Weekend Packs

Recent Weekend Pack (50-69L) Reviews

Granite Gear Crown2 60

Wanted to point out the differences in the Women's fit versus the regular fit model. I purchased a Massdrop version several years ago, and liked it so much, we got the women's for my wife. In 2018 I hyperextended my knee and injured my back. This prompted me to move to a more ultralight setup. I found a good deal on the Massdrop version of the Crown 2 and decided to try it out. A year later, I bought my wife the Crown 2 Women's fit to replace her 4-lb Gregory Deva. These packs now have a few thousand… Full review

Gregory Zulu 65

Good design. Good adjustable suspension. Plenty of room. Water bottle pockets awkward. Tried on many other competitive packs, some Osprey models to the Zulu but none fit right or dug into my shoulders. Great overall design and construction. I have the gold standard Gregory Shasta 88ltr weighing 6.5 lbs empty for comparison, but needed to cut weight. The Zulu 65 is 3.68 lbs—almost half. Figured Gregory would have good suspension and I was correct. I’ve used this pack on over 100 miles and almost… Full review

MEI Flying Scotsman II

Clamshell opening and really tough. Survived 28 countries over 5 years backpacking. I loved it. It was my companion for some very exciting and terrifying experiences. The fact you could get into it when locked bothered me a lot. Oh and I ended up setting an 8kg limit on my carry weight as I'm small and want to enjoy travel and not feel like a pack horse. So you need discipline with this bag! But it's FABULOUS to have the hybrid capabilities of duffle, clamshell opening etc. I would like to find… Full review

Klymit Motion 60

I really wanted to like this pack....but... This is my first poray into lighter weight bear. I was expecting to have design or performance concerns, but that's the reality. I tried this pack on several three-day weekend hikes and found it woefully small for my needs. I carried it on a winter one-nighter, and it still seems smaller than my other 60 L pack. The compression straps are way too long and skinny, and pulling them tight stresses the buckles. I broke one and had to secure the strap with… Full review

Zpacks Arc Zip Ultra 62L

An amazing pack in so many ways. First off, I want to say that overall, the design is brilliant in so many ways. I have used many packs over my lifetime and while this one is minimalist, it's more functional than many packs I have used. Just the fact you can use the zippers to get to any part of the pack you need without unpacking it is a game changer for me. The material on this feels like a heavy duty fabric and I have to admit it’s a little weird given how light the pack is. It makes your mind… Full review

Osprey Exos 58

Great pack (and it doesn't need hipbelt pockets). This is a high-quality product. It is comfortable. This is my first Osprey, so I had to learn how to wear it. Here's how: Put it on with everything loose. Buckle the hip belt first and tighten it on your hips. Then tighten the shoulder straps, BUT NOT TOO TIGHT. (It will not be comfortable on the shoulders if you crank down too much on the shoulder straps.) Then pull the load lifter straps all the way in nice and tight. Now you should have the weight… Full review

Field & Stream Mountain Scout 65L

While initially a comfortable, huge pack, the Mountain Scout failed in short order. Padding breakdown, broken components, failed stitching...we had it all. Dick's Sporting Goods had these packs on sale for Father's Day 7 or 8 years ago. I bought them for my son and I. These 65L packs offer lots of storage options, and include a generously-sized "brain" and a rain cover. The pack has a separate bottom pocket accessible from the front and main cargo area accessible from the top. Initial impressions… Full review

Six Moon Designs Minimalist V2

Six Moon Designs updated their 2018 Minimalist pack last year with an entirely new version that kept the good parts of the original while resolving some of that pack's issues. Still configurable with removable hip belt and internal stay and sold with optional shoulder harness or vest the V2 is best for light/UL packers looking for day after day comfort carrying lighter loads. If you've read my review of the 2018 Minimalist you know that I really liked that pack, especially for distance hiking. After… Full review

ULA Circuit

Very comfortable pack with up to 35 pounds. Easy to modify to make the pack lighter Bought last year before an AT section hike. I took the shock cord off and the water hydration pocket  and wallet pocket to reduce weight. It holds all my winter gear comfortably. Love the stretch pocket. It holds all my essentials plus any wet gear I might have. You can really dial in the comfort with all the adjustments. This year I bought the shoulder water bottle pocket because I had trouble putting my water… Full review