Great pack for the price and the carrying harness is superb as always with Macpac. I do have a couple of improvement ideas. A section for the water bladder, all I could find is a loop at the top of the pack where you can feed the hose through, the bladder sits loosely in the pack.And it would be very handy to have hip pockets for a muesli bar or tissues. Other than that, the pack is amazing, fits in everything you need, Tent, sleeping bag, mat, clothes, food. Perfect for multi day hikes.

Awesome overnight camping pack for tweens, but there's a better choice

I bought this pack for my 12 year old Scout 12 months ago and it's been an awesome hiking pack for 2 night hiking camps. He's still got a good 5-6 years growing room in this pack, but even with ultra-light, compact gear it's a tight pack. I bought him the 50 litre Macpac today which has loads of awesome features, and wish I'd stretched the budget a wee bit a year ago. For girls the 50 litre Macpac is a must as the 50 litre comes in a women's fit, so you can get the tightness around the hips in young, slight girls where the 35 litre Macpac is unisex only and the hip straps are too big, so all weight is in the shoulders. My son LOVES this pack. It's a great choice. The 50 litre size packed only 3/4 full is an even better choice and will meet a growing child's needs ... MoreI bought this pack for my 12 year old Scout 12 months ago and it's been an awesome hiking pack for 2 night hiking camps. He's still got a good 5-6 years growing room in this pack, but even with ultra-light, compact gear it's a tight pack. I bought him the 50 litre Macpac today which has loads of awesome features, and wish I'd stretched the budget a wee bit a year ago. For girls the 50 litre Macpac is a must as the 50 litre comes in a women's fit, so you can get the tightness around the hips in young, slight girls where the 35 litre Macpac is unisex only and the hip straps are too big, so all weight is in the shoulders. My son LOVES this pack. It's a great choice. The 50 litre size packed only 3/4 full is an even better choice and will meet a growing child's needs for much longer.

Comfy pack

Love my new backpack! Took it tramping in the Tararuas last weekend and it held up well. Love the comfort of the harness. Definitely worth getting it fitted in store.Fits everything I need for an overnight or 3 day tramp. I especially love the yellow colour!I haven’t had a chance to try the rain cover, but it looks good.I don’t mind the lack of hip pockets.A couple of (small) cons:I find the drink bottle pockets a little over engineered. I wish they were just elasticated.If you want to open the front zip pocket you have to unclip the top, because the top of the zip sits under the lid of the pack.Overall a great pack!

Everything you need, nothing you don't

Pros: I like to pack light and, for me, this is the perfect size/volume for multi-night hut trips. It's a very minimal pack and I like this because it means there's less possibility of failure. The hip belt transfers the load from the pack onto your hips really well. The thick cordura and ripstop nylon makes the pack feel incredibly sturdy. Solid zippers and quality plastic buckles too. You can fit a Nalgene drink bottle into the side pockets without worrying it will fall out. There are tie-down straps in the right places, not all over the bag. The little detail with the outline of NZ is a fantastic touch.Cons: When the rain cover is stuffed into it's pocket, it makes getting into the top compartment quite tight. The stitching on the shoulder straps near the ... MorePros: I like to pack light and, for me, this is the perfect size/volume for multi-night hut trips. It's a very minimal pack and I like this because it means there's less possibility of failure. The hip belt transfers the load from the pack onto your hips really well. The thick cordura and ripstop nylon makes the pack feel incredibly sturdy. Solid zippers and quality plastic buckles too. You can fit a Nalgene drink bottle into the side pockets without worrying it will fall out. There are tie-down straps in the right places, not all over the bag. The little detail with the outline of NZ is a fantastic touch.Cons: When the rain cover is stuffed into it's pocket, it makes getting into the top compartment quite tight. The stitching on the shoulder straps near the buckle digs into my ribs, just a little. I wish there was a pocket on the hip belt to store my phone or snacks.95/100, would recommend to anyone.

FIRST IMPRESSION / MINOR DETAILS OF THE BACKPACK.

Overall, this backpack design definitely has been well throughout in terms of user experience. The bottom of the backpack is split into 2 sections, however, there is a zip that you can undo to basically combine the section together with the secured locket so the divider will not be in the way. There are whistles on the buckle of the shoulder strap as well, which is a bonus. The weight of the backpack is not the lightest, but for the price, it's pretty good! If you manage to get it with a discount, it's even better :)Finally, a backpack back that also provides women size as well. This helps heaps with the shoulder strap, making a difference around the neck area as it won't be rubbed into the neck consistently. The downside of this backpack, in my opinion, is that ... MoreOverall, this backpack design definitely has been well throughout in terms of user experience. The bottom of the backpack is split into 2 sections, however, there is a zip that you can undo to basically combine the section together with the secured locket so the divider will not be in the way. There are whistles on the buckle of the shoulder strap as well, which is a bonus. The weight of the backpack is not the lightest, but for the price, it's pretty good! If you manage to get it with a discount, it's even better :)Finally, a backpack back that also provides women size as well. This helps heaps with the shoulder strap, making a difference around the neck area as it won't be rubbed into the neck consistently. The downside of this backpack, in my opinion, is that there are no side pockets on the hip strap which is what I'd prefer to keep my side snacks or little bits and bobs. There are, however, additional features that allow you to hang hooks on the back of the backpack, allowing more space and quick access if needed.If you use a hydration bladder, it will work with this bag but keep in mind that there is no proper slots for you to place/hook on to.Come with a free cover, which is located on the top of the backpack for quick access which I won't complain about. Though, it'd be nicer if the choice of color is more settled, as it doesn't match the backpack design at all.That's it for now, hope this review is helpful for anyone interested.Keep in mind, I have not yet tested the product on the field, this review is merely on the first impression upon recieving.

Great for a short trips

Bought a women's s2 and used it to tramp the routeburn in January. It's very comfortable and just enough space to travel light. Stayed in lodges so didn't carry food or a sleeping bag. It would have struggled for space if I'd needed those. Otherwise, well fitting, light and spacious for short trips or limited gear.

Okay

An okay backpack. I've been using it alot, and I still use it alot. But it is a bit too tall and skinny for my liking. Also I wish the opening at the top was a bit bigger. The water bottle holders on each side are not very big. They can hold a 2 litre water bottle, but only just, it is extremely tight, and very annoying to slide a 2 litre water bottle in and out because of the tightness. More suited to a 1 litre bottle. And if I'm doing a day hike, I prefer to take 2 x 2l water bottles! The straps can be annoying to open and close. And dirt sticks to the material on the backpack very easily. For me, this backpack is 'frustrating' to use, every time I take it off my back and get stuff in and out of it. I think the ease of use should be better considering it's only a ... MoreAn okay backpack. I've been using it alot, and I still use it alot. But it is a bit too tall and skinny for my liking. Also I wish the opening at the top was a bit bigger. The water bottle holders on each side are not very big. They can hold a 2 litre water bottle, but only just, it is extremely tight, and very annoying to slide a 2 litre water bottle in and out because of the tightness. More suited to a 1 litre bottle. And if I'm doing a day hike, I prefer to take 2 x 2l water bottles! The straps can be annoying to open and close. And dirt sticks to the material on the backpack very easily. For me, this backpack is 'frustrating' to use, every time I take it off my back and get stuff in and out of it. I think the ease of use should be better considering it's only a 'day' pack. I'm sorry for all the negative comments. This is my first ever day pack I've ever owned , so maybe these things I've mentioned are very common among other day packs this size? I'm not sure. I will keep using this backpack for another year or two so anyway. :)

Torlesse 50L

I've found my Torlesse 50L to be comfortable and quiet, so far I've covered about 24 km over 3 day walks. With a load of between 12-14 kgs, and it still had space to carry for longer tramps.The lid has plenty of space and is easy to access even when the pack is full. The zip front pocket is very handy for equipment the needs to be handy, my wet weather jacket, and umbrella both fitted in there comfortably. I had roomI found it fiddly to get the pack set up properly and it took me a couple of goes to get the shoulder straps setup comfortably. But I wasn't able to get it fitted in store as I ordered online.I think the pack could be improved with waist belt pouches, for snacks etc. I would prefer a broader chest strap, without the elastic and will swap the ... MoreI've found my Torlesse 50L to be comfortable and quiet, so far I've covered about 24 km over 3 day walks. With a load of between 12-14 kgs, and it still had space to carry for longer tramps.The lid has plenty of space and is easy to access even when the pack is full. The zip front pocket is very handy for equipment the needs to be handy, my wet weather jacket, and umbrella both fitted in there comfortably. I had roomI found it fiddly to get the pack set up properly and it took me a couple of goes to get the shoulder straps setup comfortably. But I wasn't able to get it fitted in store as I ordered online.I think the pack could be improved with waist belt pouches, for snacks etc. I would prefer a broader chest strap, without the elastic and will swap the current one out with one from another pack, if this fits.I also think the side pockets could be improved with a better strap system, either single strap or bungee cord sewn in and adjustable, rather than the current set up.

Two thumbs up

Bought for my son to use with for Outdoor Education and walking the Milford with us. He's a tall skinny lad but we have adjusted it to fit him comfortably. He carried his full share of the load with only small grumbling. The cushioning is fantastic and the frame very adjustable. Lots of outside pockets for storing stuff and a great rain cover built in (which we needed one day on the Milford). Would happily recommend and buy again.

Uncomfortable!

I am very disappointed with the harness on this pack. I find it very uncomfortable with the straps not meeting my shoulders so it feels unstable. It is also stiff through the back so it pushes my spine forward. I went into store twice to get it fitted properly but they were unable to do it...they told me to sell it on Trade Me :/