REI Ridgeline 65 Pack - Men's - Special Buy

Comments about REI Ridgeline 65 Pack - Men's - Special Buy:

I originally found this pack by reading other reviews online and narrowing choices down to this one. The back part is adjustable via large velcro by the arm straps that allows to adjust the pack for your torso size. So if you grow you can just readjust instead of having to buy a larger pack.

I also love the zipper at the bottom of the pack so that I can reach my rain jacket/tent easier when it starts to rain/we get to camp with out having to unpack everything to dig down to it.

I can't say that there is too little room as I usually find that if I can't put anything else in the pack then I've likely reached ~45lbs and should bring much more anyway. And if I did want to bring more after stuffing it full I could because there are plenty of external attachment points that have held my camp shoes, water bottles, and backpacking chair.

Only minor complaint is that it can sometimes be hard to reach to the water bottle pockets on either side, but considering that I recently bought a Camelback bladder that shouldn't be an issue any more.

I took this pack on my first 1 night 4 mile trip, 1 night 6 mile trip, 1 night 20 mile trip, 1 night 12 mile trip (in pouring down rain). All these trips were solo. It has seen cold wet conditions and hot warm ones all while being packed with everything I needed while learning the ropes of backpacking. Next month I will be taking it out for 30-40mi on the AT over 3-4 days. I expect to use this pack for a long time coming.

Comments about REI Ridgeline 65 Pack - Men's - Special Buy:

While I have yet to use this pack in the wilderness I have loaded it down to the brim and hiked around town to test the fit.
That pack came nearly fitted to my body with little adjustment needed, but it was easy to make the minor changes to the hipbelt and shoulder straps.

The main compartment has ample space, I was able to fit the following items with room to spare:
2 person REI tent w/ ground cover and fly
20 degree down sleeping bag
medical kit
Micro dualist cookset
Full 2-day food bag
Two 32oz waterbottles
Medical Kit
Full change of clothes
Sleeping pad
etc.

The hip pockets are secure and easy to access even while wearing the pack, this is a major plus.
Plenty of lash-points on the front/sides/and waist make this a great pack for camping, emergency kits, etc.

The only downside to this pack is that the padding is perhaps a little to ample, it's a bit bulky in places, but it doesn't increase the weight so much as look and feel a little over padded.

Comments about REI Ridgeline 65 Pack - Men's - Special Buy:

I purchased this rucksack four years ago for use in the 26.2 mile White Sands Missile Range Bataan Memorial Death March. I have used it to carry between 41 and 54 pounds of gear and dry-food on three consecutive Bataan marches, which take place in the high-desert of White Sands, NM. Having served in SW Asia with military issued ALICE packs and other variations, I am quite accustomed to operating with a framed pack in harsh conditions for long distances. In addition, I have used this pack for 2 and 3 day excursions in the Texas HIll Country and southwest Texas. This is a great rucksack for the money.

Comments about REI Ridgeline 65 Pack - Men's - Special Buy:

I got this last year and carried it for probably 150 trail miles over the course of the season. It's good enough for the price, offering plenty of space for extended trips, lots of customization, hydration bladder support, external lashing, side pouches, all the goodies. I was definitely happy with it from that perspective, always feeling like I had good options for how to pack my gear, could move things around if needed, carry things internal/external, run 1 or 2 hydration bladders as needed, etc.

It's also plenty rugged - I wasn't delicate with the pack by any means, yet I didn't have any problems with rips or tears. I'm very happy with the quality of the construction. No problems whatsoever with snaps, loops, mesh, zippers, everything held up to abuse.

The downside for me was in the shoulder straps. I went on an 80 mile solo with this pack on the PCT, and I found myself stopping every 45-minutes for a pack-off because of sharp pain in my shoulders. Now, I'll admit, I have a "shoulder thing" that has been bothersome ever since college. So maybe it's me, not the pack. But I found it would cause a lot of pain in my shoulders, even causing circulation to stop in my arm. I adjusted it 7 ways from Sunday, shifted my load around any which way, but still had to stop every 45 minutes or so for a pack-off.

Verdict - great starter pack. Let's you get into trekking without breaking the bank. Hopefully if you don't have a "shoulder thing" like I do, you won't have problems. But that said, I'm going to upgrade this year to something hopefully a little more comfortable. I'm giving this to my wife, so I'm anxious to see if she gets the shoulder pain or not.