As an avid backpacker, I've lived for months at a time with it being just me and my rucksack. I've had three rucksacks throughout my nomadic career and I'm happy to say that I've found the perfect setup. It's big, it's roomy, it's comfortable to wear and as far as I can tell, my Lowe Alpine pack will last be for years and years of tramping.
When purchasing a good rucksack, you must consider your back and shoulders – they will despise you IMMEDIATELY if you choose a less-than-ideal option. This is one area, if you're planning an extended trip, especially into the wilderness, that you DO NOT want to skimp on. Don't settle for the basic $50-100 pack, unless you travel light, or for very short trips. Because, let me tell you, I did this once. My first extended European trip started with a crappy, cheap backpack, much too small, and much to my dismay, a totally wrong build for the usage I was putting it to. I ended up ditching it the first day in Barcelona and buying an overpriced backpack. Months later, I found a solid rucksack, and even then, it was too small and too hard on my back.
But there is hope, my friend! There is! Read on and I'll tell you more about my experience with Lowe Alpine...
When purchasing a good rucksack, you must consider your back and shoulders – they will despise you IMMEDIATELY if you choose a less-than-ideal option. This is one area, if you're planning an extended trip, especially into the wilderness, that you DO NOT want to skimp on. Don't settle for the basic $50-100 pack, unless you travel light, or for very short trips. Because, let me tell you, I did this once. My first extended European trip started with a crappy, cheap backpack, much too small, and much to my dismay, a totally wrong build for the usage I was putting it to. I ended up ditching it the first day in Barcelona and buying an overpriced backpack. Months later, I found a solid rucksack, and even then, it was too small and too hard on my back.
But there is hope, my friend! There is! Read on and I'll tell you more about my experience with Lowe Alpine...
First off, if you're not familiar with Lowe Alpine, they are legit. They know what it is to have itchy feet, and they make a lot of quality products that support you throughout your travels, be it extreme conditions or leisure trekking and camping. I had the pleasure to team up with them on a review pack, and now having the chance to give it a go over a couple of trips, I can't rave about it enough. The Zephyr 55:65 model is big and seriously huge for its size. All comparable packs its size simply don't seem to meet the high quality and roominess of this pack. I copied a list below to better inform you of the features, as I'm not going to cover each detail, but rather, I'd like to focus on what I found to be the best aspects of the Zephyr.
The backing of the Zephyr strong and rigid, and it offers a curve that helps to relieve stress and weight from the right areas of my back. The foam backing has holes to provide airflow and the structural facets of the the pack run seamlessly behind the layers. The straps are thick and comfy and do not rub on my bare skin, like I've found from other packs, and the hip straps really balance the weight once you fill your pack full. Besides the comfort level being over-the-top, the size of the main pouch is deceivingly massive. I could fit three times as much clothing and gear in that single pouch than my past rucksacks could hold in total – I mean, really, I could fit an entire bedding set, clothes and tent in there. My only negative criticism is that I wish there were more small pockets for tiny-item storage, if you know what I mean. It can be difficult to find what you need in such a large pouch, without a lot of compartmental pockets. With that said, I don't think it's a deal-breaker, by any means, because there are a few smaller areas available; it only requires a bit of organizational skills.
All in all, I love this pack, and will look to purchase another once this pack's days come to an end.
The backing of the Zephyr strong and rigid, and it offers a curve that helps to relieve stress and weight from the right areas of my back. The foam backing has holes to provide airflow and the structural facets of the the pack run seamlessly behind the layers. The straps are thick and comfy and do not rub on my bare skin, like I've found from other packs, and the hip straps really balance the weight once you fill your pack full. Besides the comfort level being over-the-top, the size of the main pouch is deceivingly massive. I could fit three times as much clothing and gear in that single pouch than my past rucksacks could hold in total – I mean, really, I could fit an entire bedding set, clothes and tent in there. My only negative criticism is that I wish there were more small pockets for tiny-item storage, if you know what I mean. It can be difficult to find what you need in such a large pouch, without a lot of compartmental pockets. With that said, I don't think it's a deal-breaker, by any means, because there are a few smaller areas available; it only requires a bit of organizational skills.
All in all, I love this pack, and will look to purchase another once this pack's days come to an end.
(click images to enlarge)
    | Features of the Lowe Alpine Men's Zephyr 55:65 pack:
(Photo #1/#2 by Brandon Scott) (Photo #3-6 via Lowe Alpine/Amazon) |
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