Explorer 85L

This turned out to be very comfortable. The adjustablity of the torso size allows you to adjust the pack so weight distribution is better. Where you will feel the difference compared to cheaper packs is that, when adjusted correctly, it keeps the weight from riding solely on and crushing your shoulders. I like the smaller, but still big enough to be usefull pockets on outside that make it easier to keep items organized without everything jumbled/jamned in a single large pocket. It makes locating things like a first aid kit, duct tape, head lamp, etc. easier, without rooting around in the large pocket and having to take out half your stuff to find anything. Further, this pack allows me to carry a camp stool comfortably in a vertical position where it is easily accessed. It also, has small compartments in the waist band that allows easy access to snacks/napkins/folded paper towels. (cold weather always makes my nose run - which becomes highly annoying on the trail. These compartments allow you to easily solve this problem by keeping supplies accessible without stopping.) Durability is good - should last for years. Overall I really like this pack and for the price is a good deal. The only con is the non-adjustable ice axe loops. Which unless you are planning to hike in artic ice conditions are not useful. (maybe carry a wood axe instead?) They would be better if they were adjustable loops that could be utilized for strapping on other types of gear. Update: the ice axe loops actually work to help hold my trekking poles. So I guess I eliminated my only con.

I'm a big guy, 6'1" 260 pounds with a 21.5" torso length, and a 44" waist. This pack fits although the chest strap will be too tight come winter when I have to layer up. This pack is well made and comfortable to wear and it's large size is perfect for multiple day outings with my dog. If you utilize the attachment straps on the top and bottom you could easily use this pack for a camping trip that lasted a week or longer, depending on the gear you take. I can pack a Naturehike 3P 3 person tent with footprint, 10x10 Chill Gorilla Tarp, 3 inflatable pillows, Static V Luxe sleeping pad, food for myself and my dog, Sawyer mini filter, 3 litres of water, cook kit, fire making kit, small first-aid kit, folding saw, Mora knife, 3 headlamps, small LED lantern, battery bank, cordage, collapsible dog bowls, sleeping bag, and two complete changes of clothes with room to spare internally so the rain cover fits. I use the bottom loops to secure my dog's sleeping pad although the rain cover wouldn't cover it completely, it's easy enough to slide it inside of a garbage bag to keep it dry. If I didn't have to dog supplies, I could pack in two weeks worth of food and clothes with no trouble. The side pockets allow you to slide hiking poles, fishing rod, ax, hatchet, folding saw, tri-pod or other similar items behind them to hold it securely to the outside of the pack (although not all of it at the same time). All-in-all, it's a great pack for the price. More importantly, Teton's customer service also deserves 5 stars and reading customer reviews about their customer service was the main reason I chose to purchase a Teton pack. Here's my experience with them. This was my first adjustable pack and my GF misunderstood what I was asking her to do when measuring my torso and we got it wrong the first time. I ordered the Scout 3400 which turned out to be too small so I had to return it. No problem there. That's when I ordered the Explorer and the first one I received was what I would call a factory second. It was obvious that bag was overlooked by QC. It had threads hanging off of it all over the place, one strap was sewn on backwards, the zipper in the lid wouldn't zip completely closed and would work it's way open about 3 inches just from walking around with the pack on and one of the shoulder straps was frayed badly. I contacted Teton again about this pack, provided some photos and they sent a replacement the very next day, no questions asked. On top of all that, I mentioned in the email to Teton that the chest strap is pretty tight and they offered to make me a custom extension for the strap. As far as I'm concerned, this is a company that knows how to take care of their customers and stand behind their products 100%. They've earned my loyalty and respect and I would not hesitate for a moment to recommend them to anyone I know personally. This is one company that you can truly buy from with confidence that they will be there for you when you need them to be. Awesome!

I am a novice hiker, but long time camper. And I am by no means an ultralight hiker. Wanted to start hiking more and doing some hikes of distance, such as 40 to 70 miles section hikes on the AT. So I needed a pack that was big enough to carry all my stuff, but not so massively large that it allowed me to bring far more than I needed, yet not so small that I would be forced into an ultralight situation that I'm just not skilled enough for. So this 4,000ci size seemed like a good place for me to start and then later scale back into more lightweight hiking. From my limited experience and lack of knowledge on these matters, I find this bag to be a pretty decent bag for the average weekend to several day hiker. I put it to its first test on an AT hike from Lake Watagua TN to Damascus VA. Loaded it up with a ton of gear and supplies. This section of the trail is known for being fairly dry and having extra water is advisable. So carrying extra water to be safe and not run out, it pushed by pack weight to 47 pounds! That is outrageously heavy for back packing. But I like extra workout it provids and the security of knowing I'm not gonna run dry. And again, I'm not an ultralight hiker. The pack remained well balanced and stable. Never once did it ever feel unbalanced one way or another and always rode comfortable. Those complaining and or claiming that the sleeping bag section at the bottom of the pack is too small must be packing it wrong. I was able to fit a very large 12' x 16' Hennessy Hex Fly, my 20 degree bag, an eno hammock, 100 foot of cord, and several other items in there. And I could have fit more stuff in there. Inside the back I was easily able to fit my Hennessy Expedition A-Sym, Ember Underquilt (also bought here on Amazon), 3 sets of clothes, 5 days worth of food, and being a former smoker now using ecigs, I was able to fit my e-cig kit, along with 4 of those portable battery things to charge my ecigs and phone. Also had my personal supplies (toothbrush, toothpaste, TP, various saftey items like bandaids, tape, aspirin, etc...). The sleeve for the hydration pack worked great. And in reality, you could fit two bladders in it with ease. In the outside pockets I had small items such as knives, gloves, hat, tent stakes, and quick access snacks to munch on while hiking between the morning start, and days finish. And in 'long' pocket on one of the straps I had my cooking system. That was a tight fit, but it did fit. The one big complaint I had was the mesh pockets on the outside at the bottom of either side. Their most obvious use is for holding waterbottles. And thats probably their main purpose in design. They are SMALL!!! You can fit a regular 16 ounce water bottle in them. But getting larger, or using something like a gatorade bottle for your water and it just will not fit and you have no place to put such a bottle, so its gotta go in the pack. 4 days on the trail and it performed without problem or issue. Are there better bags? Obviously. But for a mid size bag at a price that won't make you cringe, I like this bag. I also use it regularly when I go car camping with the cub scouts or just for the weekend with family and friends. Allows me to easily bring everything I need in a single bag that has enough room left over to through in a few extras that are fun to have just in case.

About a year ago I bought one of teton's tracker +5 mummy sleeping bags. I did a lot of research for it, trying to find the best balance of material quality, warmth, weight/size and price. When it comes to camping/hiking equipment things can get VERY expensive quickly. I was surprised at how good the sleeping bag turned out (being that it only cost about $80) and how many small, quality touches were added. That led me to this backpack when the time came to upgrade to a larger one. I find the same attention to detail, small quality touches and reasonable pricing in this bag. Good camping/hiking equipment is durable and multifunctional. I look for things that will hold up in harsh conditions and be customizable to my needs. This pack had several easily accessible, and large, outer pockets with tru-holes for long things like poles or hatchets. It's highly adjustable in terms of how the pack sits against your body. It's a bit top heavy, but that's more due to the size of the pack and the way I pack it. I can easily get 50lbs of gear into the pack, without even utilizing all available loops and straps on the outside. I can fit a 2 person tent, 5inch thick sleeping pad, 5 degree mummy bag, camping folding chair, poncho/waterproof pants, full change of clothes, 3 days of food/water, water purification equipment, medical supplies, hatchet/saw and various other camping necessities (like flashlights, fire making equipment, knives and rope). It would take too long to list everything that fits, but that's the bigger items. It has enough room to pack anything I'd need to live in the woods for 3-5 days without resupply. I'm hardly an expert at packing and I'm sure others could go a lot longer off the space available. I could easily see Teton pricing this bag at $200+ and it's a great deal as is. Between the sleeping bag and the backpack, Teton has earned my future business. You can buy better equipment than what they have to offer, but I doubt you could find equipment this good for this cheap. It's a balanced backpack.

No dislikes. The price was great. It's exactly what I wanted. Weight compares to most 75L backpacks. If you want a lighter pack its going to cost much more. Backpack arrived with a torso setting for XL. My torso length is 23". I reset backpack to M = medium. Fits great now. Added 30 lbs. and started working on the other four adjustments. Waist/hip straps, shoulder straps/ pack to shoulder straps, and the small strap attached between the shoulder straps. I moved this one down about three inches with the strap fully out. I hang my phone and rag on this strap. I am now training for a long hike. 3 to 6 miles daily with 45 lbs. added to pack. 50 lbs total. I make adjustments as I hike for comfort. Pack has plenty of internal space including internal pocket for water bladder. Plenty of outside pockets, straps, and tie off points on the pack and on the shoulder straps. I've hiked 36 mile so far this month. The pack feels great. I've read were some people did not get the rain cover for the pack. It is hard to find if you do not know where to look. Its located in the very bottom of the pack on the outside. Velcro opening that looks like a seam. Almost hidden but that is the rain cover storage pocket. Very hard to open if pack is full. If you expect rain, put the cover in a better pocket or just cover the pack with it. This is not a day pack or weekend pack but can be used as one. This is a good multi-day multi-mile backpack and built to carry what you will need. With this in mind, the pack does not come with a backup buckle for the waist strap. Its plastic and could break. I've already gotten one. Easy to replace but a bad day if you don't have a backup. I hope you find this helpful. Happy trails to you all....

I'm an avid day hiker but wanted to get into the world of multi-day hiking/backcountry camping. I bought this inexpensive pack a year ago and have used and abused it in the heat AND rain. I'm a 5'9" 155 lb male and this pack fits me perfectly when adjusted properly. When I knew it was going to rain one night I dressed it with the included raincover and left it on a large rock outside my tent. My paper map was still in the mesh pocket. It rained HEAVILY and everthing -- much to my surprise -- was still DRY. I was impressed! It fits everything I need for extended trips and would trust it for a 5-7 day 3 season trip. It has a separator which divides the bags main compartment from the sleeping bag however I recommend unzipping it and using the whole pack as one huge gear dump because everything just fits more nicely that way and compacts much easier. Love the side pockets to store my water filter, stove/pot/ and snacks. I wish it had waist pockets though for easier access to things like a camera or snacks. I also love that it has top and bottom straps (it can strap down my tent on top and my thermarest on the bottom w/ no problem which makes for even more space inside). Two bottle pockets on each side make it very convenient for easy access to water bottles. Can easily fit a 32oz bottle on each side (nice when hiking in dry environment where water is sparse) It also has a compartment inside to house a bladder up to 3L i believe. I would easily buy this pack again when mine gives up on me. SO FAR ive had not one tear/rip or malfunction, however the zippers are a bit stubborn but easy to get used to. A much inexpensive, quality, alternative to the $200+ packs at REI. GREAT FOR BEGINNERS. I was so impressed with the bag that I ordered a Teton Sports Trailhead 20F degree sleeping bag which fits perfectly in the sleeping bag compartment. Pros: All the room. So many pockets. Top AND Bottom straps Rugged and can take abuse Very inexpensive Removable sleeping bag compartment separator/divider Included raincover does an amazing job Worth more than it is Very adjustable to various body types/sizes Cons: Sometimes stubborn zippers No waist/hip belt pockets for easy access to snacks/camera

I bought this pack back in December and I've used it on about 11 camping trips since then. I camp usually every weekend. Or every other weekend. I've tested it on an extreme scale. I went and did the long cane trail 4 different times the same trail its only 23 miles, but I've done it 4 times with different weights. The first time I did a lite pack around 20 lbs and it was completely comfortable with no soarness after wards. Granted now I stretch before and afterwards and i'm an active body builder who goes to the gym 5 times a a week. Now the second time I went I was packing 35 lbs, only a 15 lb differnce but 15 lbs can make or break you. The pack held up the whole trip I stopped for the night with friends we made camp on a hill of near muckawaye creek which is about 3 miles from the start of the trail. Slept. Woke up the next morning hiked 7 miles to the next scenic area, then hiked it back to the camp. Now we only totalled at about 16 miles for this trip because we forgot our lunch and had to backtrack, but the back was simply amazing. The heavyiest weight I used was my standard army load which was 57lbs almost 60. Now about a mile I started feeling the straps in a good bit. We made camp at the same point about 3 miles in. Slept and repeated the trip again. Walked all the way to greenwood this time though which is about 10 miles all the way around. The bag held up to my expectations. I'm a very rugged hiker and camper. I prefer about 35lb, but i'm fine with adding more. I'll add everything I packed so you can understand that this is a very spacious pack. Pack list 4x military t-shirts 2x cargo pants 1x towel 2x wash cloths 1x soap 1x tooth brush/toothpaste 1x featherlight sleeping bag 1x wind up flashlight 2x starter logs/ the small ones for 88 cents. 2x tarps/ one for a footprint. One I use to make a vestible for gear to go under so the snow didnt damage it. 4x bungie cords 1x Ozark trail 4 person tent,which I took out the pack and put it in my bag. 1x pair of trail running shoes 1x advanced first aid kit/ifac, sam splint etc 1x tent light 1x headlamp batteries 1x hatchet which fits perfectly in the big pocket where the internal frame is. 1x purification tablets 1x sleeping pad which I put on the top of the bag utilizing the straps Overall, I would highly recommend this bag. Amazing bag for a good price and i've had north face packs, Osprey packs and one kifaru zulu pack and to me the kifaru zulu and the Teton bag are the best two I have. Great bag, spacious, comfortable and good weight distribution. 5 out of 5

Terrific pack! I'm 6'1", 200 lbs, and it fits me perfectly. I do a lot of week long+ kayaking trips, and this bag offers more than enough space to hold all of my gear. The main, upper area fits a FULL 40L dry bag. I laid out all of my gear and even packed food, water, and snacks for a week long trip, and I still had room. I used the lower area, usually reserved for sleeping bags, and I put my 20L bear bag full of goodies with room to spare. Large pockets on the outside allow me fast access to gloves, headlamps, water filter, and maps. The two pockets on the waist man's will get used a lot more than you realize, and the water bottle holders each perfectly fit a Nalgene bottle or a large canister of bear mace. Straps are comfortable, with good adjustment, and the padding is more than sufficient. Almost forgot about the built in rain fly; good stuff. So, now I'm fully packed, about 50 pounds, and it's very comfortable on my hips. If you're a rounder individual, the chest strap connecting the shoulder straps may not be long enough for you, but I still highly recommend this pack. Perfect for longer excursions, or a fully prepped bug out bag. I'm buying another one, maybe a touch smaller, for the Mrs.

This bag is excellent quality for the price I paid. It is eminently practical with the many pockets and pouches. Large enough for multiday excisions and it's made of very durable materials. I expect this back to offer me many years of service on my adventures.

I've only taken it on one trip thus far but I can say that it's performed well. Time will tell but the workmanship seems top notch and the attention to detail is good. In fact, all the features of this bag can be a bit overwhelming at first but everything seems so well thought out. It seems infinitely adjustable for various sized folk and I can imagine that it's performance is greatly dependent upon getting this fit right so spend some time on this. Once set up correctly, the pack floats on your hips and the shoulder straps simply keep it in place rather than taking all the weight. I packed way too much stuff on our first trip and I was amazed at how well the pack took the load. I also purchased the Teton LEEF Adult -18c sleeping bag and unfortunately it seems too big to fit into the bottom compartment which, according to their marketing, is supposed to hold a TETON sleeping bag. Perhaps the -7c version will fit? Sadly, I wasn't able to take advantage of this particular feature. It would have been nice if they had paired various products together in their marketing to show what works with what. One of the things that I liked about this version (compared to the smaller one) was that the side pockets are only attached along their sides allowing you to pass something (like a set of tent poles, a saw or an axe?) in behind them. Many bags that I looked at try to add pockets by including zippers on the side of the bag that allow access to compartments inside (perhaps for a more streamlined look?)... or worse, pockets that are not pleated but simply sewn into the exterior of the bag. The result is a pocket that you can't use when the pack is really full. This bag has pleated pockets on the exterior with good quality zippers and flaps to keep some rain out. I found them really useful for keeping gear that I needed quick access to while hiking and setting up camp. So far, I have to say that this bag is everything they claimed it would be and I'm very happy with it.

My other backpack did NOT travel well for a five week trip to South America. The top closing flap did not extend, it made things difficult when my bag was extremely full. I think this bag will be exactly what I need.

It's very comfortable when loaded up and hiking. Lots of space internally. Just love the product.

Very happy with this, spacious bag and very comfortable for long hiking