Online: www.REI.com
URL for this product:

From the U.S. and Canada — Call 1-800-426-4840
Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT.
International — Call 1-253-891-2500
Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT. English language only.

REI Lookout 40 Pack

This item is currently sold out or unavailable online.

Or, may we suggest shopping for similar items:

Shop more Daypacks Shop more REI

This page is provided for reference to historical product information.

Show me:
Product Description,
Product Specs,
Reviews

The REI Lookout 40 daypack has plenty of pockets for organizing a full day's worth of gear and a contoured fit to keep you comfy over miles of trails.

Largely made from 100% recycled PET polyester fabric, each pack keeps 26 16-oz. plastic bottles out of landfills!
Post-consumer recycled PET polyester is tough enough to endure the daily grind
High-density polyethylene framesheet and a single aluminum stay support heavy loads and protect your back from bulky or pointy items
Free-Flow egg crate foam back panel is designed to improve body contact comfort, with channels for air circulation to keep your back cool and dry
Contoured, padded shoulder straps and waistbelt wrap around to offer comfortable support under pack load
Internal sleeve accommodates a hydration reservoir of your choice (sold separately); dual exit ports allow drinking tube to routed on either side of pack
Wide panel opening to main compartment gives you easy access to the contents
Front zip compartment has pockets for stashing and organizing essentials such as money, ID, multi-tool and headlamp
Twin vertical zippered side pockets provide additional storage for often used essentials
Top stash pocket has room for items such as sunglasses or MP3 player
Mesh pocket on waistbelt provides storage for often-accessed essentials; lash points on other side of hipbelt wing provide spot to secure GPS or camera case
Side mesh pockets create convenient storage and on-the-go access to water bottle, sunscreen, snacks or small electronics
Front-panel lash points and bottom compression straps let you strap on bulky gear like snowshoes and sleeping pad
Side compression straps let you cinch down loads for jostle-free carrying
Twin ice axe loops and corresponding removable retainers let you lash on trekking poles
Built-in rain cover stows in bottom compartment

Imported.

Item 778463

REI Membership

REI Membership $20.00

REI Lookout 40 Pack Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

REI Lookout 40 Pack

4.3

(based on 75 reviews)

87%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Comfortable (65)
Good padding (58)
Easy to load (55)
Large capacity / good size (52)
Highly adjustable (47)

Cons

Insufficient padding (4)
Small capacity (4)
Weak seams (4)
Zipper snags (4)

Best Uses

Day trip (63)
Hiking (63)
Backpacking (41)
Commuting (26)
School (25)

- Reviewer Profile:
- Casual/ recreational (33), Avid adventurer (29), Casual adventurer (5), Outdoor professional (5)
- What Is Your Gear Style:
- Comfort driven (34), Survivalist / minimalist (32)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (41)

Reviewed by 75 customers

Sort by

Displaying reviews 1-10

Previous | Next »

May

2010

(71 of 76 customers found this review helpful)

2.0

Good idea, but weak in vital places

By drkram

from Provo Utah

About Me Avid Adventurer

Pros

Comfortable
Large capacity
Lightweight

Cons

Mesh wears quickly
Not freestanding
Weak shoulderstrap stitch

Best Uses

Cycling
Day trip
Hiking
School

Comments about REI Lookout 40 Pack:

Reasons why I like it:
- I have never run out of room
- Comfortable
- Plenty of pockets
- Good price
- Awesome rain cover

Reasons why I am returning it:

- The shoulder strap stitching has come undone on both shoulders. The shoulder straps are engineered to carry heavy loads (reinforcing webbing etc), but they seem to be very weak at the slightly different load bearing points when you pick your pack up off the ground by a single shoulder strap. I suppose this could be avoided by lifting the pack to shoulder height first by the handle on top of the pack.

- The net-like mesh that lines the shoulder straps and the back wear very quickly, especially if you have any exposed velcro on your coat that it may cling to. I have used this pack everyday for about 6 months and the mesh is very frayed.

- The pack will not stand up on its own. It requires a good 30 degree lean to keep it from toppling over. It is actually quite frustrating.

Overall I thought it was a good try, but has some vital adjustments to be made.

May

2009

(63 of 64 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Great Pack w/ Features

By tvnerd101

from Los Angeles, CA

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Good padding
Lightweight

Cons

Best Uses

Backpacking
Day trip
Hiking

Comments about REI Lookout 40 Pack:

I initially purchased last year's lookout on sale, which was great for the price. I found out a couple days later this pack was just released and for a couple more dollars I would get a couple of improvements and a pack cover, so I exchanged and upgraded.

In comparison to last year's model: It has better: zippers, placement of the top sunglasses pocket, an extra ice axe loop, an orange whistle/chest strap clip, and great shoulder padding. Not necessarily changes for the worse, but differences are: more room near the top of the pack as opposed to an equal volume distribution, a single but larger hip pad zippered pocket, sewn in hip pad straps (as opposed to free moving), and a tapered water bladder pocket. I have a torso that is a bit larger than the rating for the large size, yet it still fits great, after following the instructions for strap tightening.

I bought this pack intending to do a couple local overnights, technical day hikes, and carrying gear at school. I took it out on an overnight and it was great. I carried the usual minimalist load. Weight wise, the distribution on the hip pad was wonderful. After 3 miles of a difficult incline at an accelerated pace, I had nearly no shoulder pain. This is something that I have yet to say about my other packs. Its sleeping bag straps are a bit short, so if you have a larger sleeping bag I suggest getting a compression sac that has a smaller diameter but is a bit longer. I had to put my pad and tarp inside, but with a smaller sac I feel I can get my tarp out, which will be very helpful. If you have a foam pad, prepare to lash it to the outside. The two evenly placed ice axe loops would also be a great lash point as they sit right on the sleeping bag. On the hike, I did bring a bottle instead of a bladder and while moving it was a bit tedious getting the bottle back into the side mesh pocket so, either stop or use a bladder. An important note is that there are zippered pockets right below the mesh pockets which make a perfect spot for a fuel bottle or a Nalgene. Just remember, if there is something bulky in there, you will have minimal space in the outer mesh pocket.

Overall I am very pleased with the pack. It is great for a minimal overnight or two, but small enough to still be functional for a day hike. The top loading packs in similar range would be easier to pack and allow you to utilize more room, but there are no sleeping bag straps, thus making it a bit awkward putting it on top.

Jun

2011

(21 of 24 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Great Pak

By frature

from Florida

About Me Professional/Guide

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Good padding
Highly Adjustable
Large capacity
Lightweight

Cons

Best Uses

Backpacking
Car Camping
Commuting
Cycling
Day trip
Hiking
School

Comments about REI Lookout 40 Pack:

I do a lot of Extreme Hiking. I will go long distances without a water or food source, this requires me to bring all of my own food and water. I will go when there is a lot of dangerous animals, bugs, swamps and bogs, or when the weather conditions are very poor. In various situations i have to climb and squeeze through certain areas or fit onto boats or buses with other people so I wanted a bag that would carry all my supplies but still be very versatile and compact.I have taken this bag on 50 mile journeys through rain, swamp, and desert with upwards of 65 pounds. It is extremely comfortable and adjustable. I have no problem bringing enough supplies for three to five days. I have put this bag through an absolute torture test by adding way too much weight, overloading every pocket and storage space, stretching the side bags for extended periods of time, and testing the limits of the undercarriage straps. This bag performs flawlessly and can take some serious abuse. It is fully adjustable, the back pad dissipates sweat, is very comfortable, comes equipped with a rain bag, and has carabiner loops/extra pockets everywhere. I have depended on this bag in survival situations and would recommend it to anyone especially if you can get it on sale or something like i did with my membership[...]!.Cons: They should make the sizes better; a small, medium, and large.

Jul

2009

(16 of 17 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Perfect everday hiking pack

By Portland Cycler

from Portland, OR

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Easy To Load
Good padding
Highly Adjustable
Large capacity
Lightweight
Plenty of pockets

Cons

Best Uses

Day trip
Hiking
Rock climbing

Comments about REI Lookout 40 Pack:

I am always reluctant to give a product five stars, but the Lookout 40 pack by REI definately deserves the gratitude. When I first tried the pack on (with a 20 pound bag inside), and got it adjusted properly, it was the most comfortable pack I've ever worn. It has a large capacity and is easy to load. The upgraded back padding technology is awesome compared to previous models (i.e., '08 traverse pack, '08 Lookout 40 pack). I love it.

I use this pack for day hikes, school, groceries, biking, and far more. It is a rare occasion that I leave my house without the Lookout 40 on my shoulders. This is definitely in my top five favorite purchases!

If you choose to buy it, you won't be disappointed.

Jul

2009

(13 of 14 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Great pack for the price

By somerandom

from AZ

About Me Casual Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Easy To Load
Good padding
Large capacity

Cons

Best Uses

Backpacking
Day trip
Hiking

Comments about REI Lookout 40 Pack:

I use the Lookout for mostly day hikes, yet i can easily see this pack being great for 2-3 day overnight adventures.

I love that this pack allows you to choose which side of the pack you can run your bladder tube, it even has straps on the shoulder straps to hold the tube in place.

The pack is very roomy and can be filled quite easily, i use some stuff-sacks to organize my gear and get the most out of the cubic inches this pack provides.

There are plenty of places to strap something on the outside of this pack too.

Some people may think the water bottle holders on each side are made out of a questionable mesh, but i have yet to have any problem with them. They are holding up strong so far.

The integrated rain-cover and the integrated whistle are just fantastic. Both are very useful.

Apr

2010

(11 of 11 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Great Hiker

By Eagle Eye

from Upstate South Carolina

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Easy To Load
Good padding
Highly Adjustable
Large capacity
Lightweight

Cons

Best Uses

Day trip
Hiking

Comments about REI Lookout 40 Pack:

This a great pack for day hikes or a young scout on a one night packpacking trip. I really like the minimalist approch to the pockets. So many of the day packs out there have enough pockets for every pen, pencil and piece of paper you own and no room for gear. This pack has large open spaces for anything you need to carry.
I am 6'-3" and have used this pack for a day hick with a group of scouts, a rock climbing weekend and a weekend car camping. The pack worked great for all three trips. It also worked great as a backback for my son who is about 5'-0".

Feb

2010

(10 of 11 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

An Excellent Medium-Sized Pack

By The Displaced Texan

from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Easy To Load
Good padding
Lightweight

Cons

Not enough straps

Best Uses

Backpacking
Day trip
Hiking

Comments about REI Lookout 40 Pack:

I have had this pack for about 6 months and have been very pleased with it, especially during our recent 3-day ascent of Mt. Cameroon and a previous trip to East Africa. The positives are that the design allows your back to breath well, the capacity is just about right for overnight, the internal rain cover is great, the adjustment straps allow one to customize a comfortable fit and the material is easy to clean. The only negative I could find is that there is not a very easy way to lash things to the sides of the pack (there is on the bottom). Overall, for the price this is an excellent backpack.

Nov

2009

(9 of 10 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

nice bag

By collegenard

from brockton, MA

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Easy To Load
Good padding
Highly Adjustable
Large capacity
Lightweight

Cons

Best Uses

Comments about REI Lookout 40 Pack:

its a good backpack. despite, it is a hiking pack, one can use it on campus as well. however, it can prove a bit too big and sloppy to place under the bench. nevertheless, if one carries up to 40lbs of weight every day, its just a great bag. one can fit all his college books, notebooks, and lunch inside and still have some space to jam the jacket in. when the loaded backpack is on you back, the weight is well distributed unlike as the school backpacks. therefore, one does not feel that much weight, and its comfortable.

Oct

2009

(7 of 8 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Good bag

By JDRockin

from WI

About Me Casual Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy To Load
Large capacity

Cons

Insufficient Padding

Best Uses

Backpacking
Day trip

Comments about REI Lookout 40 Pack:

Great bag! After a few weeks the padding on the lower back has decreased so it does get annoying after a long time on the back. Tons of adjustment straps but it never quite seems to feel "perfect". Certainly not uncomfortable, and it could be due to my small frame. Rain-fly is a life-saver. Great access with plenty of room and pockets. Excellent bag for the price.

Jun

2009

(7 of 8 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Great Product!

By richardvg03

from San Diego

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Good padding
Highly Adjustable
Large capacity
Lightweight

Cons

Best Uses

School

Comments about REI Lookout 40 Pack:

I purchased this pack on sale for [$] bucks! For that price it's absolutely AMAZING! The only complaint I has is there is a top pouch where I like to put my wallet and it's difficult to put stuff in and out. This small pouch should not effect your choice to buy a day pack though!