OR - Osprey Crescent 90 backpack

[mountain_freak07]

Reviewer Bio

Name: Cody Marchessault
Age: 21
Gender: Male
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 155lbs
Torso: 21"
Location: Santa Cruz, California, USA



Background:
Having been raised in the Santa Cruz Mountains I feel very at home
outside and playing in nature. I have been hiking since I was
conceived, but I have only recently taken up backpacking (2001).
My first expedition was to Alaska. My aquaculture teacher and three
other students organized a fishing trip to Angoon AK. We spent two
glorious weeks living on an uninhabited island, aside from the
eagles, fishing and just living it up.
Over the next few years I went to Yosemite, Big Sur, Big Basin,
Pinnacles, Desolation Wilderness/PCT, car camped Shasta many times,
and various places in Oregon.
My next experience, not car camping, would come much later in 2004
when a friend of mine and I went to Europe. We went to five counties
in one month; England, France, Holland, Switzerland, Italy. That trip
opened my eyes to just how dynamic this planet and its people really
are. We explored Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, for about four days. We
hiked up to Gimmelwald, and I did a forty-mile hike in about eight
and a half hours (I don't believe it either).
I currently attend Cabrillo College, but I am transferring to UCSC
this fall. After UCSC I plan to go to Alaska to get certified in
outdoor education (http://www.uas.alaska.edu/ods/program/index.htm).
I also work for the City Of Santa Cruz Water Dep., at the local
reservoir, Loch Lomond.

Skills: Backpacking, hiking, bouldering, fishing, mountain biking.


Product:
Osprey Crescent 90

Features:
- 2 side pockets
- 2 top pockets
- Ice axe loops
- Front and top loading
- Extremely comfortable hip belt/shoulder straps
- Tough rugged design limits opportunity for damage
- Suspension is perfectly balanced
- Vertical zippered access to main compartment under
compression flap
- Hydration pocket in convertible top lid/fanny pack
- Solo Accessory is standard equipment
- Easy access sleeping bag compartment

Specs

Specification Description
Material Nylon
Approximate volume 5,500 - 5,900 cubic inches
Fits torso 18 - 22+ inches
Number of pockets 5 + main compartment
Number of stays 2
Frame material Polyethylene/aluminum
Average weight 6 lbs. 13 oz. - 7 lbs. 5 oz.
Hydration compatible Yes
Access / Loading Top, front
Sleeping bag compartment Yes
· Medium - 18 to 20.5 in. / 5,500 cu. in. / 6 lbs. 13 oz.
· Large - 20 to 22.5 in. / 5,700 cu. in. / 7 lbs. 1 oz.
· X-Large - 22+ in. / 5,900 cu. in. / 7 lbs. 5 oz.
(Above via REI.com)

Description:
The Crescent 90 is a light and durable pack. The shoulder and hip
straps are easily adjustable not only when standing still but when in
motion as well. The two top pockets are perfect for maps, and other
quick access items needed without taking off the pack. The two side
pockets are a bit small for anything other than a headlamp, lighter,
knife, and a few energy bars. The daypack is very useful, small and
light it fits extra cloths, and can carry everything you need for
exertions away from your base camp. Although the solo has to be
detached from the pack via buttons, which can be time consuming, it
is an over all perk. After removing the solo there is a front zipper
to the main compartment so you don't have to go through the top.
There is a thin barrier between the main compartment and the bottom
compartment that is not very secure. The sides allow gear to slip
between easily.


Experience:
I used the Crescent 90 pack on my Europe trip in 2004. Before leaving
for Europe my only concern was its ability to fit on the overhead
racks. To my surprise it fit like a glove on every train I took it
slipped easily onto the racks. While on the Trains the solo provided
me with all the things I needed for the ride. I fit a notebook, long-
sleeved shirt, a mini-disc player and discs, food/snacks, and my
camera in the solo; I also was able to strap my nalgene bottle to the
outside. In the main compartment was my sierra designs Orion AST, my
sleeping bag (summer weight), an MSR mini works, a North Face fleece
lined rain shell, a North Face Denali-Pro fleece, my cook set/MSR
mini stove plus fuel, five t-shirts, and thermal, a pair of shorts,
two pairs of pants, a sweatshirt, binoculars, sandals, and my
sleeping pad with nothing but my water strapped to the outside. As
you can see this pack is a loadmaster, the shoulder straps and hip
belt contour to fit your body and mold to your waist. I trekked
across five major European cities and not once did I bet a bruise, or
sore spot.
A few weeks after getting back from Europe I took a trip to
Desolation Wilderness CA. This is an extremely rugged area. Mostly
granite shards make up the trails and there is no flat section to
speak of. The trip was small (3 nights) but the pack made it
pleasant. The straps easily adjusted to my needs as the slope changed
without having to stop or waste time. Once again Osprey's
suspension
engineering genius was felt. After ten miles up and down the though
terrain my back and shoulders were in great shape.


Likes:
- Comfortable harness
- Hydration compatible
- Large compartments


Dislikes:
- Solo can be tough to detach
- Hydration compartment is thin and awkward
- Side pockets are small
- Could use side straps for pols









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--------------------------------------------------------------------~->

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[chcoa]

Hello Cody,

PLEASE READ THIS EMAIL IN FULL. IT IS MOST IMPORTANT!

Thanks for your Owner's Review. It has been added to the Owner
Review Queue and will be picked up by an Edit Moderator soon. Do not
worry if nothing happens with it for several days. All our Editors
are volunteers and your report will be subject to an official edit
within fourteen days. If you have not had a response from an Edit
Moderator via the Yahoo Groups list within this timeframe, please let
me know directly at jdeben-***@public.gmane.org

To assist in this process, if this is your first Owner Review we ask
that you post only ONE Owner Review for edit at a time. Our
experience is that it is more efficient for both the Editors and
yourself, if you post your first review, have it edited, approved and
uploaded before you post your second and subsequent reviews. This
way we can work with you on addressing any standard BGT policy edits
which you can incorporate into your second and subsequent reviews
before submission.

If you are new to BackpackGearTest.org, welcome to the community!
The Editors will work with you, within their own time constraints, to
get your first two Owner Reviews approved and upload in a timely
manner. Once these first two Owner Reviews have been approved and
you have submitted your Tester Agreement you will be eligible to
start applying for Tests.

You may receive edits or comments from other members of the group.
These edits and comments, while not official, should be considered
carefully, and if you find them substantial, revise and re-post your
review. Incorporating member edits and re-submitting to the list will
usually result in a better review, as well as making things easier
for the official Editor. Please put REVISED in the subject line of
your re-submitted review, if you take this route or make any changes
to your review BEFORE the review has been taken by an Edit Moderator.

Additionally, it is important for you to monitor the Yahoo Groups
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Editor has taken your OR and made the necessary edits they will post
their comments to the list with EDIT in the subject line. Once you
have incorporated these edits into your review please use REPOST in
the subject line. When your OR has been approved by the Editor they
will use APPROVED in the subject line.

If you'd like to keep track of the progress of your OR, the entire
Owner Review Queue is posted to the list on Fridays.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask via
the list or contact me directly.

Regards
Jamie DeBenedetto
Edit Administration Officer







------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Give the gift of life to a sick child.
Support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's 'Thanks & Giving.'
http://us.click.yahoo.com/5iY7fA/6WnJAA/Y3ZIAA/V4TolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->

To read our reviews, please visit http://www.backpackgeartest.org/
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BackpackGearTest/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
BackpackGearTest-unsubscribe-***@public.gmane.org

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[edwardripleyduggan]

Hello Cody,

Thanks for posting your OR. I do recommend taking a look at the BGT
survival guide at

http://www.backpackgeartest.org/requirements.php

if you have not done so. This is in the final stages of revision so
some critical points are omitted, but it may help clarify some points.

Your review is an interesting one. I should stress that packs (along
with tents) are among the hardest items of gear to review correctly.
My notes below (for the moment) deal with overall structural problems
in the review, rather than specific details of wording. Please read my
annotations through carefully (I apologize for any typos *I* may have
made).<g>

Many first-time reviewers prefer to take a simple piece of gear for
their first or second reviews, so that they may master the basic
concepts and requirements of BGT. I think we can still, with a great
deal of work on both our parts, get a good review from your
submission, but it will be significantly different from its present
form. It may in fact prove far less frustrating, given the extent of
the changes needed, to begin over with a simpler item, using the
corrections I have provided as a guide to what you should be doing,
but this must be your decision. For what it's worth, my first OR was a
pack!

Additionally, we do have a mentoring program, where an experienced
reviewer can work one-on-one with you to help you generate a BGT
review, and I feel that you might benefit from that. Still do take a
shot at resubmitting this review with the initial changes I have
indicated (understand that there will be more rounds of editing to
come). If I feel that we are moving quickly in the right direction, I
will be happy to help you complete it. If I feel you are stumbling a
little (and this is no reflection on you--as I say, this is a hard
review you have chosen for a first effort), I may advise you to
consider mentoring.

Very best,

Ted

(Edward Ripley-Duggan)

BGT OR Editor

Post by mountain_freak07
Reviewer Bio
Name: Cody Marchessault
Age: 21
Gender: Male
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 155lbs
Torso: 21"
Location: Santa Cruz, California, USA

### We now require metric equivalents for all measurements. There is a
metric converter designed for BGT purposes at

http://www.backpackgeartest.org/convert.html

Please take a look at the bottom of the page, which lists the
permitted unit abbreviations (see "abbreviation" column). Note that we
request no period after the unit designation. So, in your table above:

Height: 6' 1", 1.83 m
Weight: 155 lb, 70 kg
Torso: 21", 53 cm

Note that we put a space between the integer and the unit. This is the
customary layout.

Post by mountain_freak07
Having been raised in the Santa Cruz Mountains I feel very at home
outside and playing in nature. I have been hiking since I was
conceived, but I have only recently taken up backpacking (2001).
My first expedition was to Alaska. My aquaculture teacher and three
other students organized a fishing trip to Angoon AK. We spent two
glorious weeks living on an uninhabited island, aside from the
eagles, fishing and just living it up.
Over the next few years I went to Yosemite, Big Sur, Big Basin,
Pinnacles, Desolation Wilderness/PCT, car camped Shasta many times,
and various places in Oregon.
My next experience, not car camping, would come much later in 2004
when a friend of mine and I went to Europe. We went to five counties
in one month; England, France, Holland, Switzerland, Italy. That trip
opened my eyes to just how dynamic this planet and its people really
are. We explored Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, for about four days. We
hiked up to Gimmelwald, and I did a forty-mile hike in about eight
and a half hours (I don't believe it either).
I currently attend Cabrillo College, but I am transferring to UCSC
this fall. After UCSC I plan to go to Alaska to get certified in
outdoor education (http://www.uas.alaska.edu/ods/program/index.htm).
I also work for the City Of Santa Cruz Water Dep., at the local
reservoir, Loch Lomond.
Skills: Backpacking, hiking, bouldering, fishing, mountain biking.

### This is a wonderful account. In due course, BGT will, I believe,
have a section of tester profiles, and I would recommend saving this
section for that time.

However, for reviews we are currently asking for a biography of 100
words or less, which should indicate to the reader your overall level
of experience (including number of years backpacking and hiking), as
well as the kind of trips you undertake (with a specimen example or
two, if you wish), plus your style of backpacking e.g. ultra-light,
kitchen sink, or somewhere in between.

Please prepare something in this vein. You might look at the BGT site
for examples of reviews as guides. Those of Cora Hussey (now Shea),
Stephanie Martin, Shane Steinkamp, James Triplett and many other
long-time BGT members make good models (even, perhaps my own)! Reviews
from 2004 on generally conform to the current BGT standards, which
have evolved considerably, and those are what you should take as
examples.

Post by mountain_freak07
Osprey Crescent 90
- 2 side pockets
- 2 top pockets
- Ice axe loops
- Front and top loading
- Extremely comfortable hip belt/shoulder straps
- Tough rugged design limits opportunity for damage
- Suspension is perfectly balanced
- Vertical zippered access to main compartment under
compression flap
- Hydration pocket in convertible top lid/fanny pack
- Solo Accessory is standard equipment
- Easy access sleeping bag compartment
Specs
Specification Description
Material Nylon
Approximate volume 5,500 - 5,900 cubic inches
Fits torso 18 - 22+ inches
Number of pockets 5 + main compartment
Number of stays 2
Frame material Polyethylene/aluminum
Average weight 6 lbs. 13 oz. - 7 lbs. 5 oz.
Hydration compatible Yes
Access / Loading Top, front
Sleeping bag compartment Yes
· Medium - 18 to 20.5 in. / 5,500 cu. in. / 6 lbs. 13 oz.
· Large - 20 to 22.5 in. / 5,700 cu. in. / 7 lbs. 1 oz.
· X-Large - 22+ in. / 5,900 cu. in. / 7 lbs. 5 oz.
(Above via REI.com)

### The list of details pertaining to the pack is extensive. However,
much of this comes straight from the REI site. This isn't altogether
what we need, though it's perhaps OK to use the REI list to jog your
memory on to the crucial points of the pack.

Take the matter of the weight of the pack for example. If you are
going to quote weights, I would like to see the weight as it is listed
on the manufacturer's site (not REI, a secondary source); in addition,
we definitely want to know, for comparison's sake, what your pack
weighs (stating any mods that you might have made). We only need to
know the manufacturer's stated capacity for your size pack (presumably
the large); as this is something that's difficult to measure, the
manufacturer statement is adequate here. In this, as in all sections,
metric equivalents are required where appropriate.

Post by mountain_freak07
The Crescent 90 is a light and durable pack. The shoulder and hip
straps are easily adjustable not only when standing still but when in
motion as well. The two top pockets are perfect for maps, and other
quick access items needed without taking off the pack. The two side
pockets are a bit small for anything other than a headlamp, lighter,
knife, and a few energy bars. The daypack is very useful, small and
light it fits extra cloths, and can carry everything you need for
exertions away from your base camp. Although the solo has to be
detached from the pack via buttons, which can be time consuming, it
is an over all perk. After removing the solo there is a front zipper
to the main compartment so you don't have to go through the top.
There is a thin barrier between the main compartment and the bottom
compartment that is not very secure. The sides allow gear to slip
between easily.

### The description is quite good. It will need some editing but I
want to address the other areas of concern in the review first.
Following the Description, I'd like to see a section of the
environments and conditions in which you have used the pack. To what
elevations? In what climate conditions? These are matters that help
the reader decide if your review matches their pattern of use. You can
incorporate the text at the end of ""Description" or break it out as
"Field conditions" or something of the kind, but this does need to be
present.

Post by mountain_freak07
I used the Crescent 90 pack on my Europe trip in 2004. Before leaving
for Europe my only concern was its ability to fit on the overhead
racks. To my surprise it fit like a glove on every train I took it
slipped easily onto the racks. While on the Trains the solo provided
me with all the things I needed for the ride. I fit a notebook, long-
sleeved shirt, a mini-disc player and discs, food/snacks, and my
camera in the solo; I also was able to strap my nalgene bottle to the
outside. In the main compartment was my sierra designs Orion AST, my
sleeping bag (summer weight), an MSR mini works, a North Face fleece
lined rain shell, a North Face Denali-Pro fleece, my cook set/MSR
mini stove plus fuel, five t-shirts, and thermal, a pair of shorts,
two pairs of pants, a sweatshirt, binoculars, sandals, and my
sleeping pad with nothing but my water strapped to the outside. As
you can see this pack is a loadmaster, the shoulder straps and hip
belt contour to fit your body and mold to your waist. I trekked
across five major European cities and not once did I bet a bruise, or
sore spot.
A few weeks after getting back from Europe I took a trip to
Desolation Wilderness CA. This is an extremely rugged area. Mostly
granite shards make up the trails and there is no flat section to
speak of. The trip was small (3 nights) but the pack made it
pleasant. The straps easily adjusted to my needs as the slope changed
without having to stop or waste time. Once again Osprey's
suspension
engineering genius was felt. After ten miles up and down the though
terrain my back and shoulders were in great shape.

### Your "Experience" section, which is really the critical part of
the review, omits many things I'd like to see. For example, I see no
assessment of wear. Maybe there is none, but this should be mentioned.
There are many other ommissions.

You also move between "my" and "your." The latter is what we term
projection, and is a no-no in good reviews (for BGT or anywhere else).
You are in effect telling the reader what *they* will experience,
rather than recounting your experiences.

Post by mountain_freak07
- Comfortable harness
- Hydration compatible
- Large compartments
- Solo can be tough to detach
- Hydration compartment is thin and awkward
- Side pockets are small
- Could use side straps for pols

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Give the gift of life to a sick child.
Support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's 'Thanks & Giving.'
http://us.click.yahoo.com/5iY7fA/6WnJAA/Y3ZIAA/V4TolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->

To read our reviews, please visit http://www.backpackgeartest.org/
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BackpackGearTest/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
BackpackGearTest-unsubscribe-***@public.gmane.org

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

[edwardripleyduggan]

Hello Cody,

Thanks for posting your OR. I do recommend taking a look at the BGT
survival guide at

http://www.backpackgeartest.org/requirements.php

if you have not done so. This is in the final stages of revision so
some critical points are omitted, but it may help clarify some points.

Your review is an interesting one. I should stress that packs (along
with tents) are among the hardest items of gear to review correctly.
My notes below (for the moment) deal with overall structural problems
in the review, rather than specific details of wording. Please read my
annotations through carefully (I apologize for any typos *I* may have
made).<g>

Many first-time reviewers prefer to take a simple piece of gear for
their first or second reviews, so that they may master the basic
concepts and requirements of BGT. I think we can still, with a great
deal of work on both our parts, get a good review from your
submission, but it will be significantly different from its present
form. It may in fact prove far less frustrating, given the extent of
the changes needed, to begin over with a simpler item, using the
corrections I have provided as a guide to what you should be doing,
but this must be your decision. For what it's worth, my first OR was a
pack!

Additionally, we do have a mentoring program, where an experienced
reviewer can work one-on-one with you to help you generate a BGT
review, and I feel that you might benefit from that. Still do take a
shot at resubmitting this review with the initial changes I have
indicated (understand that there will be more rounds of editing to
come). If I feel that we are moving quickly in the right direction, I
will be happy to help you complete it. If I feel you are stumbling a
little (and this is no reflection on you--as I say, this is a hard
review you have chosen for a first effort), I may advise you to
consider mentoring.

Very best,

Ted

(Edward Ripley-Duggan)

BGT OR Editor

Post by mountain_freak07
Reviewer Bio
Name: Cody Marchessault
Age: 21
Gender: Male
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 155lbs
Torso: 21"
Location: Santa Cruz, California, USA

### We now require metric equivalents for all measurements. There is a
metric converter designed for BGT purposes at

http://www.backpackgeartest.org/convert.html

Please take a look at the bottom of the page, which lists the
permitted unit abbreviations (see "abbreviation" column). Note that we
request no period after the unit designation. So, in your table above:

Height: 6' 1", 1.83 m
Weight: 155 lb, 70 kg
Torso: 21", 53 cm

Note that we put a space between the integer and the unit. This is the
customary layout.

Post by mountain_freak07
Having been raised in the Santa Cruz Mountains I feel very at home
outside and playing in nature. I have been hiking since I was
conceived, but I have only recently taken up backpacking (2001).
My first expedition was to Alaska. My aquaculture teacher and three
other students organized a fishing trip to Angoon AK. We spent two
glorious weeks living on an uninhabited island, aside from the
eagles, fishing and just living it up.
Over the next few years I went to Yosemite, Big Sur, Big Basin,
Pinnacles, Desolation Wilderness/PCT, car camped Shasta many times,
and various places in Oregon.
My next experience, not car camping, would come much later in 2004
when a friend of mine and I went to Europe. We went to five counties
in one month; England, France, Holland, Switzerland, Italy. That trip
opened my eyes to just how dynamic this planet and its people really
are. We explored Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, for about four days. We
hiked up to Gimmelwald, and I did a forty-mile hike in about eight
and a half hours (I don't believe it either).
I currently attend Cabrillo College, but I am transferring to UCSC
this fall. After UCSC I plan to go to Alaska to get certified in
outdoor education (http://www.uas.alaska.edu/ods/program/index.htm).
I also work for the City Of Santa Cruz Water Dep., at the local
reservoir, Loch Lomond.
Skills: Backpacking, hiking, bouldering, fishing, mountain biking.

### This is a wonderful account. In due course, BGT will, I believe,
have a section of tester profiles, and I would recommend saving this
section for that time.

However, for reviews we are currently asking for a biography of 100
words or less, which should indicate to the reader your overall level
of experience (including number of years backpacking and hiking), as
well as the kind of trips you undertake (with a specimen example or
two, if you wish), plus your style of backpacking e.g. ultra-light,
kitchen sink, or somewhere in between.

Please prepare something in this vein. You might look at the BGT site
for examples of reviews as guides. Those of Cora Hussey (now Shea),
Stephanie Martin, Shane Steinkamp, James Triplett and many other
long-time BGT members make good models (even, perhaps my own)! Reviews
from 2004 on generally conform to the current BGT standards, which
have evolved considerably, and those are what you should take as
examples.

Post by mountain_freak07
Osprey Crescent 90
- 2 side pockets
- 2 top pockets
- Ice axe loops
- Front and top loading
- Extremely comfortable hip belt/shoulder straps
- Tough rugged design limits opportunity for damage
- Suspension is perfectly balanced
- Vertical zippered access to main compartment under
compression flap
- Hydration pocket in convertible top lid/fanny pack
- Solo Accessory is standard equipment
- Easy access sleeping bag compartment
Specs
Specification Description
Material Nylon
Approximate volume 5,500 - 5,900 cubic inches
Fits torso 18 - 22+ inches
Number of pockets 5 + main compartment
Number of stays 2
Frame material Polyethylene/aluminum
Average weight 6 lbs. 13 oz. - 7 lbs. 5 oz.
Hydration compatible Yes
Access / Loading Top, front
Sleeping bag compartment Yes
· Medium - 18 to 20.5 in. / 5,500 cu. in. / 6 lbs. 13 oz.
· Large - 20 to 22.5 in. / 5,700 cu. in. / 7 lbs. 1 oz.
· X-Large - 22+ in. / 5,900 cu. in. / 7 lbs. 5 oz.
(Above via REI.com)

### The list of details pertaining to the pack is extensive. However,
much of this comes straight from the REI site. This isn't altogether
what we need, though it's perhaps OK to use the REI list to jog your
memory on to the crucial points of the pack.

Take the matter of the weight of the pack for example. If you are
going to quote weights, I would like to see the weight as it is listed
on the manufacturer's site (not REI, a secondary source); in addition,
we definitely want to know, for comparison's sake, what your pack
weighs (stating any mods that you might have made). We only need to
know the manufacturer's stated capacity for your size pack (presumably
the large); as this is something that's difficult to measure, the
manufacturer statement is adequate here. In this, as in all sections,
metric equivalents are required where appropriate.

Post by mountain_freak07
The Crescent 90 is a light and durable pack. The shoulder and hip
straps are easily adjustable not only when standing still but when in
motion as well. The two top pockets are perfect for maps, and other
quick access items needed without taking off the pack. The two side
pockets are a bit small for anything other than a headlamp, lighter,
knife, and a few energy bars. The daypack is very useful, small and
light it fits extra cloths, and can carry everything you need for
exertions away from your base camp. Although the solo has to be
detached from the pack via buttons, which can be time consuming, it
is an over all perk. After removing the solo there is a front zipper
to the main compartment so you don't have to go through the top.
There is a thin barrier between the main compartment and the bottom
compartment that is not very secure. The sides allow gear to slip
between easily.

### The description is quite good. It will need some editing but I
want to address the other areas of concern in the review first.
Following the Description, I'd like to see a section of the
environments and conditions in which you have used the pack. To what
elevations? In what climate conditions? These are matters that help
the reader decide if your review matches their pattern of use. You can
incorporate the text at the end of ""Description" or break it out as
"Field conditions" or something of the kind, but this does need to be
present.

Post by mountain_freak07
I used the Crescent 90 pack on my Europe trip in 2004. Before leaving
for Europe my only concern was its ability to fit on the overhead
racks. To my surprise it fit like a glove on every train I took it
slipped easily onto the racks. While on the Trains the solo provided
me with all the things I needed for the ride. I fit a notebook, long-
sleeved shirt, a mini-disc player and discs, food/snacks, and my
camera in the solo; I also was able to strap my nalgene bottle to the
outside. In the main compartment was my sierra designs Orion AST, my
sleeping bag (summer weight), an MSR mini works, a North Face fleece
lined rain shell, a North Face Denali-Pro fleece, my cook set/MSR
mini stove plus fuel, five t-shirts, and thermal, a pair of shorts,
two pairs of pants, a sweatshirt, binoculars, sandals, and my
sleeping pad with nothing but my water strapped to the outside. As
you can see this pack is a loadmaster, the shoulder straps and hip
belt contour to fit your body and mold to your waist. I trekked
across five major European cities and not once did I bet a bruise, or
sore spot.
A few weeks after getting back from Europe I took a trip to
Desolation Wilderness CA. This is an extremely rugged area. Mostly
granite shards make up the trails and there is no flat section to
speak of. The trip was small (3 nights) but the pack made it
pleasant. The straps easily adjusted to my needs as the slope changed
without having to stop or waste time. Once again Osprey's
suspension
engineering genius was felt. After ten miles up and down the though
terrain my back and shoulders were in great shape.

### Your "Experience" section, which is really the critical part of
the review, omits many things I'd like to see. For example, I see no
assessment of wear. Maybe there is none, but this should be mentioned.
There are many other ommissions.

You also move between "my" and "your." The latter is what we term
projection, and is a no-no in good reviews (for BGT or anywhere else).
You are in effect telling the reader what *they* will experience,
rather than recounting your experiences.

Post by mountain_freak07
- Comfortable harness
- Hydration compatible
- Large compartments
- Solo can be tough to detach
- Hydration compartment is thin and awkward
- Side pockets are small
- Could use side straps for pols

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