First donning the pack immediately created a hotspot in the middle of my back. Turned out to be the zipper on my running shorts. Opened the zipper, problem solved. A couple of other adjustments, mainly not having a brain (on the pack, not me). Everything stores inside the pack. Additionally I didn't like the bungee cord for the crampons. I prefer a pouch. I ended up removing the bungee cord and attached some ski straps which work great.
I initially purchased this pack for our 9 day Mount Rainier vacation. We did a couple of laps, summiting July 4th from the Emmons route (which was a plan B) and then on the 9th which was a carryover from the Kautz route and down the DC. This pack was also used for a SAR mission where we were helicoptered into the Bailey Range for an overnight search. Great pack to have when you're being hoisted from an arête! An additional adventure was a climb up Mamquam in Garibaldi Provincial Park, Canada.
The 70 liter volume is a bit tight for my winter mountaineering, adequate for everything else. I chose the medium size so as not to have a conflict with my harness. It fit's a little small but it turns out to be perfect for my needs. Make sure you try it on at the store, put some sand bags or weight in the pack, and also put on your harness. I recommend not buying online until you try it out for fit size. This has become my go to pack!
Photos are from: Wapowety bivy site 13,100' el, crevasses on the DC, a couple from Mamquam, and a couple from the Bailey…
