Windrider

purchased the original version ( the 4400) quite a few years back- used extensively every year for multiple multi-day trips in all seasons in many countries- and can carry loads of gear comfortably and with confidence this pack will last the journey. Great Gear, a great investment for the long term!

A perfect ultralight backpack with great capacity.

Fit was excellent, Very light yet durable. 4 day trip was perfect.

I bought this pack for Philmont, and went from an ALPS Cadera 75 to a Windrider 70 saving 3.25 lbs. My son needed a pack for the trip so did a hand-me-down upgrade for me switcharoo :) I like the simplicity, dry stuff inside, and quick access items in the netting on the outside. I typically max out with about 40 lbs in it and wish the shoulder straps had a little more girth in them to spread out the weight. I was able to find some pads on Amazon that helped. I wanted to save weight in the pack, so i could carry more luxury items :) I miss the comfort of the ALPS a little bit and notice it's not as easy for me to just throw it on when heavy. One pretty cool feature you might not know is this pack can shrink down really good.. so I can carry all my stuff in it at 70 liters and then set up camp and squish it down to day pack size and easily carry all my needs for the day in it, leaving the stuff I don't need in my campsite.

I have used this pack for over 5,000 miles. At the end of the CDT, the two stays were poking through, but I’d say that’s a pretty good life on a pack. I used the mesh pocket a lot and never had an issue with it ripping or catching on things (which I had been warned about). I did find the water bottle side pockets stretched out so I had to be careful when bending over because my water bottles would fall out. Also, on the PCT it was my journal - I wrote on it every night with a permanent market at camp. Now I can never get rid of it :). I just ordered the unbound 40 from hyperlite to replace it and I’m excited to try it. I made the switch for the bottom pocket, draw string on the side pockets and back pocket accessibility - aesthetic bonus I’m looking forward to not having my back pocket contents so visible. I did fit the BV500 bear can vertically in the pack and rolled my tent around it like a burrito + stuffed the other stuff around it. My base weight is about 10-12 lbs, and it carried pretty well except the first day out on a long carry, I wouldn’t recommend for heavier loads, you definitely feel the difference. Or if you have a very short torso, I felt like it was borderline too long for me and I’m 5’6.