TERRA PEAK Adjustable Hiking Backpack 55L 65L 85L +20L Extension - Lightweight Waterproof Trekking Backpack for Men & Women - Perfect for Camping, Backpacking & Outdoor Adventures

I already had an aging day hike backpack, but was drawn to this backpack for a few reasons:1)have always been a big fan of things with an eggplant like shade of purple 2)loops which allow you to attach walking poles to your bag (wow!) 3)elastic bungee cord like strapping on outside of bag for additional items you may want to carry, and 4)a rain cover with a built in compartment underneath in which to store it.In terms of practicality, LOVE features 2 thru 4.In terms of aesthetic, this bag in purple looks great!I have just a few disappointments: 1)my previous bag from REI seems of more durable construction/material than this bag (I hope I am proven wrong.) 2)As a matter of ergonomics, the 2 side mesh pockets of this bag have a rather small opening compared to my previous bag...a bit of an annoyance.3)At 30L, it feels like this bag would have been perfection if it were actually a tad larger in capacity 4)it could use additional loops from which you could attach caribiners to carry additional light items on the exterior of the bag, and 5)the hip belt on my previous bag is more stout and comes with a small zipper pocket which is handy for smaller items like change or keys or lip balm (this company should consider that for later iterations of this bag).Overall though, the positives outweigh the negatives. Hope I have some great adventures using it.I am very happy with this purchase. I have used this backpack twice... once on an overnight in the Arkansas Mountains 18 miles covered with about 30 pounds of gear. Held up great. Second trip was 30 miles over three days. It seems to be well made and sturdy. The only reason I gave it four stars and not five is that five stars will be determined over long term durability. But so far so good. It's very comfortable to wear. It has lots of extra straps to attach additional gear on the outside. For instance I carry my tent, and water crossing shoes strapped to the outside of the pack. Not one minor issue yet and those two trips were intense with lots of dropping the backpack on rocks while taking breaks. I can pack more into this pack than I need to take. Again, about 30 pounds of gear and food on the first trip... then got a little more efficient and down to about 27 pounds of gear on trip #2.I Decided to take a chance on one of these packs for a recent 7 day hike and I wasn’t disappointed. I went for the 65 litre version on a toss up between storage space and weight. Its such a lightweight backpack for its size, weighing just over 2kg and it easily carried all the kit I needed, either on the inside or lashed to the outside of the pack.I spent quite a while checking the specs, comparing them to other brands and reading reviews before I decided to order one of these. Generally the reviews for this pack were very good while I was researching it(all 4 stars and above) but when I came to order one I saw that there was a negative review about the metal frame and buckles. I started second guessing whether this was the pack for me, but don’t let it put you off. I can honestly say that I’m very pleased with this backpack and the negative points mentioned in that review are not a problem on mine, and when it arrived I knew I had made a good choice.The frame is made from two aluminium bars which will flex slightly. This means you can bend it or mould it to the curve of your back, so you get a much more comfortable fit. The buckles are indeed plastic but this is the norm these days and as far as I can see they are the same quality as most other brands and work perfectly fine.If you’re looking for a really lightweight pack that’s comfortable and good value for money then I highly recommend this pack. If your after something more durable, tougher that’s going to be able to carry very heavy loads and take some serious punishment then I would suggest looking at something from Osprey or Lowe Alpine. Ok, they're a lot more expensive and in most cases a lot heavier but you get what you pay for in life.It's a pretty good backpack the shoulder straps need to be adjusted anything over 30 lb on the 85+15 pack is gonna b rough on the shoulders i love everything else about it but at 145$ its over priced iv had mine for 4 years and still going strong at about 200 miles of hiking the only reason its not 5 star is cause of the shoulder straps