REI Co-op  Trail 40 Pack - Men's

This new model fixes a few issues that exist in the previous version. 1. Hydration sleeve inside the bag now. This is probably the biggest flaw of previous bag. Now it's much easier to put a bladder inside the bag and feed it through the hydration hole to the outside. 2. Added 2 side compression straps. Useful for non-full bags and also keep longer things you put in the water bottle pocket stabilized. 3. Added some color to the zipper pulls (so it's not black on black, which is hard to see in low light). 4. Some shaping on the back foam to provide better air flow Some other changes: 1. Instead of a vertical zipper for the front mesh pocket, it's a stuff from the top pocket now. (see picture) I don't see an issue with this, they probably saved some weight too. 2. Removed the external side zippered pocket - this is probably the only thing I wish they didn't change. 3. Removed the (annoying) bungee cord inside the pack, making it much cleaner look (see picture). My torso is 18-19", which put me right smack in the middle of a Medium size pack (women's or men's). Since I'm a woman, I tried both Mediums and the women's version has a noticeably smaller torso size (see picture, the black is the men's). So the men's ended up being a better fit. Moral of the story: get it fitted and try in store.

I order an Osprey (because thats what "hikers" use).. I spent days researching the hipbelt size .. when it came in.. my heart sank. It would be MONTHS before I could fit into that thing if ever... went to REI.. the guy understood my discouragement and we tried every pack in the store..This pack is fantastic.. its actually too big in some areas.. and its extremely comfortable. the hipbelts dont dig into my hips, they flex with me. I'm actually in love with this pack and cant wait to hit the trail with it. If you're a bigger person and you think you dont belong out there because of that.. you're wrong.. try REI brand stuff to get you going.

I purchased the previous version of this backpack to hike the 500 mile Camino De Santiago from November to December, and then continued to live out of it for an additional month in Europe. I carried this backpack as a carryon, and it complied with all airline requirements, while still being an effective hiking pack. The side pockets were big enough to hold whole sandwiches, a water bottle, chocolate bars, and a bag of nuts or two, and a pair of rain pants. The front pocket usually held my beanie, gloves, and some bananas. I'm sad to see the removal of the zippered side pocket, which I found perfect for holding maps and guidebooks. The U-shaped main pocket made it a breeze to unpack at the end of a long day and equally easy to repack the following morning before heading out. After a month of 20+ mile days, this thing still looks great. The zippers and fabric are hale and hearty, and I expect the backpack to last for years to come. I think the addition of side compression straps is a fantastic option. The size was great to hold everything I needed for a winter Camino, while still leaving room for souvenirs. It would have been nice to have been able to pull the bulk of my gear closer to my back though when I was low on snacks or other supplies. I did have some shoulder pain in the beginning after a few long days. Once I learned how to best pack it to distribute weight effectively, and got all the straps dialed in correctly, it became a joy to wear. After a month, I was more excited to put the backpack on in the morning than I was to take it off at night. Maybe that's indicative of some sort of backpack-induced Stockholm syndrome or something. I own more backpacks than I should. I first saw this in the store after months of researching backpacks. And I realized it had everything I'd been looking for. Overall, I think this is a wonderful backpack that was designed to effectively accommodate both hiking and traveling. I would definitely recommend this pack, and I plan to use it again for more trekking adventures in the future.

I've been using mine for climbing at a place with a mile hike in, up steep and rocky terrain. It's been great. with 30-35 pounds, the padded waist belt puts all of the load on my legs and none on my back, keeping it comfortable for the hike in and out again after hours of climbing. Easily fits all the gear I need to top rope or climb trad, including snacks, water, and extra layers, with the rope strapped on top. So far, it's been perfect, but I'm a little less than confident about it's durability. If that doesn't prove to be an issue, then it earns itself 5 stars

I purchased this bag to actually be my commuting bag primarily. I have a short bike ride from home to work and wanted to have enough space for my work computer, gym clothes, and lunch all in one easy to access pack. This bag works PERFECT for me. The big U zipper lets me get to my gym clothes, food, etc without having to dig and un-pack and doesn't look overly floppy on days when I'm not fully loaded. I personally find the padding to be slightly uncomfortable, but since I'm not traipsing through the woods overnight it's not an issue. I would highly recommend this to someone looking for a quality back for anything from hiking, commuting or even short stay airplane travel.

I lived out of this pack for a month in Patagonia doing more with it than it’s probably good for and it did everything I needed it to. It doesn’t fatigue your shoulders carrying it full to the brim with a sleeping bag, other camping supplies and a full bladder of water. It probably had 40-50 lbs in it everyday doing 8-10 miles between campsites. Perfect bag.

I'd been looking for a new backpack for shorter trips, day hikes, etc. and picked this up to replace a smaller one I'd bought earlier in the year. I wanted something relatively light, narrow, with a good belt. I just returned from a 3-4 day trip and it was terrific. Surprisingly, it fit under the seat in front of me on the airplane. The cop and side compression straps helped keep the load under control, but an additional pair of straps on the body wouldn't hurt. I never felt like I was going to hit other people with the pack as I moved in crowds as I have with other packs, it didn't stick out wider than my torso, and the frame + straps & belt made the weight easy to carry while keeping it secure against my back. I do wish it had a way to secure the opening of the outer mesh pocket and on a longer hike/excursion the weight of the pack itself might become an issue. The frame is probably over-built a bit.

I bought this as a day hike pack and it works perfectly! The 40L size is perfect to hold your 10 essentials, food, etc for the day. Also, size for fitting my body is perfect. I’m 5’9” and athletic build - the LARGE pack fits perfectly. The hip straps sit nicely and the shoulder straps bring the pack close to my back which keeps everything feeling secure. I tried the medium sized one and the hip straps came too far up on my waist when the shoulder straps were drawn in to be comfortable.

I’ve waited for the first REI Trail 40 to go on sail and must say I’m glad I waited. This newer version I must say is worth its weight in gold. I bought it as a travel back pack and the upgrades are prevalent. The material of the bag seems more durable. The waist strap is more supportive and sturdy. The amount of things I packed into it during my 4 day trip to Cabo fit perfectly. They added side compression straps which helped cinched down the pack for easy storage in the top cabin of the plan. Two things they took out was the front side zipper and just made it an elastic mesh pocket that u can stuff things in. They also took out the rear side zipper pocket that I wish they left on. This could be handy in storing your passport or things that ppl cannot easily get to. Overall it’s great and I’m in love with it. Wait for a video review soon on YouTube

I’ve put this pack through it’s paces and it’s by far one of the best light packs I’ve ever used costing a fraction of what other “cool” branded packs go for. I love it’s understated clean aesthetic as well as it’s well designed functionality. REI really got this one right.