I've had this pack since 2006 (8 years) and I have used it almost daily during that time to carry school stuff, from high school to college and now grad school. It has also been used extensively as a day pack for hiking. I love this pack! It has stood up to all the abuse very well, and is still fully functional. Worn, but functional.
The pack, however, will not give you the more modern features. In particular I miss having a sternum strap, and the belt on this pack is pretty much useless (I took it off long ago). I also removed the backboard. I've also always wondered why the front pocket has both a zipper and a strap.
I came back to the sight to look into purchasing another, but based on some of the lower starred reviews it seems that the pack has changed for the worse since I got mine, so take this with a grain of salt.
Wearing the bag and acting like a moron in Boulder, CO. Backpack is about 7 years old in this picture.
I've had this backpack since about 2004 and its travelled all over the world with. I would highly recommend this pack to anybody that wants a good, heavy-duty day-pack. It can hold plenty of water, food, or small equipment for days exploring. I commonly have people stop and ask me about the pack, even at 10 years old. I'll probably get another one, assuming this backpack is still being sold in another 10-15 years.
One recommendation I do have for people who buy this backpack, treat the bag with respect, and it will be marvelous! Every couple years, I seal the bag with a waterproofer because I've been caught in the rain numerous times. Speaking of rain, the backpack withstood Beijing's nasty acid rain and smog like a champ!
I bought this bag one year ago and am now doing a review so you'll all understand how this bag holds up after a year's worth of use.
The bag has held up well overall. Like other posters have mentioned, the leather does frays on the edges almost immediately, but doesn't affect its utility--just the aesthetics.
The biggest problem with this backpack becomes noticeable right away: The straps desperately need a neoprene layer between the fabric. Because the straps are only cloth, they role up after a day's use and make what should be a nice wide strap feel like a piece of rope on both shoulders. It makes long hikes uncomfortable because of the narrow pressure it places on your shoulders.
The waist straps are useless as they don't actually fit on your waist. Fortunately, they can just be tucked away. This backpack could also use a chest strap to keep the shoulder straps together--though if the shoulders had neoprene it might not matter.
Overall, this is a good backpack with a vast amount of storage space that is underutilized because a lot of weight makes the pack uncomfortable. With a few modifications this could be the best bag ever, but until then it is simply average.
