Derd H. from United States, MI Public Profile

After 2 weeks of research I accidently bumped into Mountainsmith's products and boy am I glad I did!

The approach 45 does most things right, but most importantly, the overall feel of this product is unparalleled compared to it's competition (read Osprey, Rei, Kelty). The material feels much more rugged, the zippers are more substantial and the mesh on the back and the straps screams quality all over!

I guess the main use of this bag would be as a travel bag, but it makes for an, if you are not too serious about hiking, excellent hike pack. The fact that you can't hide the straps doesn't bother me at all - I would much rather have a more versatile pack than a dedicated travel pack. The size of it is more than sufficient for a "warm weather travel" including an extra pair of shoes, regular towels and a coat!

This pack has many pros, so not to waste your time I'll just say I highly recommend it and will rather focus on the cons:
1. The main compartment has no separate compartments or mesh except the one sleeve you can use for hydration packs or a 15" laptop (but it is not padded). A zippered mesh sleeve on the inner side of the cover would be welcome.
2. The mesh side pockets for water are not angled for easy access and could have been a bit larger (you can't fit a shoe in there). You can fit a large water bottle, but it is a bit inconvenient to reach and pull out... If you don't hike a lot you should take this very lightly.
3. The large mesh pocket on the front is also small