Expedition Packs

Featured review by J McNabb

Great expedition backpack. Works exceptionally well under heavy weight for long distances. Pack is very adjustable, giving me the confidence to carry a heavy load and navigate over tricky mountain terrain. Very good construction and materials, creating a durable and strong pack. Looks good.

After research on the Deuter Aircontact 75+10 and discussion with others on the mountains. I made the purchase last fall and have come to love this backpack and give it monumental trust. I noticed a prevailing negative feature on other reviews for this pack is the heavy weight. I will discuss this point first and then move to other positive features. The pack is Deuter’s solution to an expedition pack. Our expeditions typically are four days plus. This is where the Aircontact 75+10 excels — and it justifies the ‘bit on the heavy side’ comment.

Read more: Deuter Aircontact 75+10 reviews (16)

Featured review by Lawrence Schindler

A good beginner pack that is durable and well made.

A good beginner pack that is durable and well made... Fit: The pack when fitted well is very comfortable to wear. I wore it backpacking into the Grand Canyon and it served me well. Comfort: Very comfortable to wear. Once on, I almost forget it is there. Capacity: When going into a reseller they advised me that the capacity of all sizes were the same and that is not true. The large is 75 liters, the medium 73 liters, and the small 71 liters. This is not the fault of the pack but rather the sales staff at the store.

Read more: Gregory Baltoro 75 reviews (6)

Reviewed by Bill S

The new Terraplane is an excellent pack for expedition use and other “heavy hauler” users, where it is necessary to haul loads up to 80 or more pounds and still be comfortable. The various Terraplane versions have developed a well-deserved reputation for stability and comfort for these situations. Best used for expeditions, and other extended backpacking uses where heavy loads will be carried.

Weight: 6.8 lb/3.1kg Capacity: 5000 cu-in/82 L List Price: $485 Background: Note: At the request of a number of readers, I have added a pair of photos comparing the front and back sides of my old 1995 and new 2014 Terraplanes below. The first question many people ask about is what size pack should I get, ultralight or big hauler?  The simple answer is to first gather what you are planning to put into the pack, then select a pack large enough to contain what you are taking. But, how do you figure out what you will be taking? The answer to that is take only what you really need and is adequate for the conditions you will encounter.

Read more: Mystery Ranch Terraplane review (1)

Featured review by Arturo Ganly

Excellent backpack, designed for long outings to the ground with heavy loads. Fully recommended for those who carry a lot of weight.

      After having tried two backpacks in the course of a year (Lowe Alpine Cerro Torre and Osprey Xenith 88) I had the pleasure of buying this backpack in a settlement of Campmor at a price of $200 U$D. After having tried it for about a year, I am very happy with the results it has given me, since the waist adapts perfectly to my anatomy and allows me to walk comfortably with heavy loads (approximately 28-30 Kg). Of course, this load capacity is paid with a considerable weight of the backpack, and if our intention is to walk lightly, it may not be the right choice. Its quality of construction and materials is excellent, and is recommended for those looking for a product with a long useful life. In front of Aconcagua

Read more: Gregory Baltoro 85 reviews (4)

Featured review by Badass Outdoors

I have carried large packs (65 to 105 L) in all kinds of environments for years now. The Kajka 75 is more comfortable and easier to organize than any of them!

After carrying the Bora 95 from Arc'Teryx for several years of leading trips and the Gregory Denali Pro on personal adventures, The Fjall Raven Kajka is, hands down, the most comfortable large pack I have ever carried!   The hip belt is very easy to tighten and stays where it should be, on my hips, not on my butt. The load lifters moved the weight to different muscle groups with ease and allowed me to extend my travel days from 5-7 miles to 8-11 miles. The torso length can be adjusted with ease.

Read more: Fjallraven Kajka 75 reviews (2)

Reviewed by Rick Haithcox

Best well built and comfortable pack you will ever find.

First, let me say that this is one great comfortable well built pack. The way this thing rides on my back is like no other. (I own a Kelty Red Cloud, Osprey Atmos, and a couple smaller packs.) The craftsmanship of this pack is way above the others and carries loads of 40 – 60 lbs very easily. It will carry more but that’s all I have put in it so far. It adjusts well to form a comfortable fit on my back no matter the load size. The sleeping bag compartment is plenty big too, with straps to secure it inside the bag and a zippered closure at the bottom of the pack.

Read more: Mystery Ranch T-100 review (1)

Reviewed by JAW

This is a comfortable, huge capacity, well-designed, well-constructed freighter.

I was looking for a lighter replacement for my Gregory Rainier, and the Apex 100, which weighs about 3lbs less, fit the bill. The suspension is comfortable with loads up to 60 lbs (most I've carried in it), and extremely easy to adjust, even in the field. The main compartment is  cavernous, easily swallowing camera gear in its own daypack, along with clothes, food, tent, sleeping bag, pad, cook kit, and fuel—4 days worth with a lot of room to spare. I stash my sleeping bag, pad, and tent in the bottom zip-access compartment, and this leaves a huge amount of room in the upper compartment—more than I've been able to use.

Read more: Mountainsmith Apex 100 review (1)

Featured review by Boo

Comparison of the USMC ILBE vs Eberlestock v90 Battleship backpacks with the focus on winter camping usage.

For Winter Camping and Expeditions you need a really HUGE backpack. I own both the Eberlestock v90 Battleship and a USMC ILBE pack. I shall compare and contrast these with emphasis on winter camping. Both packs have online reviews on military use, hunting, and expeditions. Both packs have good reviews on TRAILSPACE. Battleship frontBattleship side Battleship Camo The Eberlestock v90 Battleship pack is well known for expeditions, military, hunters, and "preppers" as a bug out bag. There are many YouTube videos.

Read more: U.S. Military ILBE Pack reviews (5)

Reviewed by Alpine1

For a large pack, it carries well, has lots of functional details, and a modest weight.

After several decades of use on many backpack and climbing trips, it was time to replace my reliable and old-school Dana Terraplane pack. I sought something similar in size (~5000 cubic inches), lighter in weight, durable, and with contemporary features (e.g., pocket for water reservoir, hipbelt pockets, removable daypack). I have smaller and lighter packs for shorter trips in reliably good weather (summer). This pack is intended for longer trips and in seasons where bulkier gear for colder conditions is needed.

Read more: Osprey Aether Plus 85 review (1)

Featured review by Nathan Briggs

Osprey has designed a versatile and quality pack for the urban and travelling yet outdoorsy minded person, but basic flaws such as pocket placement make using it frustrating at times. Although you really get two packs with this one, the separable day-pack rarely ends up being attached to the main pack in actual use, for better or for worse. Despite the moderate price tag, I still recommend this pack as an all around useful piece of equipment.

I traveled with this pack during a four-month study abroad term in China and have used it to do short backpacking trips and car trips as well. I also use the day-pack as my school backpack. I have put 8 months of heavy use into it. The backpack fits very well, like a glove to my body. I am a tall skinny person and I often have lower back pain from carrying heavy loads, but this pack has been wonderful on my back even with heavy loads. The hip belts, sternum straps and shoulder straps are all adjustable and really are comfortable.

Read more: Osprey Farpoint 70 reviews (2)