It was my first pack, sturdy as fuck.did several tours from coast to coast to coast to coast...
here is the damage report: about a year of continuous use and the drawstring that pulls the expandable part shut broke off, extremely minor and I never bothered to rellace it, just folded the expandable part up nice and made sure the lid was cinched tight. I never found myself missing the draw string and I don't think this pack is comfortable if you're filling it so full you have to use the expanding part.
After 2.5 years, ish, the leather strap on the bottom, the part with the holes, finally just eroded off at one of the holes. This would have been a problem, but I had always wore the straps kinda loose so I just used one of the other holes. Does that make sense? It would be like if you had a leather belt break but you could still use it, just it would be a little shorter than before.
This year, for the very first time there was a little nick in the vinyl (an easy repair with duct tape and super glue). The metal bolts that kept the leather layer of the back.support had been ground down so much from concrete or whatever was only aesthetic issue but did nothing to functionality. Let me reiterate that I have thrown this thing off of trains, down ravines, in and out of trucks, it got USED and never failed me, loooved it.
Don't let the other posters talking about the straps discourage you. I don't mean to sound like a bitch but it isn't torturous or anything, I would rather have those straps than one that is prone to breaking or tearing or carrying a park bench, I mean pickle pack, on my back.
you could probably pad the straps or you could just deal with it. This pack is not good for those who hoard. I can be prone to this, and I am speaking from experience.
I fucking loved the fact that it was waterproof. I don't roll with a tent, just tarp and rope. Sometimes the tarp tents we build are discreet but not roomy... I have left the pack out in incredible downpours to free up room in the tarp tent and my belongings were bone dry in the morning. On that same note, anything that is put away wet will stay wet, so be mindful.
I actually had to switch to a new pack (large ALICE, aluminum frame, with the quick release straps and the padded kidney belt thing, if you are curious) so I sent the swiss bag back in the mail to be safekept. I have two ferrets and mi esposo has a dog, it may work for others but I would find this pack to be inadequate, size wise, for people with pets to carry everything necessary to take care of themselves and their pets. That is my personal opinion. I am 99% sure people have had pets and swiss packs. The combat strap *is* useful for a convenient spot to attach a leash for a moment.
I wanna finish by saying this is a great pack... be sure to get a good one though because I have seen cheaper knockoffs... The straps look like rubberized patent pleather and the quality is night and day from "the real deal". I bought mine used at a surplus store for $40 to $45 dollars and it still had the postal address of pfc hans jean-baptiste or whoever the hell owned it before me. Plus, having the swiss pack helped me appreciate all the good parts and shitty parts of my ALICE pack.
Highly recommended!
Also, embleerrah!? I am a huuuge WD fan. My back patch is the black rabbit of inle'.
also thread necromancy much? the original post is like two years old, haha.
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