MEC Serratus Alpine 85

Very good pack! I used it for long trips in both summer and winter conditions and never had any problem with it. Very solid, it has survived off-trail expeditions in dense pine forest, ragging against rocks and trees without any rip or sign of wear. The bag carries superbly heavy loads and the side loading zipper is excessively useful, considering this backpack is quite large (90L). It is also easy to strap extra gear on the outside, I once carried a pair of trail running shoes (size 13), a non-inflating Therma Rest matress, two Nalgene 1L bottles, a 1L fuel bottle and I could have added more stuff!.

However, the straps aren't as comfortable as those found on more expensive packs, such as the Gregory Whitney, there is no cover pack and the bag lacks a opening for a camelback system. These are the only drawbacks of this bag. I think the Alpine 85 offers an excellent quality/price ratio, just like most products avaible from MEC.