Click to view our Accessibility Statement or contact us with accessibility-related questions
Showing 1 of 111 reviews about:
Decent barebones bag for the price
Overview
search
The Drop 40L pack is an exeptionally well designed bag that is perfect for short to mid length hiking trips. There are a lot of great bags within the price and performance range of the Drop 40L, so where does this one rank in? The Good
search
There is a lot to be said for this bag, starting with the overall fabric and design. The bag is exceptionally lightweight, at only 29 ounces, but still manages to be waterproof and hold a great deal of gear. One thing that I really enjoy about this bag is how versatile it is. Some bags are much more specialized (like the Drop x Klymit bag in the first picture that is brilliant for canyoneering), while others are slightly more comfortable (such as the Osprey), but the Drop 40L really hits the middle ground on the head. It is very comfortable and balanced for me(I'm 6 1, 150lbs), even with heavy loads. The fabric is also very nice, even though it is lightweight it feels very sturdy. I didn't find myself worrying about rips or tears with this bag. The main compartment is just that, a single main compartment. How well your items are organized is entirely up to how well you can pack a bag. Personally, I really like bags with this approach, as compartmentalized bags don't utilize space nearly as well. The outter pockets and tiedowns provide a surprisingly versatile storage system. The side mesh pockets hold medium size water bottles with ease, and the back removable pocket was perfect for my maps. Hip belts and shoulder pockets held all the important small items (compass, trail bars, knife, lighter, phone, GPS, SOS beacon, etc) perfectly, and made the gear quicker to access than many bags that I own. This aspect was one of my favorite features overall. The Bad One gripe, which is purely personal taste, are the colors. I like both colors on their own, they just don't flatter me together. I think an all olive option would be great, or even an option with high visibility colors. The side pockets are a decent size, but for taller waterbottles they can be a bit small (like the 22l Arc'teryx Arro). You can use the tie downs to secure a bottle, but this also makes it slightly harder to get to without taking the bag off. I think pockets that were 1.5x-2x the height would be much better. Comfort is good, but not great, especially depending on weight. Some bags are just somewhat comofortable regardless of if you have 2lbs or 30lbs in them (Mystery Ranch), some bags get less comfortable the more you throw in them (Klymit Splash 25 - though it is a specialty piece and amazing for its intended purpose), and some are just amazingly comfortable regardless of what you throw in them (Osprey Exos 48). This bag falls somewhere between always somewhat comfortable and less comfortable with more weight. If you have the proper gear for an ultralight excursion, you'll be totally fine and happy with the comfort. If you try to shove too much heavy gear in this bag, comfort definitely goes down significatly. I do have some slight concerns about how well the tiedown cords will hold up in the longrun, and generally prefer bags that minimize potential places that could snag while hiking. Summary
search
Overall, this is a decent bag for the price. This is a mimimal, no frills pack, that can gets the job done. It isn't expecionally specialized for any one task, but the minimalism works in this case, especially if you need a bag that can work for just about any scenario. For the price range, it is competitive and on the lower end, but probably not the best bang for buck. The North Face Terra, Gregory Zulu, or Osprey Exos are all under $200 and offer a bit more in terms of features, comfort, or both than the Drop 40L.
search

(Edited)
Recommends this product? No
DeputySean
46
Aug 1, 2019
bookmark_border
livingspeedbumpDo you mind telling us your torso length?
Aug 1, 2019
DeputySeanAround 21" I believe
Aug 27, 2019
livingspeedbumpUPDATE - Tried to edit my review to 2 stars, but I keep getting "Oops an error..." when I edit my post. So after some extended use over multi-day hikes around the North Cascades, I've had quite a bit of trouble with the confort of this bag, specifically with pain at the top of my back/bottom of my neck. I even took the bag in when I was getting some winter gear and had my local shop check my adjustments, and got the thumbs up from them on how I had the bag sitting. Just a rather uncomfortable bag for extended hikes it seems.
search
Seeing as how 40L is a good bit much for a single day trip (Arc'teryx Arro has that covered) and the Osprey Exos 48 is infinitely more comfortable for extended trips, I'm not sure where this even fits in. It's not totally "waterproof" like the Klymit Splash (amazing peice of gear from Drop btw):
search
And it lacks all of the comfort and features of the Osprey Exos, so this bag is permanently sidelined as a "guest bag" for me now as it has no real benefits over any other bag. And in the $100-$200 price range, you can definitely find better. If this bag was $80, it would be worth it, but at this price, I wouldn't recommend it.
search

Aug 28, 2019
dandurston
5116
Dan Durston
Aug 28, 2019
bookmark_border
livingspeedbumpAre you feeling specific pressure points in the harness area? Or just wish the harness was larger/more padded? It may be that the M/L size (rated for 17 - 19" torso) is too short your 21" torso and that's putting too much weight on the shoulders. Or perhaps you prefer more padded backpacks. The Exos 48 is a much more padded bag because it is much heavier (41oz vs 30oz) and more traditional pack intended for larger loads. The Drop 40L is intended for lighter loads (e.g. 20 - 30 lbs) so it doesn't spend nearly as much weight on padding as the 40% heavier Exos does. Still, most everyone is finding it comfortable. Besides being a lot lighter, other advantages over the Exos include much more durable fabrics (e.g mostly 210D versus mostly 100D nylon), waterproof fabric (making it highly water resistant even if the seams aren't taped - far more water resistant than the Exos), and a wider range of quick access pockets (shoulder strap pockets, QuickPocket) to organize your gear for on-the-go access. Also, the materials and hardware on the Exos also aren't in the same league. You're not going to find high end DuraFlex hardware, nor composite fabrics in the Exos. It's just basic hardware and basic nylons. Packs with similar materials to the Drop 40 are typically $250 - $350, and similar materials in packs under $200 is virtually unheard of. There are many criticisms that could be levelled against this pack, but indisputably it is a fantastic value. Ultimately, if someone is deciding between this pack and the Exos then they probably aren't the target customer for this pack. The Drop 40L is a weight conscious pack. If someone doesn't place value on that, then certainly they can get a lot more padding/features/frame/support/etc by opting for a heavier traditional pack.
(Edited)
Aug 28, 2019
dandurstonWell, to start with the weight. Thanks to the removable top pannel on the Exos you can get the weight to essentially the same, right at 2.3 lbs (40L is a few oz lighter still I think, this isnt the most accurate scale). Still, very very close. Also, this was with an aftermarket rainfly in the Exos, just to also have it be waterproof as well at this weight. So saying its "much heavier" is definitely not correct. With the rain fly, they will come in at about the same level of water resistance, again the 40L may be a little better, but with a proper rainfly for the bag, not by much and probably only a difference you can tell in extreme scenarios. Material wise, the 40L is definitely more substantial, the Exos and similar bags simply use the extra weight to allow for more space (48L vs 40L). Materials are good for sure. And totally shocking to me, the Klymit Splash 25 is the lightest of the 3, and it has 210d nylon with a 420d bottom and the airframe. It is also the most waterproof bag I've ever seen, basically being a comfortable wetbag with straps. You can literally use this to float down a river on, I've done it. This is definitely not the most comfortable pack in the world either, but with 10-15lbs (I don't really use this for backpacking, just specific hikes with tons of water) it is just fine with the airframe. It was also $30-$40 cheaper I belive. That being said, my argument here is mainly for comfort. The 40L is not a standout in comfort. It's no horrible, but its probably not in the top half of bags I've used. As I said, I do have an issue where many pinch the top of my back. I had around 12lbs in the packs when I did the hikes with the gear, I simply can't imagine putting 20+ lbs in this and hiking any substantial distance. When it comes to multiday hikes for me, I'll give up a lot, even carry a bit more weight, if a bag handles the weight and provides a higher level of comfort. For me, the comfort of a bag can really make or break a hike, especially over multiple consectutive days. If im going in wet, I'm going Splash25, and I've I'm out for days I'd still recommend something like the exos that has an emphasis on comfort and still manages to be in the ultralight family.
search
search
search

(Edited)
Sep 3, 2019
dandurston
5116
Dan Durston
Sep 3, 2019
bookmark_border
livingspeedbumpRespectfully, I think your points reflect the different categories these packs are in, moreso than the relative merits of any specific design. Here you are comparing this 40L lightweight pack with a 48L fairly traditional pack and a 25L drybag with straps. Certainly the larger/heavier pack with more padding and a more robust suspension will be more comfortable at a given load. And of course a drybag is more waterproof than typical pack construction. I don't see why it's "totally shocking" that a minimally featured 25L pack is lighter than a well featured 40L pack. I think it's much more remarkable that the Drop 40 and Splash 25 are both ~30oz despite the Drop 40 being 60% larger and offering vastly more in terms of features and suspension. It would be a more useful comparison to compare this pack to others in the same niche that someone might actually cross shop, such as the SWD Long Haul 40, HMG Windrider 2400, Hanchor Marl, Katabatic Onni and Waymark Thru 38. I suspect if you tried those packs, you'd find that you have many of the same critiques as you have here (e.g. they are less padded/supportive/comfortable than your more traditional Exos). I suspect with most of these competing packs you'd feel that way to an even greater extent since most of them lack horizontal structure and load lifters. You're also comparing a stripped weight of the Exos to a non-stripped weight of this pack, and they saying their weights are "essentially the same". That's tilting the playing field towards the Exos as far as you can, and it still leaves a substantial difference (any ultralighter would think is 0.2 lbs / 3oz is substantial). Looking at this another way, the Exos (41oz) + typical rain cover (3oz) is 44oz or almost 50% heavier while still being less waterproof and durable. Sure you can strip features to reduce the Exos to 2.3 lbs but it's already a less featured pack (e.g. 1 vs 4 external zipped pockets) and if you did that it's only fair to also strip the Drop 40 - which brings it down to about 1.5 lbs. Doing a fair comparison of pack weights is difficult because feature sets and material durability vary widely and it's hard if not impossible to standardize that. However, the Drop 40 is the more featured pack (e.g. shoulder strap pockets, hipbelt pockets, front zip pocket) so removing features from the Exos and then comparing it to the fully featured Drop 40 isn't levelling the playing field. If anything, it would be more fair to remove a few features from the Drop 40 and compare that weight to the fully featured Exos (which doesn't even have hipbelt pockets). All of this gets very complicated and debatable, but ultimately a pack's weight is largely the sum of it's features, frame and durability, where if a pack has a feature set that works well for the user without too many extras, an appropriate level of suspension, and good durability without overkill, then it's going to be a good match for that person and weigh about the same as another pack that is also a good match. The Exos invests a lot of weight in padding and suspension, which some users like yourself benefit from. Others won't value that but would value the quick access features, inherently greater waterproofness and more durable materials of the Drop 40. If there is a mis-match between what a user wants and the support, features and durability that the pack offers, that doesn't mean it is a bad pack. It's just not the right pack for that user. I think that's the case here, where you clearly value the suspension of a more traditional pack like the Exos while seemingly placing little value in the unique attributes that the Drop 40 offers. You state it has "no real benefits over any other bag" which is a strong statement and clearly not true. Compared to just the Exos, the Drop 40 is much more durable, more waterproof, higher end materials and hardware, has hipbelt pockets, shoulder strap pockets, unique/better side pockets etc. None of those are "real benefits"? Compared to other packs in its niche, we see many benefits like load lifters, horizontal frame structure, shoulder strap pockets etc. That goes unmentioned. Further making it difficult to see your review as fair is that you change the importance of different criteria depending on whether the advantage lies for or against the Drop 40. The Drop 40 is quite a bit more water resistant and easy to use in the rain than an Exos with a rain cover but you dismiss this as "only a difference you can tell in extreme scenarios" and "not a real benefit". Yet when you compare to the even more waterproof Splash 25 suddenly increased waterproofness is the top consideration with the Splash 25 being "amazing" compared to the Drop 40. No product could survive a review with tilt like that and this tilt is present throughout your review. Another quick example is that you say the Drop 40 "lacks all of the...features of the Exos" without mentioning any of the long list of Drop 40 features that the Exos lacks, nor that the Drop 40 is arguably the more featured pack. The Exos lacks basic features like hipbelt pockets (which almost every Exos review criticizes it for), yet here it's apparently the Drop 40 that's missing all the features. Anyways, you say your main issue is comfort. I'm not sure I can speak to this much because you note that many packs pinch your back, and this occurs at weights as low as 12 lbs, where most people would be happy without a frame, hipbelt or thick padding at all. It sounds like you have a unique situation with your body where it is better suited to pack with a more substantial frame/harness/padding, and the Drop 40 isn't the right pack for you. Check out the ULA Epic that is as waterproof as your Splash and has a frame more substantial than your Exos.
(Edited)
Sep 3, 2019
dandurstonFirst, what do you see the main use for this bag for then? This is probably the largest confusion for me, and why I mention other bags. Sure, I see some niche scenarios for this bag. If I'm going on a multiday hike where I know I'm going to get dunked on by some rain, yeah, I'll bring this over any other bag in my arsenal. But then again, why would I do a hike where I know I'll get dunked on, so far I've never done that. For me, this would be an extreme scenario. Sure, hiking overseas this can be common, especially in Asia. So see the use there. But for regular rain, a rainshell will do just as well. And when I'm going to basically be river crossing, swimming, I'm going for a bag that is 100% waterproof that I would feel comfortable putting a laptop in even and throwing it in a river. Again, this is a super niche hike even for me, and I have the cheap bag in the Klymit that does this well. Would I do a multiday hike with it though? Nah, not what the bag is really even made for. But overall, for ultralight hiking I'm going minimalist and comfortable. You say I'm unfair, but I'm going off of my own experience here. If thats no fair to you, so be it. I buy bags for specific scenarios. Multiday hiking with possibility of some bad weather (most common). Day bag, commuter biking bag, boating and/or riving crossing/canyoneering hike. So there are tons of bags that do all of these things better, again, bringing me back to the first question here - what is the place for this bag that is middleground in everything? You mentioned how this was a weight conscious bag, so I did indeed strip the Exos as I said (takes all of 2 seconds and 2 clips to strip). I can strip this as well to compare the weight later, but stripping the 40L seems kinda like a big pain in the ass and definitely not a super quick action. Yeah the new Exos (have an older one as well) lacks hip pockets. And yeah, tons of people will say "you had it right the first time" or something to that extent in their reviews. I never really used them even when I have them, obviously they are a plus if you require them. To me, it sounds like this bag just lacks direction, and that doesn't mean it doesnt have a specific direction or market, it just means that I have no idea what that is. "Efficiency, simplicity, longevity, and comfort." - although it may have aspects of all of these, I think knowing what the actual inteded scenarios you see this bag exceling at would be helpful to actually spell out in the description then. Seems like you just want to disregard me as unfair, but again, I'm simply going off of unbiased opinons after using it trying to figure out what I would use it for.
Sep 5, 2019
dandurston
5116
Dan Durston
Sep 5, 2019
bookmark_border
livingspeedbumpThis pack is intended for fast/light/efficient, multi-day hiking with a possibility of bad weather. Once the loads get lighter (e.g. 20 - 25 lbs total) then aspects like padding and suspension become less important (although not to everyone - clearly you still prefer a more robust suspension), and other things become more important like being able to access gear on the move so you can cover 20, 30, 40 miles per day. At the extreme end of this spectrum lies running packs which have a flurry of pockets and near zero frame and padding, but much more popular are the lightweight or fast hiking packs where people are hiking longer/faster/harder by combining a light load that doesn't need as much suspension with quick access features, so they can spend more time hiking and less time rooting through their pack. This is perhaps the largest niche in backpacking today, with huge selling packs like the Zpacks Arc Blast, HMG Windrider, ULA Ohm and SWD Long Haul 40. These packs are some of the most popular packs on the Pacific Crest Trail. Those packs all have suspensions, features and materials that are inferior to your Exos, but similar to the Drop 40. The Exos is a much more traditional pack in the sense that it invests weight almost entirely in the suspension. It's all about carrying the load. It has a robust frame and padding, but almost no thought to hiking efficiency (e.g. not having to stop to take your pack off). So it has old fashioned features like the lid and pockets on the inside, while being devoid of modern features like shoulder pockets, hipbelt pockets and bottom pockets. The Exos is a light pack mostly because it uses very light fabrics, but is still very traditional in the design. The Drop 40 is a forward thinking pack at the other end of that spectrum. It has enough of a frame/suspension that most people will find it sufficient with 20-30 lbs loads, but it's not the focus point of the pack. Attributes like weight, versatility and quick access are just as important as load hauling. That's why instead of 15mm padding it has features like the QuickPocket where you can securely store larger items within easy reach. You can pull out your lunch and eat it on the move, or store hats, mitts, maps etc so you don't have to take off the pack whenever you need something. You can have sunglasses in the shoulder pockets, bars in the hipbelts etc. Some of that you can do with the Exos but not nearly to the same extent. Your main arguments for the Drop 40 "lacking direction" (less robust frame, waterproof fabrics) also apply to almost every pack in this popular niche. Let's dive a little deeper in your most developed argument, which is the waterproofness one where you argue there is no real benefit to the waterproof fabric (over using a rain cover) in the context of backpacking. You support this conclusion by lumping your hiking into two categories where there is either minimal risk of rain (take the Exos) or going to be drenching (take the drybag). Sure if you only hike when the weather is either perfect or torrential then the waterproof fabric of the Drop 40 might not be a benefit to you, but I think most hiking occurs in conditions that fall into the huge area between these categories (e.g. where there is some chance of rain at some point). You do suggest adding a rain cover solves the rain problem for your Exos. I quite disagree here, and think the market agrees with me because rain covers are becoming obsolete and backpacks are switching to laminate fabrics except for the cheapest ones. If you have a rain cover, then when it rains you have to (1) take your pack off and put it on, (2) take it off whenever you want to access inside your pack, (3) have it cover all your external pockets so you're not grabbing anything on the move without extra hassle, (4) have water running down your back soaking into the pack's backpanel so it eventually gets soaked, and (5) pack up the wet cover later when the rain stops and (6) unpack it at home to dry it. A pack built of waterproof materials has none of that. It just works. It's lighter because having a plastic layer inside the fabric means you don't need an attachment system/elastic, you don't have the hassle of putting it on/off, you don't lose it bushwacking or tear it, and it's more waterproof even if it's not suitable for submersion. So it's better in every regard. Packs like this tend to be waterproof enough that you can hike all day in the rain and you're stuff will still be pretty much dry - certainly much drier than another pack with a rain cover. I do use a pack liner (much better than a cover) when whitewater paddling but otherwise it's waterproof enough. Overall, truly waterproof fabrics are a meaningfully better approach for backpacking by virtue of being simpler, lighter and higher performance. Again, several of the top 5 selling backpacks now use this type of material. You may not appreciate this, but it is the future of backpacks. I'm writing yet another much too long post, so I'll try to wrap this up by arguing for the appropriate criteria to evaluate this pack. I realize everyone has their own set of experiences/needs which influence how they evaluate something, and that's fine, but it also limits what conclusions can be drawn. If traditional metrics like load carrying are the main emphasis for an evaluation of a fast/light/forward thinking pack, it's not going to stack up that well just like how a traditional pack wouldn't stack up well if someone's main criteria were more lightweight/modern. I could review the Exos and say "Geez this pack is 40oz yet doesn't even have hipbelt pockets, nor shoulder strap pockets, nor durable fabrics and it still needs a rain cover - the 19oz Palante Simple pack that does all that". That statement is correct but it would be unfair to conclude the Exos is a bad pack based on that when it isn't trying to satisfy those things. The appropriate conclusion would be that if you're looking for a tiny frameless pack, then don't buy the Exos. Similarly, the Drop 40 isn't aligned with your needs/wants, but that doesn't mean it's lacking direction or a 2 star pack. It just means you like traditional packs and this isn't one of those. The Drop 40 is aimed pretty well down the center of a huge niche. The major elements like the pack weight, frame style, fabrics and features are typical of that niche. Seemingly you’re not familiar with the niche this pack targets and thus aren’t really in a position to evaluate it against its peers.
(Edited)
Sep 5, 2019
dandurstonGuess it comes down to what you need and personal experience. I've hiked the entire Appalachian Trail (still new to PNW), and I did it with a rather crap oversized 70L bag from Amazon. 3 dry sacks (tent, sleeping bag, electronics) did the trick for me then. I learned a lot of lessons and saw a lot of issues with the gear I packed or didn't pack, as I really did it on the cheap as a broke college student without much experience at all. Had friends ship some items out to me along the way to help, but the bag just never got replaced during the trip. The bag (Seen in some of the pics) is surprisingly in good shape, no real holes or issues even after months of daily use. So for me personally, I'm never overly concerned with durability as long as it is made with quality materials. Personal experience. And like I mentioned, I have an all around bag (Exos) and specialized bags (Klymit for water, Imlay Kolab Hybrid for canyoneering, etc). I'm certainly not the only one with this mindset, as I've definitely been guided over the years by people with far more experience than I'll ever have, many of whom have the same bag mentality. I definitely have a prioritized list of features I want in a bag, such as comfort, that really have no alternative fix. It doesn't mean other features aren't nice (like waterproof or pockets), but in my experience fixing those issues is easy if they are super important. Wet bag, fanny pack, etc. Not ideal, but certainly not any real PITA either. All the other features are give and take for me. 40L has great hip pocket, Exos has great ice axe and hiking pole storage with bladder support, 40L has durable waterproof material, etc, etc etc. So if you want a bag like this, yeah the 40L is definitely on the more affordable end of the spectrum, probably a great buy for you. For me, this bag is still a no go. This comes from my experiences and my preferences, however fair or unfair you think that is. I was told to review this bag, not shill it.
Sep 6, 2019
dandurston
5116
Dan Durston
Sep 6, 2019
bookmark_border
livingspeedbumpI certainly wouldn't expect you to shill the bag. By all means write a critical review (I certainly do on my blog) and I certainly don't expect the bag to fit everyones needs. What I said was unfair were statements that were strongly uncharitable or false, such as "no real advantage over any other bag" which is clearly wrong (does every bag surpass the Drop 40 in every regard?). This statement is also contradicted by your more recent comments (e.g. "40L has great hip pockets"). Similarly, it's not an even handed approach to say the Exos and Drop 40 weights are "essentially the same" because you took the 35% heavier Exos that is already less featured and then removed even more features to get it down to 10% heavier. Imagine this unfairness tilted in the other direction where a reviewer strips the Drop 40 to 24oz so they can conclude the Exos weighs double. These sort of comparisons are only fair if a genuine effort is made to make it fair rather than cherry picking a spec to make a particular point. Fair would be something like "Users valuing more load carrying ability can get a pack like the Exos with a more substantial suspension for a moderate increase in weight".
(Edited)
Sep 6, 2019
dandurstonCool, next time review your own product. I certainly wont.
(Edited)
Sep 6, 2019
kincheng
48
Sep 11, 2019
bookmark_border
livingspeedbumpIf someone prefers sedans over sports cars, that's fine. Though, it's hardly a review if you don't detail objective functionality or compare with other products in the segment.
Sep 11, 2019
musgrat
41
Oct 7, 2019
bookmark_border
livingspeedbumpNobody needs you to. There are plenty of people out there to review products, and hopefully only the ones doing it fairly need to keep doing it. For what it's worth, I thought your review was skewed towards the bag (bags actually, you loved the exos so much you have the new version too) that you normally use and already love. You weren't really reviewing the Drop40, you were trying to see if it could do things that your exos can't do. Since you can strip down your exos, and it is more comfortable, you like it better. That's fine! This isn't the bag for you. All that said, your review was at least informative. Thanks for that, even if you are pouting and sulking here at the end of this internet conversation lol.
Oct 7, 2019
MTTurtle
87
Oct 7, 2019
bookmark_border
musgratThis community has to many Durston fan boys (I can be guilty of that). Livingspeedbump gave an honest review. The pack definitely has room for improvement. I feel Drop stumbled pretty bad on the bags launch, and hopefully they LL fix it before the official.
Oct 7, 2019
Tctower12
106
Jan 4, 2020
bookmark_border
MTTurtleI read the review three times to see if I could get some value from the points and make a more informed decision on a purchase. The simple fact that the reviewer doesn’t seem to understand the context of this pack, what it’s competing against, and what the very basic premise of its functionality is makes the review useless. I’m not sure “ honest” is the correct vernacular to describe his review. Convoluted would be better. No self awareness around the product category to be able to say “ I get a lot of people use these minimalist things but they just don’t work for me “ and then try to be objective about what features that group of people might appreciate. Self declaring he saw no fit for the product in the market immediately disqualified the review. Because people like the pack or are defending it doesn’t automatically make them part of a Durston fan club. I suspect this is the target demographic who value the construction and features of this TYPE of pack...
Jan 4, 2020
Roadscrape88
2
Jan 31, 2020
bookmark_border
livingspeedbumplivingspeedbump, since you don't need the Durston 40L pack I would be happy to buy it from you. I currently use a Gossamer Gear Kumo 30L frameless which is wonderful up to about 23 lbs. Fit should always be the first priority and I'm confident the Durston 40L will fit me just fine.
Jan 31, 2020
Valgal
31
Mar 28, 2020
bookmark_border
livingspeedbumpI am jealous of your walk-in backpacking closet.
Mar 28, 2020
Tbrad425
122
Apr 5, 2020
bookmark_border
dandurstonI overwhelmingly agree with Dan in that the addition of the hip belt and shoulder pockets make it a substantial improvement over the Exos. I have an Exos and have used it on thru hikes. It is comfortable, but the lack of hip belt pockets alone made me start searching for another pack. When I am hiking, I do not want to stop and take off my pack every time I want to have a snack, take a picture, get my sunglasses, put on chapstick, etc. l didn't realize what a bother this was until I had to do it hundreds of times. I didn't want to add more weight by adding a fanny pack and I tried adding hip belt and shoulder pockets, but they just don't work as well as pockets that are part of the original bag. The Exos is a great pack, it just doesn't work for me and doesn't have the attributes I need in an ultralite bag. My average total pack weight (TPW) is about 25 pounds for five days, 30 if I am in an arid region and need extra water. Like most packs I own, I am sure the more weight I add the less comfortable it becomes. For me, this pack is hitting a sweet spot that I cannot find in the current market to include pack weight, attributes, durability, water resistance, and let's not forget the sweet price. Packs, like shoes are highly personal and this is my ten cents on the subject.
Apr 5, 2020
CombatCivvy
25
Jul 15, 2020
bookmark_border
dandurstonHi Dan. I ordered one of these but it’s never arrived and can’t get a response from Drop so they can raise an investigation with DHL their courier. Any ideas? John
Jul 15, 2020
dandurston
5116
Dan Durston
Jul 15, 2020
bookmark_border
CombatCivvySorry to hear about this. Have you checked the tracking info on your profile? If you go to your profile -> transactions -> active, then you should be able to see the tracking info and the status. Not sure if you can contact the courier from there or not. When did you contact Drop? And did you do it through your profile (where you are an existing customer and thus likely easier to get in touch)? They can take a few days sometimes but should write back.
Jul 15, 2020
CombatCivvy
25
Jul 16, 2020
bookmark_border
dandurstonYes Dan I have the package details but everyone claiming they don’t have it and all I can do is trace back to the sender and they have to raise an investigation via their DHL account. Contacted Drop on my account yes a fair few days ago and also tried to contact them via Twitter but nothing. do you have a way of contacting them?
Jul 16, 2020
dandurston
5116
Dan Durston
Jul 17, 2020
bookmark_border
CombatCivvyI don't have a good way of contacting them because I get in touch with various design folk, who would have to relay the message over to customer service where it can get lost along the way. It seems like sometimes it does take Drop a week or so to respond, but they seem to always respond at least eventuallly. How long has it been now since you messaged them?
Jul 17, 2020
See More Reviews