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Actionjackson
1
Dec 7, 2017
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I purchased the new Crown2 last spring with my REI dividend. I was out in West Texas just this past weekend, hiking with some of our boy scouts preparing for their Philmont trek next summer. I really loved how this pack carried. It's two pounds lighter than what I used at Philmont three years ago. I carried three smartwater bottles and a one-liter Gatorade bottle in the side pockets. I started off with the lid on, and as food stores went down, I just placed the lid inside the pack and used the roll top. I used the lid and its straps to hold my ccf pad in place early, then the top strap over the roll top later. We had been backpacking for hours before I even had a thought about my back. The thought turned out to be, 'hey, I'm barely sweating back there - that ventilated foam panel is really doing the trick."
Your improvements are spot-on. The angled side pockets will be better for water containers. The longer straps on the back will provide more flexibility. And giving the lid more volume is the right way to go; it's probably on the smallish side on the Crown2. My previous pack's lid could be used as a fanny pack, it had its own belt because the pack's hip belt was attached to the backpack. That meant when you used the lid on its own, you didn't have your hip belt pockets, too, and you had to transfer stuff. The detachable hip belt with its pockets and the lid is a great system -- adds more volume and reduces weight.
Are we talking about the same material throughout, including the side pockets?
This looks like a definite winner, Danny. I already have the Crown2, and with these improvements and at this price, I just might get one and let my son have my Crown2.
Dec 7, 2017
DannyMilks
4557
Dec 7, 2017
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ActionjacksonThanks for posting! Your son would be lucky to have your Crown 2 - what a nice parent you are :)
This pack uses the same Robic fabric and stretch mesh as with the regular Crown 2. All the great things you mentioned about your experience with the Crown 2 remain, and we've just made slight tweaks based off of member feedback like yours.
To clarify one point, we didn't add volume to the lid. We simply added mesh pockets to the bottom of the interior, so you could better utilize that existing space.
Dec 7, 2017
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