TETON 75L Explorer Internal Frame Backpack for Hiking, Camping, Backpacking, Rain Cover Included

Teton Sports Explorer 85LTHE GOOD*Price*Lots of Pockets*Quality*Decent Comfort (when packed with heavier weight lower down)*85L is the right size for my needs*Included rain coverTHE BAD*Sweat Buildup where the pads touch your back*Mesh pockets not very easy to get Nalgene bottle into while on the move*Could use more height adjustment on the shoulder straps*Not much color choice on the 85L sizeCONCLUSIONI highly recommend this pack. While there are a few things that could use improvement, on the whole, I don’t think there is a better combo of price/features/performance out there. Read on for details.I thought pockets on packs had gone extinct. Thank you Teton Sports for continuing to make a backpack with external pockets for keeping me organized and keeping my important gear easily at hand instead of having to dig into the middle of the pack to find my raincoat/toilet paper/map/battery/flashlight/camera/water filter/etc./etc.! ALL of the major outdoor gear makers are moving towards packs that have 1 big compartment and that’s it. Or maybe they have one token pocket in the lid. Like they think we are all ultralighters and will pass up a product because they added 4 oz. to it for pockets and zippers. What’s crazy is many of these minimalist packs are heavier than the Explorer 85L *cough*cough Aether 85L *cough. So, you give up convenience AND still get a heavier pack all for 3 times the cost of the Explorer 85LI am replacing an Osprey Atmos 65 AG that was comfortable but often too small for all the gear/food/clothes I wanted to bring with me on a trip. Because I wanted an array of pockets, this Teton Sports pack was about the only one left on the market that met my needs at any price. It is fantastic that it is relatively inexpensive too. There were a few others with pockets on Amazon, but none from any company I recognize. Teton Sports has been on Amazon for a while and at least has a legit website and looks like a good company, so I decided to take a chance on this pack. The 85L size of the Explorer is great so far. I’ve taken 2 trips with it and just finished packing for a 3rd and haven’t filled it to capacity yet. It is nice to know I have space left if I need it, like for more food on a longer trip or bulkier clothes for a Winter trip.The quality of the Explorer appears to be good so far. Everything felt solid and the buckles didn’t feel like they were in danger of breaking when cinched down tightly. Comfort while hiking was decent, though the Atmos was a bit more comfortable, particularly the mesh back that reduces sweat build up. The pads that contact your back on the Explorer trap sweat and soaked my shirt. You really notice it when you take your pack off for a break and the back of your short becomes freezing from the wet/evaporation. But most packs have this problem- the Atmos AG was an outperformer in this area. At first, the pack felt like it was pulling me over backwards. I moved stuff around and put my heavy bear canister filled with food in the sleeping bag compartment and my lighter sleeping back in the main compartment and that fixed the pulling backwards problem. This pack likes the heavier stuff down low.I found the shoulder straps tended to sit too low, even on the XL setting. I’m not that big (5’10”) so was a bit surprised by that. I was able to move the height adjustment up past the XL by utilizing less of the adjustment loops and got the pack comfortable. I don’t think it was designed to be used that way, but it works and was comfortable for me.There are a couple of other nice touches on this pack. The outside pockets have pass-throughs behind them that let you slide trekking poles or tent poles behind them for easy, secure packing. Also, the hip belt pockets have velcro at the bottom that lets you flip them up so you can put the tails from the hip belt behind them and not have them hanging down and flopping around. This is much better than the Osprey where you have to try to push the strap through to tuck it away.There are a couple other areas that could be improved on this pack. Minor nits to pick, not any deal breakers. First, the lid can’t be pulled down enough when the pack is lightly loaded to cover all of the top opening. It leaves a little gap near your neck where water can get it. Second, I like to put my Nalgene bottles in the mesh pockets. While they are angled slightly towards you, it is still a little awkward to get them out and back in while on the move. Teton Sports Designers: check out how Osprey does their pockets with top entry or front entry. They are much easier to use this way.In conclusion, I was thrilled to find this pack that met my needs at a good price. Despite Teton Sports gear not being featured in my usual gear mags and review websites I turn to for opinions, I am impressed with the quality of this pack and highly recommend it.