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63 of 63 found the following review helpful:
 Excellent value with some smart features May 14, 2007
By D. Lewis
I purchased my High Sierra 29" Compass Travel Pack for a two week trip to Italy. My goal was to get the least expensive backpack I could find that was still of reasonable quality. I was confident it would be of good quality because I was able to examine another High Sierra bag that a friend of mine already had. I should say that I am no expert when it comes to backpacks and that there is a whole range of products that are significantly more expensive with which I have no experience. I was traveling in a large group, though, and was able to compare my bag to several other bags, including some from more prominent brands (North Face, Osprey).
The number one thing that made this bag stand out from the others in my travel group was that it opens like a suitcase - hinged on the side. This made it much easier for me to get at my gear than it was for my friends. All the other backpacks in my group had one opening at the top of the main compartment, which often meant that they had to unpack the whole bag to get what they were looking for.
Another nice feature, though not unique to this bag, was the smaller, detachable day pack. This provided a great way to keep all my valuables with me during the day while my main pack was at the hostel. It also came in handy on day trips as a way to hold the guide book, the bottles of wine I purchased, or the gear for the beach depending on the day. The day pack also had its own straps, which was different than another bag in my group which required swapping straps from the main bag to the day pack. The backpack also has clips built in to the shoulder straps of the main bag to allow the day pack to be carried in front, which was nice in crowded train stations known for pick pockets. This feature also allowed for the weight to be distributed a little more evenly than it would have been by attaching the day pack in the "normal" manner by zipping it onto the main pack.
The final feature that I think is notable is the attached panel that covers the shoulder and waist straps of the backpack. When you want to use the backpack the panel simply unzips and is stowed in a small compartment at the bottom of the bag. When it's time to check the bag at the airport you just pull the panel from its compartment and zip it up over the straps to protect them from whatever it is that destroys things in baggage handling. The bag also comes with a single shoulder strap that allows the bag to be carried like a traditional suitcase/attache case. Again, this isn't unique to this bag, but it's nice to have.
The one negative I experienced was that we were rained on pretty hard one day and some of the contents against the outer shell of the pack were somewhat damp afterward. This might have been because I had it pretty tightly packed, but it seemed to be a more pronounced problem in my bag than others in the group.
I just returned from my trip and this backpack was everything I needed and more. It held two weeks worth of clothes (with one load of laundry done halfway through) as well as an extra pair of shoes, a lightweight jacket, and a towel and flip flops for those hostel showers. The suitcase-like opening made it the envy of the eight others I was traveling with. It also held up very well, with no damage or tears in the straps or fabric of the bag after four flights, half a dozen trains and a handful of bus rides. I was very satisfied with this backpack and would certainly purchase it again if the need arose.
43 of 45 found the following review helpful:
Wonderful backpack! Jun 07, 2010
By William Hammer
"Fish Hunter"
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3BUFVSZM4KZV So, basically, this backpack is really good. Recommended to everyone.
Pros: Easy to figure out, Simple, Well made, Comfortable, Lots of space (but not too big), lightweight but heavy duty, ajustable etc. etc.
Cons: If your extra short, like 5 foot or less, then the "Egro fit ajustable shoulder harness system" doesn't ajust up very far, so it will be against, your head, feel awkward, mess up your hair, whatever. But thats it.
Definitely a wonderful backpack for it's price, or for that matter, any price.
8 of 9 found the following review helpful:
Fancy Backpack May 26, 2007
By T. Snow
This bag was great! Easy to adjust and travel with. I found it simple to keep all my belongings easily organized. I would advise anyone geeting this bag to play around with it before travelling to get used to everything it does instead of discovering features during travel ;)
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Great bag with great warranty! May 08, 2010
By SoCal Triathlete
Used this backpack for a two month trip all over Europe.
The good:
The detachable daypack is comfortable and has plenty of storage for day to day necessities. The large pack, when adjusted properly, is also comfortable. After walking for miles between hostels and train stations the pack would slowly make my whole back sore, and not just one area...which is a good thing. The section closest to your back on the larger pack zips open from the side, extremely useful for packing clothes. One more thing to mention is the zip up flap to cover the shoulder straps, which is useful if you check it in on a flight.
The bad:
This pack is not waterproof. Both bags will withstand light to medium rain just fine for a decent period of time. But I stood for hours in the pouring rain at the top of Col du Tourmalet (mountain in southern France) to see the Tour de France, and my clothes inside the pack got soaked through. There is an easy solution for this in my "recommendations" below. At the end of my two month trip, one of the shoulder straps on the larger pack was slowly beginning to tear away from the pack itself...a pretty serious problem, however...
The dealbreaker:
This pack deserves 5 stars because of the warranty. According to the tag on my pack, High Sierra has a lifetime warranty on their products without wheels. I contacted High Sierra when I returned home about the strap tearing and they responded quickly with a return number. I shipped the pack to them expecting to have it repaired, but instead, less than 3 weeks later, I was sent a brand new pack! This is not a $150+ Eagle Creek backpack, and some early wear and tear was expected, but with a warranty like that you have nothing to worry about.
Recommendations:
Clipping and unclipping the strap across your chest (on the larger pack) will keep your shoulders from getting sore too quickly by spreading the weight. Use the belt clip around your hips to help keep weight off your shoulders. Keep your clothes and toiletries in your large pack and use the daypack for valuables. This way you can dump the large pack off while your out exploring with the small daypack. Buy two luggage locks for the daypack (search "Master Lock 4688D TSA Accepted Cable Luggage Lock in Assorted Colors" on Amazon). A bike lock isn't such a bad idea either to strap your bags to your bed in your hostel, or a tree while you go swim :). Don't overpack. The problem with a nice big pack like this is it's tempting to completely fill it. Unless the packs are just about empty, there's no reason to carry them zipped together like in the main picture here on Amazon. I also never found a reason to use the duffle bag strap because the shoulder straps are far more comfortable. The best way to carry the packs is large pack in back with the daypack clipped up front. Release one of the clips to let the daypack hang by your side and keep your chest area from getting too sweaty. When toting around both packs in hot weather, the best way to keep from soiling a good pair of clothes with sweat is by dressing very light (ex: only wearing shorts with a wife-beater)...you're not fooling anyone into thinking your local when carrying your big bags so don't bother dressing up until you find a place to leave them. Also, as I said earlier, neither of the packs are completely waterproof. A great way to keep your things dry, as well as organize them, is by carrying everything in giant plastic freezer bags. You'll always need plastic bags when you travel and this is a great way to bring extra ones along while making use of them. Keep the large bag your backpack is shipped in to cover your clothes when it rains. Problem solved. Lastly, if you're traveling for less than two weeks, this bag is unnecessary.
Overall:
For the price it's a great bag and did not disappoint me. I'll be using it again for my next trip.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Just what I needed! Apr 06, 2010
By James C. Abbott
"jcabbott2000"
I recently traveled to London and I wanted something versatile instead of a standard roll around suitcase. There is a lot of room for clothes in this travel pack if you know how to pack. It does get heavy, so don't kid yourself into thinking that just because it is a backpack it will be lighter than a suitcase. The shoe area wasn't useful for me having size 12's, they just don't fit! The day pack was very useful I carried around a netbook and a bunch of miscellaneous gear in it. Be very cognizant that the day pack is hanging out there pretty far when this is all packed so anything heavy in it is going to off balance you and add a lot of unwanted weight. This I learned first hand and it is uncomfortable. For the city and travel in tighter places like buses this pack is a pain because it is pretty big! I would recommend this pack to anyone, especially for the price. I travel for a living and this really is much more versatile than the traditional suitcase. I do wish it had more webbing and tie downs on the sides for lashing down coats and other stuff but you can make do with what it already has. It is built like a rock as well, I cringed a few times thinking I was going to break a zipper but it is really made well! It made it through the abuse of the TSA and the luggage guys so it passes my criteria!
See all 11 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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