pack, but I may be swapping this one after just a couple of treks.

The pack has some fine qualities, like lots of pockets and and is very sturdy. It comes with a rain cover which is a nice touch.

It enables you to size it to any body which seems to actually work pretty well.

The downsides are these:
1. Sleeping bag compartment is way too small. More like a jacket compartment.
2. Camelbak holder is a joke. I don't know if they even make a bladder small enough to fit in that holder.
3. The top cover does not come off and I decided that actually would be nice to have.

Lowe Alpine needs to seriously do something about numbers 1 & 2. I am very disappointed by this.