TETON SportsTETON 85L Explorer Internal Frame Backpack for Hiking, Camping, Backpacking, Rain Cover Included, Black

Teton Sports Explorer 85LTHE GOOD*Price*Lots of Pockets*Quality*Decent Comfort (when packed with heavier weight lower down)*85L is the right size for my needs*Included rain coverTHE BAD*Sweat Buildup where the pads touch your back*Mesh pockets not very easy to get Nalgene bottle into while on the move*Could use more height adjustment on the shoulder straps*Not much color choice on the 85L sizeCONCLUSIONI highly recommend this pack. While there are a few things that could use improvement, on the whole, I don't think there is a better combo of price/features/performance out there. Read on for details.I thought pockets on packs had gone extinct. Thank you Teton Sports for continuing to make a backpack with external pockets for keeping me organized and keeping my important gear easily at hand instead of having to dig into the middle of the pack to find my raincoat/toilet paper/map/battery/flashlight/camera/water filter/etc./etc.! ALL of the major outdoor gear makers are moving towards packs that have 1 big compartment and that's it. Or maybe they have one token pocket in the lid. Like they think we are all ultralighters and will pass up a product because they added 4 oz. to it for pockets and zippers. What's crazy is many of these minimalist packs are heavier than the Explorer 85L *cough*cough Aether 85L *cough. So, you give up convenience AND still get a heavier pack all for 3 times the cost of the Explorer 85LI am replacing an Osprey Atmos 65 AG that was comfortable but often too small for all the gear/food/clothes I wanted to bring with me on a trip. Because I wanted an array of pockets, this Teton Sports pack was about the only one left on the market that met my needs at any price. It is fantastic that it is relatively inexpensive too. There were a few others with pockets on Amazon, but none from any company I recognize. Teton Sports has been on Amazon for a while and at least has a legit website and looks like a good company, so I decided to take a chance on this pack. The 85L size of the Explorer is great so far. I've taken 2 trips with it and just finished packing for a 3rd and haven't filled it to capacity yet. It is nice to know I have space left if I need it, like for more food on a longer trip or bulkier clothes for a Winter trip.The quality of the Explorer appears to be good so far. Everything felt solid and the buckles didn't feel like they were in danger of breaking when cinched down tightly. Comfort while hiking was decent, though the Atmos was a bit more comfortable, particularly the mesh back that reduces sweat build up. The pads that contact your back on the Explorer trap sweat and soaked my shirt. You really notice it when you take your pack off for a break and the back of your short becomes freezing from the wet/evaporation. But most packs have this problem- the Atmos AG was an outperformer in this area. At first, the pack felt like it was pulling me over backwards. I moved stuff around and put my heavy bear canister filled with food in the sleeping bag compartment and my lighter sleeping back in the main compartment and that fixed the pulling backwards problem. This pack likes the heavier stuff down low.I found the shoulder straps tended to sit too low, even on the XL setting. I'm not that big (5'10") so was a bit surprised by that. I was able to move the height adjustment up past the XL by utilizing less of the adjustment loops and got the pack comfortable. I don't think it was designed to be used that way, but it works and was comfortable for me.There are a couple of other nice touches on this pack. The outside pockets have pass-throughs behind them that let you slide trekking poles or tent poles behind them for easy, secure packing. Also, the hip belt pockets have velcro at the bottom that lets you flip them up so you can put the tails from the hip belt behind them and not have them hanging down and flopping around. This is much better than the Osprey where you have to try to push the strap through to tuck it away. There are a couple other areas that could be improved on this pack. Minor nits to pick, not any deal breakers. First, the lid can't be pulled down enough when the pack is lightly loaded to cover all of the top opening. It leaves a little gap near your neck where water can get it. Second, I like to put my Nalgene bottles in the mesh pockets. While they are angled slightly towards you, it is still a little awkward to get them out and back in while on the move. Teton Sports Designers: check out how Osprey does their pockets with top entry or front entry. They are much easier to use this way.In conclusion, I was thrilled to find this pack that met my needs at a good price. Despite Teton Sports gear not being featured in my usual gear mags and review websites I turn to for opinions, I am impressed with the quality of this pack and highly recommend it.

The main compartment is big enough to fit a a life vest and still have room for plenty more. Side pockets and compartments well placed for keeping things organized and in place while one is on the move.This bag seems to have all the right support straps and pads in all the right places - the waist belt with padding works so well that my lower back feels better when I am wearing the backpack than without it.Lots of options for adjusting the fit to accommodate people of various heights and proportions.I would buy this again, and if I knew how good it feels to wear I would have bought it sooner rather than later.

very well made and spacious, it fit my spine and shoulders right out of the bag with minimal adjustment.I was able to walk a long distance without any strain on my spine.the fabric is water resistant and comparable to my military gear of the same type.due to availability limits, I was only able to buy the 85L pack in one color option. but it does come with a very lovely bright orange rain cover!Be warned, when I was examining the pack for possible defects (there were none), several people were so impressed with the pack that they tried to buy it from me! - LOL!!!! I told them to get their own!

The Teton Sports Explorer 4000 is one of the better buys I have ever purchased.Be forewarned, this is a detailed review of the backpack, so use the search function if you're looking for specific review elements.For reference of this review, I purchased the product in early-April 2020 and have used it almost daily for my day-hiking use. Note: order of the following is random and does not indicate importance.1) Inner compartment - The inside diameter of the main compartment is just a tad narrow, but the overall space and multiple pockets that are distributed throughout the bag are awesome. There is AMPLE space for the entirety of the bag, so I am very pleased about this.2) Sleeping bag compartment - Some reviewers have mentioned that the bottom sleeping bag compartment was too small to fit their sleeping bags. I use a Hyke&Byke Eolus 0 degree down sleeping bag and this fit perfectly fine with just a bit of extra space remaining (the bag compresses to about 10.5x8, for reference). The other reviewers who stated it didn't fit did not really specify what bags they were trying to store, but I imaging the bulkier quilts and some of the synthetic bags can be a bit harder to fit in there. To avoid this annoyance, I would just make sure that your sleeping bag is about the same size as mine (or smaller) if you want to know for sure it fits.3) Bottom/sleeping bag compartment zipper - Probably my only real negative about the bag. The zipper for the bottom/sleeping bag compartment follows a crescent curvature underneath overhanging backpack fabric - it is exceedingly annoying ever time I have to remove or add something to this compartment because the zipper is not smooth whatsoever. There are no other zippers on the bag that follow a curved path (mostly straight), but you can already tell from just those that the quality of the zipper is subpar. HOWEVER, this is a minor infraction compared to the cost of the bag.4) Hip pads- Like most others, I am disappointed there are no embedded pockets in the hip pads - always seems like wasted space to me when company's do not include that.5) Hole for Camelbak hose - THERE IS A HOLE for a Camelbak bag and hose/spout. It is admittedly difficult to find. It is midline right between the top of the shoulder straps.6) Noise - One thing I have noticed (when I don't have my earphones in listening to music) is that there is an annoying squeaking nose, especially when I've placed >20 lbs of materials in the backpack. Based on other reviews, this is originating from the shoulder straps/pad attachment. I will be applying some oil (like another reviewer successfully did) and re-adjusting the straps to see if this resolves the issue. Not a big deal yet for me (since I listen to music or have noise canceling earbuds in), but I can see this being a huge issue when I begin walking with a group, and the squeaking completely wrecks the beautiful atmosphere or the sound of nature as we are hiking for hours.7) Banded side drink holders - I very much appreciate the flexible bands for drink containers on the sides. Too often have I come across pockets that are so inflexible that they fail to adhere gracefully around different types of drinks (cans, canteens, water bottles, etc). This was both pleasant and a relief to see.8) Comfort - The overall comfort of the bag is solid. There are obviously more comfortable bags out there, but are exceptionally more expensive. I have worn this bag for 9 hours straight at one point carrying 40 lbs and did not have any significant back, neck, shoulder, hip, or knee pain. The back ventilation is adequate, especially for the cost. The only caveat is that the tops of my shoulders began getting a bit irritated with the repetitive rubbing of the fabric of the shoulder straps and skin. It did become noticeable enough after 9 hours that I would consider purchasing a shoulder pad/cushion.9) Durability - Only time will tell. I did inspect the stitching closely after initially opening and did not identify any shoddy work. As far as the actual material, it is fairly sturdy with decent water resistance (not water proof, but can stand light showers). I've trekked through several trees and pokey branches, as well as set it down on abrasive materials (rocks, twigs/sticks, pebbles, etc) and it is still intact. I will of course update if there are any observable tears in the near future.10) Weight - At 5 lbs, this is not an ideal backpacking bag for most thru-hikers, who hike hundreds of miles and need to make every ounce count. The more expensive bags can usually bring that weight down to 2-3 lbs. If you plan on using this for a thru hike or extended multi-day backpacking trip, make sure to save weight elsewhere (sleeping bag, sleeping pad, tent, food/water, non-essential items).Overall, as long as you can get past the weight, it is a fantastic backpacking bag, especially if first starting out and are understandably concerned about some of the outrageous costs of other backpacks. That is really where this bag shines - you will save yourself at least $100-400 purchasing any other bag with similar specs.Safe travels adventurers!Edit (as of 8/27/22): Almost 2.5 years and multiple backpacking trips later, this backpack has remained a great value buy. Durability has been great, but as expected, zippers remain annoying at times, and one actually broke. Otherwise, it’s been a much better backpack than I thought it would be. While I plan on upgrading to a Granite Gear Blaze at some point, I am now in no rush since it seems this backpack may last for several more years.