My friend chose to not put up his rain fly betting on the perfect weather to continue while enjoying the stars at night. During 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. True, I wasn’t able to remove the rain fly to watch the stars or let the wind ventilate my tent, but I was able to enjoy the day hikes without any sort of worry. In essence, I had committed to the permanent rainfly option by default and there was a certain contentedness that came with that. This hydration compatible backpack has a connection for a water bladder built in to the design.
It features rubber latches which I am a huge fan of for boating applications. When you are out on the water, people often sneak over to grab something from the cooler and may not latch it back up. With a hard plastic ozark trail canopy latch, you run the risk of brushing by the cooler and hitting your shin, which I have done and is awful. One of my favorite features though is the rubber wheels vs. the hard plastic wheels on the Pelican and Yeti.
I am a 6-foot tall male, weighing 185 lbs and it fits just as well as other day packs I’ve tried. My shoulders did not chafe nor rub or irritate while walking and I did not get any bruising on my hips. I only walked about a mile away on a dirt trail to the showers but it was not a flat surface and the equiptment on my back was stable. Fast and easy to adjust and all buckles and webbing are in good quality. 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.
I think you could strap things to the outside, as it has a daisy chain and two loops at the bottom. I agree with the other reviewer though, I would not go over about pounds with this pack. I saw this pack at Wally World and figured, $19 for a 28-liter pack, I’d give it a shot. If it doesn’t suit my needs, one of my daughters would be able to use it. It is important to be considerate of hikers and preserve the beauty of the Ozark Trail so it can be enjoyed by future generations.
Includes compression straps on the sides to keep your gear stable. This pack has a lot of extra storage pockets for organization of your gear. Has a hip belt to displace the load off your shoulders. Includes a place to connect your hydration bladder. I’ve been using this bag for over a year and love it for it size and comfort levels. I like how almost every strap can be adjusted to fit the user.
Comfy and roomy pants or shorts are best (hopefully with pockets, so kids can carry their own snacks and trash). Most kids will do fine with sneakers on short hikes. Once your family is hiking distances on a regular basis, invest in some boots. Kids’ boots are cheaper than adults, and they often outgrow them before they wear them out, so they can get a lot of use by multiple kids.