If you are using your phone for navigation, pack a paper copy of a map in case you lose signal or find yourself without battery. Trail maps are free to ozark trail backpack print at home or are available for purchase at the online store. Bring enough water for your trip or a way to purify water to make it safe to drink.
The Ozark does need those pegs in the ground to be self-standing so setting up on rocks would be infeasible (at least without applying some clever tenting skills). Walmart has up to 50% off select Ozark Backpacks and Daypacks! Grab a hydration compatible backpack for $13.96 or Go Bag for $15.53. Backpacking Light community posts are moderated and here to foster helpful and positive discussions about lightweight backpacking. Please be mindful of our values and boundaries and review our Community Guidelines prior to posting. Not the best choice for long trips or hikers who need to carry a large amount of gear.
It is also hydration compatible and comes with an included 2L reservoir so you can stay hydrated on the trails. Back in 2020 my wife and I decide on a last-minute backing trip to the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge. Because of this we realized we didn’t have all the gear we needed. We had our shoes, trekking poles, and water bladders.
I sweated just a bit but not too much since the walk was short (and I didn’t want to sweat after a shower). I did finish my activities very sweetly and was able to walk and hike without carrying anything in my hands. Aside from ozark trail canopy the main pack bag, there is a small zippered compartment on the front, that, depending on how much you have stuffed inside, is pretty tight. I managed to fit my headlamp, lighter, map, compass, and some tp in the pocket.
I’ve carried it in bad weather, including rain and snow. Some days this bag was heavier than I would have chosen it to be. However, it took a pretty good beating and has held up. I backpack in the backcountry of the Sierra Nevada. And I do day hikes in Sequoia National Park and on the coast. I drooled over all the lightweight packs from the major manufacturers for a few years.
And once he was old enough to walk on his own, his little brother was being carried by me or my husband. There are two basic kinds of carriers you can use to tote those who can’t make it the whole way on their own. These are ozark trail chair for babies and the smallest toddlers; check the manufacturer specifications for weight limits. The second kind of carrier is hard-framed backpack that kids can ride in for as long as mom or dad are willing to carry them.
The one downside with integrated rain flies is the lack of ventilation and temperature control. We had great weather – not too hot and not too cold – but it did rain for about 5 minutes. My friend chose to not put up his rain fly betting on the perfect weather to continue while enjoying the stars at night. During those five minutes of rain, he was a little more stressed as the risk of a wet sleeping bag had not been completely mitigated and he rushed back to the campground. I, on the other hand, could have stayed out longer. True, I wasn’t able to remove the rain fly to watch the stars or let the wind ventilate my tent, but I was able to enjoy the day hikes without any sort of worry.
The coolers in competition were the Ozark Trail 45QT Rolling Thermocooler, The Pelican 45QW Elite Wheeled Cooler, and the Yeti Tundra Haul. I chose these coolers because they were the closest among the brands when it came to internal storage. In product design, UX gets a lot of attention—and for good reason. Making products that are intuitive, efficient, and user-friendly is crucial. But there’s one more thing that can contribute significantly to designing exceptional products and ignoring it means missing out on creating products that are truly iconic. When I first got the bag, I had issues with shoulder straps that pulls the bag up higher/lower on the back.
It’s also small enough that it wasn’t inconvenient for them to have it with them everyday. We recently took a camping trip to the mountains and I needed a lightweight pack to hold my toiletries (soap, shampoo/conditioner), fresh clothing change and my crocs/hiking boots and my towel. This daypack came in handy just for what I intended.
All told, I’ve had the pack on my back for about 50 miles. Keeping the load under 15 pounds seems to be the key. I really wanted to use it for our fall two-nighter on the AT, but was unable to fit my bivy with a 20 degree Kelty Cosmic down bag inside. I contemplated stepping down to the 45 degree bag, but thankfully, did not. A perk of hiking lesser-traveled trails are fewer (or non-existent) permits and parking fees. The Ozark Trail does not have permit, parking, or registration requirements for its trail sections.