While this pack may not be big enough to carry all the gear you need for longer treks, it offers many of the features you would want at a good price. Find the best backpack for your next outdoor adventure using our independent reviews and ratings. Trailspace’s community of gear reviewers has field-tested and rated the top daypacks. I’ve had this pack for 2 years and I’ve beaten the living daylights out of it and it still performs just as well as the day I bought it. After being ridden hard for around 125 miles, the brakes and front derailleur needed some time and attention with an Allen wrench to dial them back in.
If something crawled through the zipper door it wouldn’t immediately be inches from my face but instead would have to work its way a few more feet to my head. At the same time, my head wasn’t zero or six feet from the door, but about two or three feet at all times. Because it’s basically a single compartment stuff bag, I did have to make sure the items inside were distributed properly. Walmart had a small section of packs and for the most part I was satisfied. I decided to get this one for a light hike I was going to be doing while camping. For the second overnight hike in which I used the pack, I left the hammock at home and stuffed an REI Stratus insulated pad and lightweight bivy inside.
With a 1-person tent, that doesn’t really make as much sense. After all, I was carrying the whole thing and so it might as well be connected. Essentially, the rain fly for the Ozark Trail was integrated into the tent directly.
We had great weather – not too hot and not too cold – but it did rain for about 5 minutes. My friend chose to not put up his rain fly betting on the perfect weather to continue while enjoying the stars at night. During ozark trail backpack those five minutes of rain, he was a little more stressed as the risk of a wet sleeping bag had not been completely mitigated and he rushed back to the campground. I, on the other hand, could have stayed out longer.
Enjoy views of the Ozark landscape as you gain 500 feet of elevation up 2.5 miles to the top of Stegall Mountain. Camp out at the top overnight, catching a glimpse of a full sky of stars if it’s clear. After Middle Fork, head into the 29-mile Karkaghne section, which mixes sweeping wetland prairies and ridge-lined valley views through the Sutton Bluff Recreation Area. Keep an eye out for a short spur trail between Sutton Bluff campground and Highway TT which leads to Grasshopper Hollow, the largest fen (peat-forming wetland) in non-glaciated North America. The only thing I might add is a liner for wet days, like a small plastic trash bag. I can’t imagine loading this up with a lot of bulky, heavy items.
I’m on the Application Trail right now for the last 30 days and am 100% happy so far. Within those first 2 days, I found the brakes, drivetrain, and tires tapped out on steep ascents and descents that were 50% gravel and 50% golf-to-baseball-sized rocks. This terrain was well beyond the limits of these components.
As always, make sure to bring the “Ten Essentials”, extra food and water, sunscreen etc. Ultimately, the good design for this product was that it was sized right for what I needed, both in dimensions and weight. Not too small, ozark trail canopy but not too large (and thus wasteful) – a Goldilocks design. After all, I had to be sensitive to weight as we were required to carry our own water for 10 miles as there were no options for filtering during that stretch.
Ozark springs see a lot of rain and varied temperatures; Ozark summers tend to be hot, muggy, and wet; Ozark winters can drop below freezing. In the colder seasons insulating layers are a must, and a good rain shell for you and rain fly for your tent are necessary year-round. At 35 liters, this pack is perfect for day trips or for hikers who don’t need to carry a lot of gear on the trails.
The bottom line is that hiking is great for families, and the more you get young kids on the trail, the better. Before you know it, they’ll be ready to shoulder a load on an overnight trek. Get started planning your trip by exploring our trail offerings or using our Trip Planner tool. I also liked how my head wasn’t directly beside the door, which often occurs for an end-door tent.