Not the pack of old.... - Kelty Trekker 65 Pack

I am offering my opinion of the trekker pack based on two weekend trips into the bush in Queensland, Australia. I first started carrying Kelty packs in the last century, when I was a teen. Back then the hip belts were just thick canvass, and we did get raw!. Still, the frames and bags were great, and it was what was going at the time. After college, I worked for six years as an instructor at NOLS, which is based in Lander, Wyoming. (1977-1983) We used the Kelty frames, with specially designed bags. As an instructor, the loads were often close to 75 lbs, and 80 was exceeding my comfort range. The hip belts and back bands were very comfortable, and stayed adjusted throughout the day. Fast forward to 2015. I have not been a fan of internal frame packs for heavy loads, and so , I recently bought a new Kelty for hikes in Australia. I do not carry 75 lbs anymore- more like 50-55lbs, but I wanted the capacity that the frame with a top and bottom bag offer, as my partner cannot carry as much as I can. Kelty has changed its design to make the frame adjustable in length. ( it used to be three sizes) The back suspension netting is limited to its positioning by its design, as the cut outs have to accommodate the frame pin, and does not sit high enough on the shoulder blades. The straps used for tensioning the the back band slip over time, and are a challenge to draw tight enough in the first place. They have changed the way the bag is attached to the frame. There used to be one wire that secured the clevis pins. Each pin now has a split ring, which turns out to be ok, as after having adjusted the frame to my body length, the bottom attachment points of the bag no longer line up with the holes in the frame, so I have had to leave these off. I rely on the straps looped though the lower crossbar to keep the bottom of the pack in place. They have changed the hip belt assembly well. It is now very wide and soft- but no longer does it support the load as well as the older version. Again, the straps for the lower band-pelvis pad are hard to tension, and slip during the day, requiring re-tensioning at the breaks. The old system offered some mechanical advantage, and the line (parachute chord) was pinched by a grommet and could not slip. It would stay tight for 35 days. During the day of hiking the hip belt continually needs to be adjusted and tightened, as it does not stay on my hips like the old one used to.

So- in my opinion, Kelty has not gotten any better, and in fact is worse than what they offered in the 80's. There have to be better alternatives out there if you want an external frame pack that will carry a real load.

This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.