Kelty Red Cloud 90 Internal Frame Backpack

I spent many days traveling to all the different outdoor retailers looking at larger backpacks, I had my choices down to 3. The Kelty Red Cloud 90, REI Mars 85, and the Gregory Baltoro 75. I narrowed that to the Kelty and the Gregory. For suspension cant beat the Gregory, but for the price I would expect that. The Kelty had a excellent suspension as well, I tried it in the store loaded for about an hour walking around and was surprised at the comfort level.

Ultimately you need to buy what fits you best, and no one manufacturer fits all so try them all and see what fits you, but if you are considering the Kelty red cloud, I would give it positive review and recommend it highly.

As a side note, I wanted to have some extra buckles for field repair, just in case, I called service, they sent them to me for free.

Hard to find any company these days that still remember customer service.

This Backpack is the behemoth beast of the kelty line of expedition packs dwarfed only by the red cloud 110. This bag easily fits most of the basic necessities i.e.(sleeping bag, clothes, food, cookware, hygiene, bladder, tent all on the inside of the pack. it is a little heavy on its own coming in at a little over six pounds so its not you ultralight style pack by any means, but if you dont mind weight and want plenty of room this is your pack. Im not a very big guy at around six feet and 150 160 lbs. and this pack still fits great the torso adjust system is excellent and the adjustments make for a very comfortable hike even with alot of weight. PLan on taking this pack on a cross country trip in may so ill update after to let you know how it stood up to non stop use

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Purchased this pack for a Grand Canyon trip as my old pack had seen better days. I purchased the pack based on reviews, price and capacity. The pack itself is well built and has plenty of options to suit most longer distance trips 5-10 days. Of course, what one would put in the pack is going to be based on where the trip is, climate, experience, money etc. For me, the pack carries what I need and does it well. I will be carrying up to 70 lbs total for hopefully short durations on my trip. This pack handles the weight fairly well for the price. As others have mentioned, the so-called bottle holders on the side are not fit to hold bottles. They do hold plenty of smaller quick access items. I have not noticed buckle slippage that others report. However, I do not mind making adjustments as the day progresses and plan on it actually to maintain comfort. Bending the frame to fit is a bit of a chore but can be a rewarding "custom" fit. Yes, this pack requires bending (if needed) of the frame stays to accomodate various body profiles. The instructions are very basic but they'll give you the basic concept. I have noticed the waist belt padding will slip up leaving the belt itself digging a bit on my hips. An easy adjustment and I am good to go but some additional stitching would remedy this. I would like the bottom to be of a sturdier (water proof) material as I can see abrasion on the bottom of the pack over time wearing the material out or creating holes. All in all, A good affordable pack that should last me a long time and get me through my various adventures.

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I looked at all the larger backpacks 60 to 110 cheaper to the expensive in all the name brands. In the end i purchased the kelty and i would not trade it in now. No other pack compares to the kelty for the price. Would have to pay another 100.00 to get anything of equal quality. The buckles zippers stitching function excellent. Noticeably smoother and more functional than any other pack in this price range. Combined it with a Coleman roll top dry bag 16" X 43" which inserted as a liner inside the pack perfectly. Kept everything perfectly dry for a Minnesota boundary waters vacation. If you are on the fence between this bag or another brand, definitely get the kelty you will not be disappointed.

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There are a couple of things I find this pack falls short with:

-It's big. For most backpackers, if you pack right, 65-75 liters should be great. Figure out in-store how much room you're going to need.

-It's heavy at 5.5lbs. There are similar sized packs for 1/3 of the weight for another $50 or so, but their suspension is most likely worse. GoLite makes great packs for ultralight backpackers.

That being said, the lumbar pad and heavy cushioning throughout make this pack extremely comfortable, even after long use. Some users have reviewed Kelty straps as slippingI have not come across this. Washing the webbing straps with warm soapy water might remedy any slips.

All in all, I love this pack. Here's why:

-Abrasion resistance. The fabric feels bulletproof. Everything that would scratch it slips off without catching on the thick fabric. Hopefully with more field testing this does not change, but as of now, there is zero wear-and-tear on my pack.

-Water resistance. This pack is NOT waterproofno taped seams or waterproof coating, but it looks like it will take well to spray-on treatments (I have not tested this). You can buy a rain cover for it.

-Space. Here's why I love this pack. It's roomy and spacious, but the straps on the outside manage the space well enough that a 75% loaded pack does not slosh around or unbalance while you walk. The bottom section has a separate zipper for loading in a sleeping bag, and it's spacious enough for the heaviest fill bags available if you use compression sacks (and possibly if you don't). I use this for winter camping, where during a hike to a campsite I can easily fit my hammock, my sleeping bag, my winter coat, and all the socks a boy can dream of.

With my full gear, I don't exceed 25-30 lbs with water as well using this pack. That's not bad!