Reader Reviews

Rating: 5 / 5

This is the perfect pack IMO. Works great for weekend up to a week if you pack well. Great for loads around 35lbs. It's durable, just the right size so you take what you need and don't overpack.

Plus it's only 3#'s and a few ounces. The best 35 lb pack out there!

Only Con: Top pocket doesn't hold a 100oz bladder well.

Rating: 5 / 5

My wife tried on a number of packs at the store and picked the Z pack. She was very happy with it for 14 days up and down on the Wonderland trail around Mount Rainier (15-25 lbs total pack weight).

The pack is a bit heavy at 3 lbs, but then she always carried less than me and our grown kids, so the extra weight had no effect other than to give her a particularly comfortable load!

Rating: 4 / 5

I loaded up about 38 pounds for an 8 day Sierra Club hike near Yosemite. Those last 3 pounds or so were pushing things a bit, but overall a great pack for me. It handled a fully loaded full-sized bear cannister horizontally at the bottom of the pack which made for much easier packing/organizing. Expandability is amazing in this eyes of this novice. Durability: one small hole in the bottom of the pack when I dropped it too fast onto a rock. One drawback is the lack of small storage pouches I can reach without taking the pack off. I will probably buy something to hold miscellaneous stuff (map, sunscreen, etc.) that attaches to the belt or should straps. I'm looking forward to some sub-30# trips.

(Full disclosure: this was my first backpacking trip.)

Rating: 5 / 5

I love my old, but tough 2004 Z-pack. It served me well for over 1000 miles and is still in good overall shape. My size large weighs in at exactly 3 pounds (after trimming off nearly 4 ounces of unneeded excess webbing). Mine offers a hydration sleeve (not sure if the original did or not). The upper lid and stow-it pocket have made for great organization options in such a light pack. The frame has held up great for loads up to 34 pounds (for a 109-mile stretch of the Colorado Trail this past summer). It balances wonderfully well, is comfortable even in hot conditions, and its fabric has stood up well to abrasion and daily dirt, sweat, and big-mileage days. It is almost sad that the Z-pack has been cashed out for the Z-35 an Z-55 series. How these fare with their attempts at ventilation have yet to be seen.