When I received my Appalachian 75 I was very pleased with the amount of compartments and places where you can hang items like a camp axe or sleeping pad. The orange interior enables you to spot things easier inside the main compartment when you are looking for something. The rain cover is great and folds nicely in the bottom. The harness fits snug around my waist and over my shoulders. I can fit enough stuff in this bag that would last me for a 5 to 7 day backpacking trip.
One the downside I noticed a few things that would get very annoying. First thing is the shoulder straps keep loosening right after I tighten them. Because of this, it makes it where you cannot tighten them as much as you want which in the end creates sway and a loose feeling on the top of the pack. I might be able to remedy this by sharpening the teeth on the belt clip. Second thing I noticed was one of the straps that run vertical across the length of my bag, to add support, is stitched incorrectly. Only half of the strap is stitched which looks like it might come apart with more use. The last thing, and is minor, is the zippers. If you want to pack an average sized sleeping bag or fill up your compartments to the brim, be prepared to spend a great deal of time zipping them up. The placement and size of the zippers allow there to be some difficulty in zipping up.
Conclusion: I am happy with the pack because of the amount of things I can bring with me. The features are great! I am just disappointed in some of the manufacturing flaws that I have to spend time on fixing myself.
Let me start off by saying that I would definitely recommend this backpack. I love the fact that it is top loading and front loading. I also like the removable day pack that doubles as the lid or top of the pack, and the sleeping bag compartment that can be zippered off on the inside of the bag to create a completely separate section. I also like that the bag comes with its own rain cover which is conveniently stored at the very bottom of the bag under the sleeping bag section. The bottom of the bag has an opening that allows you to access the rain cover by simply opening the Velcro and pulling the rain cover out. You will have to remove anything that you strap to the bottom of the bag by the two latching compression straps in order to access the rain cover opening. Having the rain cover at the bottom of the bag also provides cushion should you choose to use the sleeping bag area for other items.
With this bag I was able to carry loads over 40 lbs. very comfortably. I would especially recommend this pack to those who are just getting started in backpacking since it is "Very" user friendly. Having said that, this pack would be even better for the more experienced backpacker since they would know more about the ins and outs of packing it. The pack is also very versatile for body types since it is very adjustable for differing torso lengths.
I am 6'01 and weigh 230 lbs and I have not hiked in years and I have never owned a hiking backpack, I have used hunting backpacks. Therefore, I spent literally weeks researching backpacks on the internet and at the local small outfitter. I looked at all brands and all price ranges. I knew that I was not going to go out and spend thousands to get the lightest tent, sleeping pad, mess kit, etc. So I knew that I needed a larger pack. I will also say that I am not a weight weenie. I am a full time police officer and I have walked around, and run around, for over 21 years with over 30 lbs. of gear being worn daily.
I went to the outfitters and saw how small a 55 and 65 liter bag was so I began to look at 75 liter bags and above. I was eventually impressed with all the positive reviews of the High Sierra Appalachian Trail 75 liter bag. I was even more impressed that I was able to get it with free shipping for only $90 dollars.
I purchased the bag and have used it twice on approx 8 mile hikes with one being an overnight hike. I will say that the the belt issue (being too large for small wasted people) that many speak of could be a problem if your waste is too small. Having said that, my daughter who is an average size 12 year old and has a waist far smaller than 32 inches. She asked to carry the pack on a hike and I was able to adjust both the back setting and the belt to nearly fit her perfectly.
Some have reviewers have complained about the bag weighing too much. My response to that is, first off it is a 75 liter pack and therefore will weigh more because it is a large pack, secondly the pack is built to last, and lastly it has well padded straps and hip belt which add weight. It is possible to cut the packs weight by a few ounces by cutting off any extra length from the generously long straps, especially on the waist stap.
I will say that once you get your load strapped down tight with the multiple tightening straps, and you get the pack dialed in for your body, the pack carries heavy loads very comfortably. My pack weight is over 40 lbs.
I have have no complaints with this bag. I love it. I can carry all my equipment and necessities inside the bag. It is also very convenient because it is top and front loading. There could also be access through the sleeping bag storage area if you chose too. I would truly recommend this pack to anyone.
03/14/12 Update. I have been on many day hikes using this pack. I have carried loads from 30 to 40 lbs, up to nine miles. I have never had any issues with the straps coming loose. I have not had any troubles with the zippers either. The more I use this pack, the more I like it. As said above, this pack is better than some that cost twice as much. I just went on a six mile hike today with a 30 lb. pack. I had the pack dialed in and the 30 lbs. carried great on my hips. I would buy High Sierra products again based on this product. (Update 10/01/12I did purchase another High Sierra backpack for my daughters. It was a 35 liter top loading only pack that works quite well for their smaller bodies.)
07/25/12 update. I have now been on two different two night and three day hikes with my High Sierra Appalachian Trail 75 liter pack. Sadly, I am not a wealthy man so I cannot afford to purchase the high priced and low weight items so my pack weight for each trips was 49 lbs. The pack preformed perfectly. Obviously with 49 lbs, the pack holds a ton of gear. And even at 49 lbs. I had no issues with any straps loosening or buckles breaking, and once I had it dialed in I was good to go. I would venture to say that 49 lb. loads probably is about the limit for plastic buckles if you have a little extra weight around the mid section. The extra weight pushes the buckle out at an angle which makes it easier for the buckle to open due to the pressure, but that is just common sense. I fit a size large Therm-a-rest self inflating pad 78x25x2.5, my big synthetic 30 degree Kelty sleeping bag4 lbs 1 oz., large two man Stansport Starlite 2 tent (See my review on Amazon. I highly recommend this tent), full two liter Platypus water pouch, 1 liter Gatoraid, 2XL Frogg Togg rain gear, camp pillow, fuel bottled camp stove, camp shoes, three pairs of extra socks, 1 lb Coleman magnetic tent light, first aid kit, camp towels, Sawyer squeezable water purifying kit, mess kit with utensils, food and snacks, collapsible fishing pole and reel, small fishing kit, and a few odds and ends; and the bag preformed perfectly. I love the ease of access either through the top or through the front of the bag. There are two outside side pockets that are approx. 6 inches by two inches, a large double pocketed pack cover, and a pocket on the front entry flap to hold the essentials that you might need to get to quickly during your hike. I like the media pouch on the shoulder strap and the mesh pockets on the hip belt that can hold full size Gatorade bottles with a little work. I have no intentions of looking for any other bag! I will begin to whittle down on what I carry to save weight as 49 lbs. is a lot of weight to carry all day long! Please feel free to ask questions or make any comments. Kevin
Buy High Sierra Classic Series 59501 Appalachian 75 Internal Frame Pack Now
I purchased this pack for a 3 day hike on the Appalachian Trail. It is a good sized pack and it fit comfortably on my hips. It makes good use of space and has a port for a camel bak which I took advantage of. The only problem I have with the pack is the poor quality of zippers on it. I busted a zipper on the top part of the pack as I was loading it for the first time. For the most part you can't beat the price of the pack and the fact it is very comfortable. I would also note that this pack is not for a small person. I have a 34" waist and it fit me great, but if you are much more thin than me you are going to have a problem getting the waist belt tight enough.
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I really like this pack. this is my first year into backpacking,and the High Sierra Appalachian 75 is my first backpack with any size going for it. It stores all of my gear,enough for my weekend hikes. I'm 6ft 0in tall,and overweight. The waist belt fits me just fine,the cinching straps work well for me. I've read other reviews that complain of this feature, I've not had a problem so far. The zippers seem to be stiff and hard to use, but it appears to be from the fact that their heavy duty and will ease with time and repeated use. I would definitely recommend this pack to anyone that's in the market for a large roomy pack.
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I ordered this pack based on the High Sierra reputation, great price and online reviews. Most of them were spot on. I just took the pack for a two-day 17 mile back country hike. The quality of the pack is commendable, the space available for packing is great, lots of pockets, great accessibility to your pack contents via different pockets and zippered access points. All in all, I like the pack, and want to love it. But...
The shoulder straps do not hold. When you initially pull the straps tight to bring the pack close to your torso, it feels great. After 30 seconds or so of hiking they begin to slip, and continue to do so. It is maddening. I ended up almost constantly grasping the straps to tighten them--literally 1-2 times a minute. I did not use any hiking poles, and really couldn't have, as both hands were constantly occupied with tightening the shoulder straps. Thinking it might be an adjustment issue, I took the pack off and took a closer look at the buckles. I could loosen the straps through the teeth of the buckle with just a little pressure from my finger. I honestly think these buckles are inferior in design. Either the teeth aren't sharp enough, preventing the straps from being firmly secured by the buckle, or there is just too much space where the strap is threaded through the buckle, with the same end result.
I will take a good look at these buckles, and perhaps I can re-thread the strap. If I can't find a solution though, I will reluctantly return this pack. As an aside, I also simultaneously bought the Appalachian Sentinal 65 pack as well. The buckles on the shoulder straps on that one work impeccably, with no sliding or slipping. I honestly think there may be a defective or poorly designed buckle on the 75 liter pack shoulder straps, but not on the 65! I will update this review in a few days after I tinker a bit more with them.
Again, aside from this strap issue, I really liked the pack, and it worked out very well for me on a fairly rigorous hike.
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was pleasantly surprised with the quality & size of this backpack... get compliments on it everywhere I go... environmentally friendly is another plus!
