Jandd Osher

If you haven't tried a pack from this USA-made, California-based company, then you are seriously missing out. In a market where overseas-produced items seem to be the rule of thumb, Jandd stands out as a small-ish company that is dedicated to their consumers and to serious quality.

The Jandd Osher pack is no exception. The website boasts that the company uses top-notch materials and techniques (bar tacks, seam tape, to name a few) and they are not blowing smoke. Every inch of the pack is finished to a professional level. The materials are all first-quality (even though I ordered one on closeout) and there is clearly an eye given to construction details.

The pack itself is very comfortable. When loaded with 32oz of water, GPS, snacks, small "survival" kit, and other trail necessities, it rides happily in the small of the back without any discomfort. It has several compression straps that make adjusting and stabilizing the load simple and easy.

The only concerns I would see for this pack are:

A) The massive main pocket is without any organization dividers or sub-pockets. Admittedly, this is as much as a positive as a negative in certain situations. However, it does lead to some rather good "treasure hunts" for small items when on the trail.

B) It makes you sweat. It has a very comfortable pad for the back, but it does build up the heat. Don't know how one gets away from this issue as there aren't many (if any) mesh-suspension lumbar packs on the market.

Bottom line: I would put the Osher on level with any Mountainsmith/Kelty/etc lumbar pack on the market. The materials and construction easily match or surpass those companies. Plus, being able to support a small-ish USA company is a solid moral choice.