Briggs and Riley Excursion Backpack: Functional and Classy

By Rick Shandley

Briggs and Riley Excursion Backpack is a daypack you can use for business and pleasure. Excursion is part of the new BRX collection, a series of active travel luggage Briggs and Riley has every reason to be excited about. We ran with the Excursion Backpack for several months, generally on a daily basis. There were the grind commutes into LA to participate in the rat race. And there were out of town trips where there’s always a chance to explore and get some exercise on nearby trails or state parks.

Typically, the Excursion was loaded with files, laptop computer, and the usual knickknacks that support a human during the dog days of a work week. There were those bemusing days of multiple stops…in traffic…where the mind wonders if moving to Montana is really an option or just a pipe dream.  And there was lots of city hiking from the public parking lots, covering a few blocks, then ducking into a once magnificent office tower and up the elevators to work on some project. On a daily pace, the Excursion worked great as a mobile office.

Inside the U-shaped laptop sleeve, a 15-inch HP Pavilion laptop computer was adequately cushioned and separated from the Day Runner, manila files, and notepads. Specifications on this daypack (Product # BP118 in the BRX collection) indicate the laptop sleeve will fit up to a 16-inch laptop.

What’s impressive is this Briggs and Riley Excursion Backpack looks like the high-end piece of luggage it is. Whether you are checking

Excursion carries down jacket, hydration bladder, and everything you need for a day.

in to a luxury hotel or walking onto an aircraft with your business-class upgrade paid for with air miles you so wish you didn’t need, the Excursion fits in well. The Excursion has an overall profile that allows it to easily slide into the overhead storage bin of an aircraft, under the jaundiced gaze of the flight attendant, with no style points being deducted.

Oh, but it is when you have to travel and stay away from home for awhile that was nice about this Excursion. For the times you’re strapped to a hotel for a week or more, any fresh air you get will have to be carved out of whatever time you have and place you find yourself. The Briggs and Riley Excursion Backpack is versatile enough to go from assigned only to protecting your laptop and files, to an day pack that permits you to get out of the hotel room and hike that trail you found online.

This scenario happened a few times. Get to the hotel room, unload the laptop and set up the nice desk with all your business related things, and fill the backpack with water, snacks, a wind parka and head back out to the rental car to end the day with a long walk. Most big American cities like Seattle, Portland, Anchorage, even New York and LA have hiking and outdoor recreation right outside the tragic clusters of conflict known as downtown anywhere. If you enjoy getting outside, as opposed to dutifully relegating yourself to the hotel fitness room, having some kind of backpack is mandatory. This one just does it with panache.

Deep U-shaped Excursion lid offers good access to gear.

Excursion offers a deep U-shaped front loading pocket and an overall capacity of 18×12x9 inches of storage. With the business collateral poured out, the laptop pocket held a two-liter Camelbak Omega Hydrotanium water reservoir with no problems. Problems no, but this pack would be even more versatile if it also had retainer straps for a water reservoir. And it would be nice to have an opening on either side of the top of the pack to run the water flow tube and mouthpiece through to the exterior, so you can use it without unzipping a corner of the top flap. That’s how the Excursion was used on trips: The Camelbak Pure Flow tube ran out through a slightly unzipped corner of the pack.

A deep storage pocket inside the main compartment and forward of the laptop sleeve offered enough room for a Cloudveil Inversion down jacket compressed into its little stuff-sack, and all the gear one might need for a couple evening hours of hiking. The mesh water bottle holder on the right side works when that’s all the water you need.  On the opposite side from the mesh water bottle holder is an inverted-U shaped pocket that can be used for holding your sunglasses or reading glasses…or another bottle of water. A zipped pocket on the outside of the main flap of the Excursion works well for storing small items like your keys and quick access support items.

At the front of the pack, just behind the large exterior pocket is a slide-out identification holder, just in case the airlines have to

Excursion is rugged enough for most any situation you'll need a dual-purpose pack. On Monday, it goes back to mobile-office duty.

FedEx your pack back to you. The large zipped pocket on the front of the Excursion holds several separate compartments for sorting business cards, storing the cell phone, a wallet, and any of the smaller items you might need. Inside the outer fabric of this large front pocket is another zipped pocket for your traveler checks, passport, or your secret stash of jelly beans. Forward, and at the absolute outside of this main exterior front pocket is a non-zippered pouch that seems to collect all the access badges on lanyards, trip receipts, and loose change just as you walk up to the airport X-ray machines.

Two daisy chained clip points are arranged on either upper shoulder of the pack. Three clip-point positions are available on each side. Like larger packs, these clip-points come in handy. We use them to clip on lens-cleaning cloth and an expedition watch with a carabiner clip. It’s a nice touch, and these clip-points are an asset when you need them.

We found the padded back-panel and the shoulder straps to be comfortable and the shoulder straps are easily adjusted with standard heavy-gauge fasteners. The Excursion does not come with a hip belt, nor is one necessarily needed. However, a chest strap spans between the shoulder straps and does a good job of keeping the pack on your back and close to your chest.

Briggs & Riley logo on leather tab atop front pocket.

And at the very top of the Excursion is a nicely padded handle with the Briggs and Riley logo embossed into the leather. Another Briggs and Riley brand logo in sharp relief is located on the top of the primary front pocket. Just beneath the top handle is yet another zipped pocket that contains an anchored clip-strap to work with other roll-on Briggs and Riley luggage. Yep, you can secure the Excursion to the top of the roll-on handle as you waltz away from baggage claim, past the limo drivers morosely holding large paper signs with names other than your own on them, as you make your way to the rental car.

The Briggs and Riley Excursion Backpack is part of several new styles of roll-on luggage and accessories. At MSRP, your investment would be about $120.00. Sure, you are paying for the name, but it’s a name associated with quality, and there is nothing we can take away from that. We found, from the day it arrived, that this pack is versatile and it immediately became an everyday item in our world. It does look like it is high-end, and for folks who must be seen only with the best stuff other folks would recognize, this backpack is the real thing. But in everyday use, the Excursion is just as rugged and useful as any daypack could aspire to be for its function and classy style.

Granite Gear Nimbus Access FZ pack offers one of the most comfortable and capable backpacks available today. Comfort, we can report after several uphill battles with elevation and rocky trails, is a standout feature you won’t see in the literature. This is a light-duty one-to-three day backpack that molds itself to your torso.

This comfort level can largely be attributed to the three dimensionally molded pack frame made from composite materials engineered to flex in the zones along the spine. The flexibility of the composite frame allows the Nimbus Access FZ pack to move with your upper torso in a more perfect relationship. Yet the three-dimensional composite pack frame always returns, no adjustment needed, to its original shape. Granite Gear describes this composite core frame design as Framesheet Technology. What it means to us is a level of comfort that gives you confidence on the trail and under the weight of your equipment.

The other prime component of comfort is the harness system Granite Gear has designed into their products in general. This harness

Click this image to check out the Nimbus harness system. It fits and flex's with your torso. You're going to like the way you look!

system offers the wearer excellent padding in all the right areas from the shoulder harness to the hip belt.  It is not only the cushioning element of the harness system, but the design vision that determined how and where the harness system contacts the torso.  Pack load is evenly distributed across the back, so no one area feels the pack weight.

At an empty 4lbs, 9oz, the Nimbus Access FZ offers 3800 cubic inches or 62-liters of gear storage. Access to your gear is excellent. With a zip away front panel, and an inner compression-strap system, you can get to any part of your kit without unloading the pack. Three composite clip-fastener straps on the interior of the front zip away panel create a compression system that keeps gear from moving around on the trail and manages bulky items in concert with the compression straps on the exterior of the pack.

All fasteners and straps seem to be of ideal gauge and composite (nylon and plastic) materials to handle the Nimbus Access FZ pack rating of about 50 pounds. Even though it is a never ending quest to get your pack as light as possible, just the fact that you will need to carry a sufficient amount of water, even for an overnight trip, your pack is gonna’ weigh enough to rely on the straps and fasteners to keep the pack load secure. We found the compression strap and strap fasteners to be well positioned on the pack and very reliable.

Nimbus Access FZ is hydration compatible. That means the pack interior has a pocket and drinking hose exits built into the pack. Drinking hose exits are located on the upper left and right sides of the top of the pack. This feature accommodated a two-liter Camelbak hydration bladder on all trips, with no issues whatsoever.

Removable and roomy, the top storage compartment of the Nimbus Access FZ is convenient to un-snap from the pack and bring your valuables inside the tent. With an empty pack at the camp site, it’s more useful to take the top compartment off so when you go to re-pack, the primary body of the the Nimbus is easier to load up without the top compartment bobbing to one side or the other.

Nimbus Access with interior compression/access enclosure.

After several day trip hikes, we already had a sense Nimbus Access would be comfortable on the back. The tell-all experience is always actually getting on the trail – with your wilderness permit — and slugging your way into the high-country with an overnight destination and full-reliance on the gear in your pack. So with the pack loaded with approximately 45 pounds of gear and water, we ventured into the John Muir Wilderness of the Sierra Nevada for two nights. Getting back to the “comfort” comment at the start of this review, this trip became the defining occasion. With a rise-over-run in elevation that would cripple a sea-level donkey laden with only a child, the hike rose from the 7,500-foot elevation to right below timberline at about 10,000 feet elevation in a few miles. Terrain was typical Sierra Nevada with tons of rocky, dusty, sun –soaked exposure; enough to create a withering sensation even with no backpack on at all.

But here’s the thing; regardless of the trail conditions and the elevation, the Granite Gear Nimbus Access FZ backpack was never a

Full access to your gear is easy.

distraction in either comfort or load-carrying capability. Even at those times along the trail where a needed rest break — just leaning on my one trekking pole in the shade – did it occur to me to take the pack off! The fit and comfort of the Nimbus Access FZ was, in my experience, amongst the best. Unless there was a situation calling for dismounting the Nimbus to get something out of the pack, there was no compelling reason to take it off along the trail. Lack of comfort is usually the reason a backpack comes off while under way on a trail, and the Nimbus did not give us a reason. That’s perhaps the one thing most appreciated and valued about reviewing this backpack. Obviously when you take it off your back at the end of the day you are going to feel like a boneless chicken for about 45 minutes, but that’s a great feeling.

Removable and roomy, the top storage compartment of the Nimbus Access FZ is convenient to un-snap from the pack and bring your valuables inside the tent. With an empty pack at the camp site, it’s more useful to take the top compartment off so when you go to re-pack, the primary body of the the Nimbus is easier to load up without the top compartment bobbing to one side or the other.

This 3D suspension system, harness, and accessibility to you gear can be found in other Granite Gear backpacks of larger and less cubic inch capacity. Quality workmanship and functional design stood out with this Nimbus Access FZ, but it was the comfort that jumped out at us, on the first hike it went on. It’d be great to have a rain cover on-board the pack.  But nonetheless, we enjoyed full confidence in this cool blue backpack.

By Rick Shandley

Specifications

• Torso Sizes: Short | Regular
• Weight: 4 lbs 9 oz | 2.07kg
• Volume: 3800 Cubes | 64 Liters
• Suspension: Topoflex Internal Frame
• Load Capacity: 50lbs | 23kg
• MSRP: $279.95

Materials

• 70D Ripstop
• 210D Nylon Cordura Body
• Stretch Woven Pockets and front panel

If you want lightweight and comfort in backpacking, check out the Nimbus Access FZ 3800 from Granite Gear. The Nimbus Access FZ 38000  is designed for those overnight escapes into the backcountry where lightweight and pack comfort are paramount to having fun. We just want to give our readers a little introduction to the Nimbus Access FZ, leading up to a full review. We’ve had it on the trail already, and what we like best so far is the comfort and confidence we experienced with the fit of this pack.

With about 40-pounds of water, essential gear, and camera equipment on each trek so far, the Nimbus Access FZ is one of the most comfortable backpacks we’ve had the opportunity to review.

Nimbus means it has a 3D Tepex Nimbus style framesheet: the best-fitting, most comfortable and durable frame on the market. Access means a panel loading system that makes packing and unpacking a breeze. FZ means it is leaner and meaner than most. Light Packs, the pack category that means it is designed for the backpacker that travels light (not ultralight). The main differences between the Nimbus Light Packs and the Nimbus Ultralight Packs are the beefier fabrics and the addition of a hip belt with an exoskeleton of HDPE plastic that supports more weight without sagging, and an external lid. Finally, 3800 means 3800 cubic-inch capacity.

Specifications:

Torso Sizes:   Short | Regular
Weight:            4 lbs 9 oz | 2.07kg
Volume:          3800 Cubes | 64 Liters
Suspension:   Topoflex Internal Frame
Capacity:         50lbs | 23kg

MSRP:  $279.95

Briggs and Riley brings class and rugged capability to market with their new BRX Excursion Backpack (item number BP118 in BRX series). For sure, the Excursion Backpack is a piece of luggage designed for rugged, grab-and-go travel and adventure. Excursion is one offering from the new Briggs and Riley BRX collection of top-line luggage including uprights ( in sizes 19, 22, 25 and 28-inch long), duffle bag, and toiletry kit.

Fresh Air Junkie is reviewing the BP118 Excursion and will be following up with our observations. So far, the Excursion has been on a long out-of-state trip where it was used to protect a laptop, blackberry, presentation folders and Dayrunner. On the same trip, the Excursion was also used to load-up a Camelback 2.0 liter water bladder, fishing tackle, and day hike gear while the business tools where set up in the hotel room. To this point, we’ve already determined we like the Excursion Backpack. Its design is sophisticated like any fine piece of luggage, but we found ways to have fun with this pack on the trail. It’s a cross-over item that really does lend itself to business and pleasure.

Features:

• Top loading for quick access to primary compartment
• Large front pocket with internal organizer
• Slash pocket on outside of front pocket for maps, itinerary, boarding pass, etc.
• Mesh water bottle holder on right side (when wearing pack)
• Zipped side pocket left side (when wearing pack)
• Daisy chain clip-points to secure small items outside the pack
• Laptop compatible storage in main compartment. Fits up to 16” laptop.
• Lifetime warranty, covers airline damage and that 800 pound gorilla in the room

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 18×12x9” (45.7×30.5×22.9 cm)
• Colors: Slate, Ocean (blue), Amber
• MSRP: $120.00 U.S.

Granite Gear Escape AC 60 pack is built super rugged and light. Escape offers you 3660 cubic inches of cargo space in a top-loader pack. The full-length polyethylene backpanel is stiff enough to carry the pack weight on the hips and flexible enough to facilitate torso movement. Rated for about 36 pounds of pack weight, Escape is a great choice for those overnighter peak attempts, and two or three day romps in the backcountry.

Lightweight components like Cordura fabric at pack corners and bottom give it strength. Super light fabrics like silnylon for the pack sides get the empty pack weight down to about three pounds.

MSR $200; 3660 cu.in.; 3 lbs 2 oz.

Take a load off with the smaller and lighter Jansport Salish backpack.

For those of us who venture out on a full-day hike that may include some scrambling or light climbing,  the Jansport Salish backpack may offer some advantages over a standard day pack and a bulkier overnight backpack. The Salish has 2098 cubic inches (34.4 liter) capacity, and weights 3 lbs. 9 oz. This makes it perfect for carrying lots of gear while remaining sleek and light.  

The Salish features the company’s Biovent shoulder straps that allows air to pass through, keeping you cooler, while also incorporating a system for your hydration tube. A hydration bladder compartment is behind the pack’s nicely padded back panel which features a quick-dying vented mesh.

If you need to carry an additional water bottle or if you just want quick access to other gear, you’ll appreciate the pack’s Versa Wing system. This incorporates large mesh gear pockets that are attached from the sides of the pack to the hip belt, and can be divided into two smaller compartments with an integrated clip. The front of the pack also has two vertical zippered pockets that can expand. The top hood also holds plenty of gear like a traditional backpack and can also be removed if you don’t need it, and want to shed even more weight.

The Salish can cary a bit more than a standard day pack. When it’s full, the side compression straps work well to keep your gear from moving around inside.  This feature also allows the pack remain steady for fast-paced hiking, and especially when you’re scrambling over rocks.

The torso strap is also adjustable and can move freely on the shoulder straps.

The wide padded hip belt is comfortable, features a Z-pattern cinch, and integrates small zippered compartments that are perfect for quick access to lip balm, sun screen or energy bars.  The clip and strap can sometimes ride up on your stomach, however, and when you cinch it down tightly for climbing or scrambling it can dig in to your gut and be a little uncomfortable. We would have liked to have seen a larger front clip, like the one Jansport uses on the Catalyst, with wider webbing or an extended hip belt.

We also appreciated the finger pull zipper loops that make it easy to access your gear. The integrated web haul handle is sturdy enough to pull the pack up by hand or with a carabiner. For climbers, a pair of hypalon lash attachments make it easy to carry rope and other gear on the front of the pack, and there’s also some bottom lashing for any additional items you may need to strap to the Salish.

If you want to test your survival skills, or at least lighten up your backpacking excursions, the Salish can also serve as an ultralight overnight backpack. Although it’s about half the size of a traditional weekend excursion backpack, it was large enough to carry a lightweight bivvy, food, stove and clothing for an overnight trek, and would have even provided plenty of room for an ultra-light tent and poles. Just make sure not to only pack the essentials as the shoulder straps and hip belt aren’t made to handle a heavy load. 

The Salish is perfect size for an 8-12 mile round-trip day hike and won’t feel cumbersome after a few hours. It’s available in retro-orange/red-brown and bonsai-blue/margarita-green, and retails around $100.

TentPak Systems introduces “Grab and Go” pack and tent combination!

After the devastation of September 11^th in 2001, Galen Bench’s first was inspired to create TentPak, and “grab and go backpack” supplied with critical gear in the event you need to bug out from a hot zone.  The the tsunami that struck the Indonesian coastline of Sumatra in December 2004  was the impetus that led the Bench family to introduce TenPak to the mass market.

Originally, TentPak was designed to fill a gap in the emergency preparedness product market. Today, TentPak’s unique design patent – integrating a tent and a backpack into an all-in-one unit – has evolved into a grab-and-go solution for hikers, photographers, hunters, scouts, families, outdoor enthusiasts and emergency response teams alike.

Now it’s available in 12 different backpack models and two tent models. Each TentPak  includes a built-in two-person tent in either an all-purpose three-season or four-season expedition model. TentPak models vary in design for use in extreme situations to more recreational expeditions with varying strap features, storage design and accessories.

On average, TentPak weighs approximately 13 pounds – tent and backpack combined. Each TentPak is built on the European High Peak platform, a top selling design for more than two decades. TentPaks feature high-quality ripstop nylon and polyester fabrics, Duraflex buckles and connectors, and water resistant bags and zippers. Each backpack is also equipped with an internal rain cover to keep gear dry during inclement weather.

Beyond the convenience of providing an all-in-one tent and backpack solution, TentPak is an easy to use device. Upon arriving at a campsite, simply unroll the tent from inside the bottom of the pack and set it up. The backpack remains attached to the tent after setup. The pack stores inside of the tent or in the rain fly vestibule, even while connected, for easy access to gear and protection from small critters. For protection in bear country the pack separates from the tent for storage up a tree. And, when it’s time to break camp the tent simply rolls back into the bottom of the backpack.

With the tent stored in the bottom section of the TentPak, carrying weight is more effectively distributed across the users back instead of focusing the weight on the shoulders where tents are traditionally carried.

FreshAirJunkie is trying to arrange a product review on the TentPak, so we’ll share our thoughts after we’ve had the opportunity to get theTenPak in the field.

Take a look at the Kelty Pawnee 3300 backpack. It is an ideal pack for hikers and backpackers looking for the most bang for their buck ($129.00). The Pawnee 3300 is lightweight, sturdy, comfortable, and versatile. Pawnee gets high marks from overnight hikers far and wide, and with good reason. It is an ideal pack for every type of application, including members of Search and Rescue Teams, which this particular pack is used for.

Pawnee 3300 is an internal frame pack which sports an aluminum stay and HDPE (high density polyethylene) frame sheet for support. There is a removable waist belt which fits waist sizes ranging 18.5”-21+” for additional support and stability while hiking. The backing, straps, and waist belt are well padded with breathable mesh.

Kelty’s Pawnee 3300 features three storage areas: one main central compartment, one front pocket, and a top loading compartment. There is an internal sleeve in the main compartment which allows a hydration bladder (sold separately) to be stored within. The Pawnee comes in two colors: Nite Sky (dark blue and gray) and Russet (red/orange and gray).

The Pawnee 3300 is also an ideal pack for beginning backpackers as it is versatile, durable, and wallet-friendly. Looking for a new pack can be quite a daunting experience for any first-time buyer as there are many different models available. Many packs feature the latest innovations and a labyrinth of pockets and compartments. The multiple pockets on other packs allow experienced hikers to organize the gear for easy access yet can confuse and overwhelm beginning hikers. The three storage compartments of the Pawnee 3300 are simple and effective while providing ample storage room for any overnight hike or all-day alpine assault with its 3300 cubic inches of storage.

Pawnee quick-adjust shoulder straps.

Of all the features to look for when considering a new backpack, the most important feature, however is comfort. It is absolutely essential that hikers find a pack which fits their anatomy well and distributes weight without causing pain. A pack that does not fit well can cause serious back, neck, and shoulder injuries. The Pawnee 3300 distributes weight down the back with the aluminum stay and into the hips which are secured tightly with the adjustable hip belt. Kelty features their reliable Scherer Cinch on the hip belt which is a sturdy adjustable strap system that allows the pack to fit nearly any body structure like a glove.

Pawnee 3300 on Continental Divide trail in New Mexico.

The Pawnee 3300 was recently tested by FreshAirJunkie for use in search and rescue missions. Members of search and rescue teams look for features in packs that most hikers look for including durability, afford ability, versatility, and comfort. There are some unique features that search and rescue teams look for in packs including coloration, easy access, and quick packing/unpacking.

Pawnee is designed with water tube exit at top of pack.

Appearance should be one of the least important criteria for selecting gear; however it is a good rule of thumb to use gear which is easily noticeable from a distance when venturing into remote and precarious environments. Members of search and rescue teams often cover vast a distances in remote areas during missions and must coordinate operations between various search parties and aerial assistance.

Members of S&R teams often wear brightly colored uniforms such as hunter’s orange or red and prefer their gear to be just as easily recognizable. The Russet (red/orange) Pawnee 3300 is therefore ideal for members of the search and rescue teams. Our Night Sky Pawnee 3300 would simply use a bright red, orange, or yellow rain cover if and when the pack is set down on a ridge or as a search-point reference to be seen at a distance. Search and    Rescue team members own a wide array of gear for whatever each mission may warrant. Team members must often pack their gear quickly and efficiently at a moment’s notice.

Mesh pockets on both sides.

Pawnee offers many lash points for external gear.

The simple 3 compartment system of the Pawnee 3300 allows team members to pack all of the gear necessary for any type of mission. The main compartment can hold gear ranging from ropes to blankets. The front compartment provides easy access for food, knives, or flashlights. The top loading compartment provides easy access for to a first aid kit for any EMT in the field.

Overall, the Kelty Pawnee 3300 is a solid backpack for any hiker regardless of their experience or needs. The pack offers ample of storage with easy access. The aluminum stay, HDPE, and breathable mesh padding provide the hiker with a comfortable hiking experience suitable for any terrain. The Sherer Cinch straps allow the weight to be distributed evenly and adjust to any body type. The Pawnee 3300 has been tested in harsh climates by hikers and rescue professionals and it offered good durability. The affordable price should place this at the top of hiker’s shopping list.

By Kevin Varn

Photography by Rick Shandley

Gear List:

• Cloudveil Inversion Down Jacket
• Mountain Hardwear Hydra Gloves with OutDry
• Kelty Foxhole 3 Four Season tent
• Camelbak two-liter Omega hydration bladder
• Eco Usable Stainless Steel bottles
• SIGG Water bottles
• Gerber camp ax
• Benchmade K5-Tactical Marc A. Lee knife
• Alpine Air dehydrated food
• Natural High dehydrated food
• LOWA GTX Expert boots
• Ahnu Westridge Trail Running shoes

Jansport’s Big Bear 82 backpack is work horse gifted with a comfortable saddle. We packed the Big Bear for late summer hikes where most of the gear is relatively compact and light, with the exception of the heavier water loads carried for the dry climate forests we visited. The Big Bear handled summer-weight gear loads well. And we had this pack loaded with winter gear with snow on the ground and very cold temperatures that could cause side-locking buckles and strap buckles to become brittle and break if they were not up to the low-temp conditions. We were happy to witness the Big Bear 82 is up to cold weather use, and the strap locks performed well.

S-shaped shoulder straps worked great with the internal frame using vertical tubular stays that supported various load sizes (30 to 50 pounds) with aplomb.  Generous and well constructed torso padding supporting the lower back and the spine offered good comfort, even on longer hikes and heavier load weights. The hip belt padding is also dialed-in just right and we had no problems with the gauge, strength, and adjustability of the large side-release composite buckle.

When tightening the shoulder straps to fit real snug, while underway on the trail, the adjustment buckles would slip. That’s not cool. This would occur with heavier load weights when using both the chest strap and hip belt.  At an empty weight slightly less than four pounds, the Big Bear is pretty light. Yet, in the quest for manufacturers to keep the empty pack weight low and relatively strong, there is a tendency among several manufacturers to use light-gauge hardware (composite materials such as nylon and plastic) for the side-release buckles and strap adjusters. The downside of dealing with super-light fasteners on the trail is the potential for either breaking or slipping.

An interior hydration bladder pocket and drinking tube outlet are thoughtfully built into the Big Bear 82. The water tube outlet is located in the top center of the pack so the mouthpiece can be accessed from the left or right-hand side. The bladder pocket fit a two-liter Camelbak hydration system easily and should accommodate a three-liter bladder also.

Interior hydration pocket holds a two-liter bladder. Note the drinking tube exits through top center of backpack.

An exterior bungee compression cord system worked great for containing the down sweater after the morning chill has worn off. It works just as well for transporting trekking poles, or other gear, that you’ll want access to without digging for it or having to stow it away on the interior.

A rain cover fitted to the outside dimensions of a full pack would seem to be a valued addition as standard equipment for the Big Bear 82. Also gusseted and standard strap slots at the top and bottom of the pack would be an asset, especially when you have to transport your tent and sleeping bag on the exterior of the pack.

For summer trips, a lightweight sleeping bag will compress down well enough to transport it in the main cargo compartment, but not a winter-weight down sleeping bag; it will have to have a place on the exterior of the pack or it will take up too much of the main cargo area of the Big Bear 82.

Some folks just stuff their down sleeping bag and their tent into the main compartment of a backpack, and it works for some people. But multi-day trips require compactness and organization of gear and food, so exterior lash points for the tent and sleeping bag would be valuable options to use if needed for the Big Bear 82.

As chilly days and cold nights of late fall and early winter start to set in, winter gear gets a little heavier and bulkier. This is where the top-loading main storage compartment, with the expandable storage, and double-sealing collars really shined for us.  

Hydration tube exits out of the backpack at top center for easy access.

Hauling winter gear and transporting equipment to a base camp represent quite a weight and bulk increase that requires the backpack to adjust (expand) upwards. So instead of cinching tight all the compression straps at the sides and top of the pack, like you would on a two-day backpack in the spring, all straps are let out to accommodate more bulky equipment while still being able to compress the pack contents so the load won’t shift while hiking. The Big Bear 82 did very good in this area. When you consider a full water bladder inside the pack, your cooking gear, food (and extra food just in case), heavier down sleeping bag, heavier down jacket (vs. down sweater), cold-weather gloves, winter boot socks, and cold-weather pants.  The bulk and weight adds up.

A winter sleeping bag for example, one capable of keeping you warm when temps drop below freezing will be, perhaps, two pounds heavier than a summer-weight down sleeping bag and not nearly as compact, even with compression straps on the stuff sack. Your four-season tent, with footprint, and longer tent stakes will add weight. Your boots will be heavier. Most everything you bring will be heavier gauge in both fabric weight and physical weight. The Big Bear 82 can handle the weight and bulk with a reasonable comfort level, and that’s what stood out.

Exterior mesh pocket works fine for storing wet or damp items.

Big Bear worked very well for us, in general. A large exterior front pocket, with heavy-duty zipper, is deep enough to store items that are relatively flat, and ones you’ll want easy access to. A smaller mesh laced pocket, with zipper, is on the outside of the large front pocket. The deep mesh pockets on either side of the Big Bear 82 worked well for storing water bottles, gloves, and watchman’s cap. What seemed to be missing from this heavy hauler pack are zippered access into the main cargo area from the front; access that would allow one to pluck out the stove at lunch break without unpacking to retrieve it. It would also be good to see an adequately sized sleeping bag compartment with a zippered roof panel to have the option of a separate compartment or the full cargo capacity of an open primary top loaded pack compartment.

Jansport’s Big Bear 82 is a reasonably priced and very capable load hauling backpack. Because we had this pack on late summer, fall, and early winter trips, it was scrutinized over a period of time. Make to mistake, this is a solid pack that was very comfortable on the trail. But since it was used more, it was judged more often, and it passed with flying colors.

 By Rick Shandley

Main pack compartment collar seal.

Specifications:

Colors:

– Grey Humboldt

– Cilantro Green

With more than 90 years building mountaineering boots, Lowa understands how to create an all-weather mountain boot regardless of the terrain and the weight in your pack. Made in Italy, the Lowa Mt. Expert GTX mountain boots are top-tier gear for high alpine treks where rocky, muddy trails and stream crossings can be treacherous.

Rearview of the Mt. Expert GTX with grooved heel for crampon.

The first three qualities noticed in the Mt. Expert GTX was foot comfort, stability, and evident toughness. Perhaps the red and black colored split-leather uppers grab attention and seem a bit loud at first, but any misgivings where dashed simply by the design and quality of performance the Lowa Mt. Expert GTX delivered on the trail with a 40-plus pound backpack.

At slightly more than 3.5-pounds a pair, the Lowa Mt. Expert GTX boots lace up snug on the foot with a single pair of boot socks and rendered a sense of the needed stiffness on the bottom, firm ankle support, and flexibility throughout the heel-to- toe-contact cycle on the ground. Although these boots appear to be on the heavy side, they are rather light; no heavier than any purpose-built mountain boot made for backpacking and serious mountaineering use.

Mt.Expert GTX is Gortex-lined, but split-leather exterior uppers are almost impervious to water as seen submereged in Rock Creek, CA.

However, the Mt. Expert GTX is heavy-duty and not the type of hiking boots you wear with casual clothes as you stroll down the 3rd St. Promenade in Santa Monica, California. These boots are trail boots of the caliber you lace up just before you hoist up your backpack and lock the car at the trailhead.

Having worn the Mt. Experts on four separate excursions, with and without a backpack, I can tell you they required little to no break-in time. The construction and materials used to create a foot-hugging, comfortable platform to walk in yielded none of the blisters or soreness once expected from any new pair of boots. Even after a couple days of exclusively wearing these boots on the trail, the suspension, stability and traction they deliver make them a superior boot for the conditions they were worn in. Since winter is yet to arrive, these boots will be used for future trips where we will have cold, snow, and ice. However, there was lots of water crossings and muddy trail sections where I did wear these Gortex-lined boots and water intrusion, wet feet, or over-heated and sweaty feet, where not an issue with the Mt. Experts.

The Lace Up
Part of the comfort experienced with the Mt. Expert GTX can be attributed to the Lowa Flex Fit 3D approach that’s also new for 2009. Inherent in the Flex Fit is the LaceLoop where the lace-hook is not anchored to the boot upper, but rather suspended on tough fabric loops that allow the boot laces to be securely fastened over the top of the foot, yet able to flex with the motion of travel. Flex Fit 3D allows the ankle to flex naturally while maintaining the boot stability.

Notice LaceLoops used for top of foot to allow flexibility while maintaining stability.

Vibram Sole
An all-purpose mountain boot requires a rigid out sole for difficult, demanding terrain. The Mt. Expert GTX is shod with a Vibram Mulaz semi-rigid outsole with rigid toe push-off zones for accurate and stable foot placement. These Vibram soles are step-in crampon compatible, self-cleaning, and use an undercut heel front section to assure positive grip on any mountain surface you might find yourself working on. A more expensive Poly Urethane midsole absorbs shock and works with a full-length plastic stabilizer in each boot. The soles are cemented to the Mt. Expert GTX uppers and are fully replaceable; an uncommon feature amongst current manufacturing trends. 

Waterproof Comfort
Lowa uses patented Gor-Tex waterproof lining in the Mt. Expert GTX for a comfortable and smooth fit which lessens the likelihood for blisters and sore feet. Climate-control footbeds, a C4 comfort tongue, and Primaloft insulation combine to make the Mt. Expert GTX extremely comfortable for such an extreme boot. The Gor-Tex lining runs up to just below the second-from-the top lace hook, and almost the full-length of the tongue. Sure, there’s going to be trips where you’ll have to wear your knee-length gators for deep-snow and water-crossings. But the way the tongue, Gortex-lining, and tongue fold are designed, the Mt. Experts will keep your feet dry in most any conditions just like they come from Italy. Bear in mind, the split-leather uppers are fairly impervious to water all by themselves. Check out the photo of the GTX boots submerged in Rock Creek to note the uppers do a good job long before the Gor-tex comes into play; yet these boots can breathe.

Sierra Nevada Trail Test
Starting from the 10,300-foot elevation at the Mosquito Flats trailhead on the Morgan Pass trail, I hiked up the Little Lakes Valley to Mono Pass (12,000 ft. elevation) and spent a night at Chicken Foot Lake sitting at 11,100 feet.

Toe section is rigid to assure your foot stability as you push-off.

 Walking from the lower paved parking lot about a half-mile from the trailhead, the Mt. Expert GTX boots let you know you’re walking on an even surface as the soles are firm, like ski boots. As soon as I embarked on the rock-strewn trail, the Lowa’s hit their stride up Crank Case Hill, across several stream sections and stair-steps where logs and boulders are used to shore up the trail and offer pack horses a hoof-hold. Sections of the trail are fairly steep and sometimes lengthy. Small to large rocks are part of the dusty crushed granite soil where there’s more opportunities to twist an ankle between two-rocks than not. It’s a trail mountain bikers would have to walk up most, if not the entire way.

Arriving at Chicken Foot Lake (5.8 miles from trailhead) early in the afternoon, I had enough time to un-shoulder the Lowe-alpine FTX Cerro Torre backpack, pitch the Hilleberg Kaitum 3 tent, set up camp, and explore the granite slides cascading down from the peaks surrounding Chicken Foot Lake. Without the weight of the pack, the Mt. Expert GTX were every bit as comfortable and stable as they were under a full backpack. Although I was not fully acclimated to the altitude, and had to pay attention to my physical exertion levels, I did climb and tested traction in several steep rocky approaches to the peaks.

Note the undercut heel for bite and traction lugs throughout the foot arch.

Pacific Crest Trail Test
There are approach sections to the Pacific Crest Trail in the San Bernardino Mountains and the Angeles National Forest where the terrain is steep and rocky; approaches such as the Windy Gap Trail out of Crystal Lake, CA. But for the most part, the trail is smooth going. On this type of trail surface, the Mt. Expert simply allowed long-gated strides where the heel touches down and the toe-follows up. At a rather quick pace, with a full pack, the Lowa boots offered momentum and the ability to cover ground in comfort.

Overall Assessment
In general, the Lowa Mt. Expert GTX boots are, as they tested, highly capable mountaineering boots that are hard to beat where traction, rugged construction, quality, comfort, and longevity or desired characteristics. As has been stated above, these boots are not casual shoes you can wear around town or even drive your vehicle with these rockets on your feet. They are designed for severe use in severe conditions and wicked weather. One aspect most valued regarding the manufacturer is that they are Italian made shoes, crafted by alpine craftsmen in an alpine country, for alpine purposes. These are not “pretender” boots. They are the real deal.

It would have been great to see a broader size range made available for the Mt. Expert GTX, as it would to have a more neutral color scheme. Yet these objections are negligible and subjective to individual needs and taste.

When it comes to boots or running shoes of any size, I seek a size 14 U.S. fit so I can wear two-pair of socks and have room for foot swelling on long hikes. To my surprise and relief, these boots fit so well that my usual U.S. size 13 feet (size the boots came in) were never in jeopardy of being uncomfortable. Neither of the above less-than perfect observations would deter me from buying or recommending the Lowa Mt. Expert GTX as a next-generation mountain boot of the highest order.

By Rick Shandley

Specifications:
2100273099 Red/Black
Model Year 2009
US 7 – 12, 13
Weight Per Pair (Men’s 9): 3.50 lbs
Suggested retail price: $ 350.00

Gortex lining enhances boot-fit in addition to a waterproof barrier. Note the tongue folds that also prevents water from surging into the boot.Rearview of the Mt. Expert GTX with grooved heel for crampon.Note black waterproof bumper to protect boot upper against rock and trail abrasion.Note: LaceLoops from toe to ankle top. Crampon ready.