WILD ROCKET

Hiked every prefecture of Japan with this. I'll be favorably honest about this in my review. Overall, it's a great bag. Everyone commented so. I agree. However, let's go over the pros can cons honestly. Pros. Durability - this thing is a tank. It will survive whatever you put it through. Survivability (yours) - In Kyushu I came between a bear hunting a boar. I had to hike out of the area on alone for several hours. I was able to carry two large water bottles in the pockets. As well, two large ones on top (inside). This gave me the ability to continue walking from sunset to dawn. I lost little endurance and it has a plastic plate in the back, giving it firmness other bags lack. It really helps. The straps are very comfortable despite remaining around 40 kg. This meant I could walk all night despite the animal confrontation without having to struggle because of the bag. Con. - Waterproofing. It doesn't have any. This meant that in both Kyushu and northern Japan the humidity got through the material easily in the south and rains in the north. I used simple large trash bags to overcome this and it worked fine. I put everything I didn't want wet inside those and continued. No issues. Con. (cautionary interpretation) - The ONE consistent issue I had with the bag nearly every day was that it is about 1 cm to 1.5 cm too small. This is hard to explain. Honestly, it is. The bag is VERY transformative. Capable of holding a lot more than you'd ever expect. And you can get by with very little in Japan if you've planned well. Even so, I'd say overall there is a consistent issue I'd run into where I would like to fit just a little more into it. In these moments it seemed to be a circumference issue. Since the material doesn't stretch there's no way to force it. This isn't typically an issue until it is. So, heaving a little extra 'budge' room would have helped. Typically this issue would come up when packing something unexpected. Perhaps I needed to carry a case or notepad. But the frontal pockets aren't really practical for much (or even accessible sometimes) if the bag is really loaded up. This leads to wishing for just a few extra millimeters. After weeks of re-encountering this challenge I realized that overall the bag wants about 1.0 centimeters to 1.5 "somehow". I leave this up to others to speculate on. I'm not sure how to achieve this without losing something of functionality elsewhere. For instance, it's a rather stiff bag. Which means it is reliable in what you can expect of it day to day. No changes. No messing around trying to make it sit right, form right, and stay how you arranged things. Changing that firmness might mess with this bonus. Pros. It's firm, but transformative. This thing can do so much. The huge side pockets means you can just pack this thing up and still have room for water. I don't use hiking poles, but that might change on day. There's some slots built into the side pockets, but separate from them. There you can slide poles between the main body and the side pocket body (which is of the same indestructible material as the rest). Overall, giving you a lot of manageable versatility. That is, it doesn't do too much, but it does far more than you'd expect. Far, far, more. I was able to carry enough clothes for a week, a second smaller backpack, military grade bivy, hammock, straps, water, notebook, survival kit, monoscope, and a still find ways to fit a little extra each day. Even carried a thick pair of extra shoes for a few weeks despite all the rest. Pros. This is a mild pro. It's weight is pretty overall okay. I'd say it is on the heavier side for bags, but the odd strap system actually works to your benefit pretty obviously once you start using it. Rather than a single fix strap at the hip you've got two that join to one point. This really lets you decide where the balance is going. I skeptical when I bought it, but in retrospect I love the system. Pros. Expansiveness. One of the things about these open top bags is they can be worthless garbage or a real benefit. There's no in-between. Either it works or you hate yourself until you toss the thing. This works and well. I was always able to "go up" when I couldn't "go out". So, despite my somewhat lengthy complaint about needing a little extra room at times somewhere? It overall is made up for in this "up over out" philosophy it has going for it. I used this thing as luggage (my only luggage) the trip. It worked fantastically. I was able to put all of my camping gear in it. All of my clothing. And still have room to eventually bring home some 40 books along side all that. This thing really can hold more than you expect, but you've got to give it some serious trail and error. Cons. This a minor one, but I think worth mentioning. Also it isn't the fault of the bag. Other bag makers are currently making it so that the lower bag slot area is "side to side" rather than "forward and back" for the straps. This meant that despite numerous attempts I wasn't able to confidentially secure anything to the bottom of the bag without climbing rope or paracord. This became a temporary problem in a few moments when carrying too much. I could have added more to the bag, but I never really felt comfortable putting it on the bottom. If the straps could have had two side to side as well or be unclipped there things might have been more manageable. However, I generally think this is one of those problems that if you try to solve it by such an approach then someone else (another manufacturer will screw it up again for you). Eg. Northface and Patagonia. Here the issue is that if you put the straps side to side rather than forward and back, what would happen? Patagonia and Northface would start going front to back because of this exact complaint. And if you fix it? They will reverse it again. Plus, a lot of these extra bags are kind idiotic design philosophies anyway. More of an expensive accessory with limited use. However, this issue is extended by problems in the industry more unilaterally. Everyone is building sleeping-bag-bags without straps on them. Which means that no matter how tightly you secure them eventually they just "slip out". So, I think this isn't a problem of the bag itself in its design, but rather that the industry is brain dead in sleeping bag design. Which then goes on to affect bivy bags and every other kind of bag. Con-Flip: Because the industry is currently aping-one another rather than demonstrating even a remote sign of intelligence (besides possibly Patagonia in one instance) the "inside rather than outside" philosophy of this bag's design actually reverses my complaints above a lot. The industry isn't really working with molle intelligently most of the time. So, rather than go wild with these things like a decade ago people are internalizing storage. Pros. I had absolutely no issues with the Zippers or Straps. Cons. I would say that the external pockets on the back of the bag (there are two) are not "bulgy" enough when the bag is fully loaded. Meaning you've largely go to abandon them or only use them for "flat and foldables". Endurance: I felt like in some ways you could "over do it" with this bag. Meaning, I could put more in it than I myself could physically handle carrying at times. I'd call this a plus ad it really helped with the versatility. However, I would keep in mind that in Japan things are made to be compact and practically transformer-like. So, typically I was always able to get something, make something, or use something I already had there to get more bang for my buck. When hiking in the main US, South America, Canada, or Alaska options are typically less intelligently made. You get what is available and it is usually bulky or "novel" rather than functional. Camping gear has somewhat turned into a luxury experience without the longterm planning and survival aspects of a decade ago. I love this in a lot of ways because the clothing quality really has improved in many ways. Especially at the more top end items. On the other hand, if you aren't buying ultralight a lot of the issues of "added bulk, but no added function" still come up. I ended up buying a Millet Coat and shipping home my down jacket. That was a month ago and since it still hasn't arrived I'm not expecting to see it again. Good job, Trump. Thank you for making mailing anything to and from Japan to the US a giant asinine struggle. Well done. Everyone loves you. I think you want to consider your equipment with this bag carefully. That is perhaps the takeaway I would come to after a month and a half with it. In the tropics you're going to be wet from saturation. In the artic or near artic you're going to also be wet, but from downpour. This isn't a fault of the bag. It is designed to be durable and versatile. It accomplishes both easily. But you need to pack into it what packs tight. So, you're buying top end gear and packing ultralight a lot of the time. It definitely will do a lot for those wanting to go hunting as well. I could easily see this thing being ultra enduring for that, too. Struggles with "having enough" emerge if you're packing it with anything "thick and fluffy" while also planning a long distance hike over a month or more like mine. In those situations it might have issues, but still out pace any other bag I've encountered yet. Especially with the plastic plate in the back. I wasn't sure about it, but overall it really does save your back a tremendous amount of irritation and other dangers. I'd say it is a 4 star overall, but because I haven't found anything else remotely close to making me want to replace it? It's a 5 star. Great design.

I was super stoked to give this a test as I was hoping to use it for my hunting set up everything about the pack itself is super strong and amazing quality I especially liked the pouch layout and storage ability. It does need a better design of how it connects to the person maybe a more backpacker pack set up. If your hiking regular by day 2 it takes a toll on the back and shoulders

The material doesn’t stretch much but the Molle allow for customization.

I had been looking for a new pack for a while! Something in between my 25L daypack/hunting bag, and my 90L old school Alice pack with aluminum frame! I tried one of those military style 2 day packs, big mistake, round items like stuff sacks or cooking kits just don’t fit in those! This is a bucket style main pack. The main compartment enclosure is a roll top like a dry bag but, this not a dry bag! So there is no “lid” ! The two front pockets are huge! Each has mesh dividers of varying sizes to organize gear and are zipped enclosures. The side pockets are very large, I can put two 32oz bottles in each, with room to spare! The side pockets also have a pass through sleeve behind them! Super important to carry a camp axe, saw, trekking poles etc. That’s just the utility of it, the comfort is equal to expensive hiking packs! Fully adjustable shoulder straps, with D rings and loops, sternum strap ! Removable, multi adjustable waist strap! Excellent quality,Excellent design and materials!

Very pleased with this purchase. Excellent backpack. Hype worthy. Quality material, construction and design. I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a high quality 45 liter Alice pack. Great price!

Having cut my teeth on the U.S. Alice Pack,(I still use a small Alice), I really like this pack. Up ridge lines and busting brush, it carries very well. With the minimal amount of MOLLE webbing, it doesn’t catch limbs or vines, and doesn’t look “tacticool “. I find the roll top handy, and enjoy it not having a dozen compartments inside. The pack is well made, and has more than enough room for what I need. To me, it’s a real value. There is nothing perfect in this world, but for me, this is awfully close.

This is my new and favorite hiking buddy. It feels really durable and, it fits me well and I’m 6’ 3” and it doesn’t weigh me down. It holds a surprisingly good amount of stuff for its size. I love the color and side pockets as well. Functions exactly like I need.

This pack is excellent. It's made from durable modern canvas, it looks appealing and functions as advertised. The construction is very quality, no loose threads or cheap components, it also had tags on it pointing out all the brand name components used. The zippers are small but perform well, and the buckles seem pretty good, It's also comfortable to wear. It's not waterproof but the inner compartment has a lining that seems like it will keep out water but I haven't tried it in wet conditions yet. This pack is worth more than the price it sells for, I highly recommend this product. Thanks onetigris, for another great product!