Along the way you’ll cross paths with fewer people than you can count on two hands—just keep an eye out for mountain bikers and horseback riders who frequent the multi-use sections of the trail. I tried actually sewing one on, but I don’t have the right size buckle to go with the strap, so might won’t hold tight. I also use a Marmot 20 liter pack which does have a thin hipbelt, but it is more limited space-wise and weighs a couple of ounces more. By default, this unexpectedly ended up being my go-to daily bag for several months. It’s been stuffed to capacity with almost everything I had to carry, including, but not limited to, outerwear, lunch, groceries, laptop, iPad, a Bose speaker, and combinations thereof. I am a 6-foot tall male, weighing 185 lbs and it fits just as well as other day packs I’ve tried.
I contemplated stepping down to the 45 degree bag, but thankfully, did not. For the second overnight hike in which I used the pack, I left the hammock at home and stuffed an REI Stratus insulated pad and lightweight bivy inside. I was a little concerned with how the straps would distribute weight. Prior ozark trail canopy to taking it out on the trail, I did give it two coats of silicone spray so that it would shed water. Packing-wise, I chose to line it with a garbage disposal liner. You may encounter some natural hazards when hiking through the wilderness, but it shouldn’t deter you from enjoying the outdoors.
For the end-door variants, one has to toss their sleeping bag down the tent when getting ready for bed. Other items that you may want to keep at the foot of the sleeping area are also hard to access or reach if your head is near the door. For these styles, it seems most people want their head at the door side and so they have a constraint for which way the tent is set up if the ground is not flat. On the other hand, accessing the tent from the middle, or on the long side, gives one more degree of freedom.
Specific water sources are indicated on Ozark Trail online and printed maps. Join Outside+ to get access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. Try out unlimited access with 7 days of Outside+ for free.
With a 1-person tent, that doesn’t really make as much sense. After all, I was carrying the whole thing and so it might as well be connected. Essentially, the rain fly for the Ozark Trail was integrated into the tent directly. At 35 liters, this pack is perfect for day trips or for hikers who don’t need to carry a lot of gear on the trails. Also a good choice for youngsters who are new to hiking, or who need a rugged pack for toting school items. This hydration compatible backpack has a connection for a water bladder built in to the design.
However, some sources may run dry during extended periods of drought. Plan accordingly and carry or cache water in case you are not able to find a source close by. Always treat any water for drinking and cooking along the trail.
True, I wasn’t able to remove the rain fly to watch the stars or let the wind ventilate my tent, but I was able to enjoy the day hikes without any sort of worry. In essence, I had committed to the permanent rainfly option by default and there was a certain contentedness that came with that. The first good design feature is the placement of the door on the side, and more specifically on the long side of the tent. I’ve tried tents with the door on one end and it is cumbersome.
I use this pack on a daily basis to carry my office clothes while I ride my bike to work and to carry light loads while out Geocaching. I priced other internal frame daypacks before my trip and this was by far the cheapest. I took this pack on a 5-day mountain bike ride from Pittsburgh, Pa., to Washington, D.C., and it performed very well. Estimated shipping time is approximately 3-5 business days from the time your order is placed and is subject to change. The coolers remained in the same location for the duration of the 6 day test, only being opened to snap daily progress pictures.
It also includes loops to hang your trekking poles when not in use. Jansport has been making affordable, quality packs for a long time, and the West Break is just another example of that. It’s a straightforward pack design, but the 600 denier TPU bottom will hold up to the abuses of everyday use. An internal sleeve accepts laptops up to 15” and helps keep things organized.