Women's Avocet 30 - 2012

I work as an outdoor guide and as an archaeologist. I bought this pack last summer while working a survey and hiking an average of 20 miles a day. It was incredibly comfortable and the perfect size to fit my essentials (large medical kit, clipboard, paperwork, 11 L water, food, etc). Good size for trips on my days off too. Works great as a rope bag when climbing and overall a favorite in my arsenal. I don't mind not having many pockets, I generally don't need many. Only drawback is it needs a stronger framesheet, otherwise it can sag a bit with a full pack.

I brought this pack with me for a month long trip in Nepal and I really like this pack because it was light weight, comfy, and cute. It was also nice that I didn't have to check this bag on the airplane, so I didn't have to worry about losing it on international flights. However, I found out that 30 liters is much too small for the trip I took. I ended up buying a duffel bag in order to bring back some of my clothes and souvenirs. Plus, there are no side pockets, so I clipped my water bottles to the side straps with carabiners. I was thankful that it was light during a six day trek in the Annapurna Range of the Himalayas, but overall I wanted more pockets and more space. I think this pack is great for a weekend trip, but I would recommend the Lakota (which my boyfriend, Lucas, has written a review about) or the Women's Coyote for longer treks, especially those in the Himalayas.