Ozark Trail Training Through Hike Archive

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. Here’s another AWESOME thing about the Ozark Trail Atka day pack. It’s sized to fit every airline’s carry-on size requirements. My son and daughter each took one of these on a trip through Europe and they carried it on every plane, train, and bus they rode without any problems. It’s also small enough that it wasn’t inconvenient for them to have it with them everyday.

Especially at the clearance price you can get now. I drooled over all the lightweight packs from the major manufacturers for a few years. There’s no way I can justify paying five times more for something that might carry just as well.

ozark trail backpack

The constant color feature among the two are the orange rimmed wheels which I don’t love but, it is not a deal breaker. 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. However, some sources may run dry during extended periods of drought.

No, that is not always the case and any outdoorsmen, gear junkie, or general abuser of products will tell you the same thing. Every so often a brand will fly under the radar producing products that are not only a great value but also great quality as well. Thru-hiking is defined as hiking the contiguous 230-mile backbone of the Ozark Trail in one trip.

To resolve this issue, I do not fill it completely up with heavy stuff. Honestly, most of my trips it’s a quarter full and the water bladder and extra water bottles are what makes it heavy. After the last few trips and hiking with a near empty bag, I decided to get a 20-liter bag since my gear only fills up about that half my normal bag.

It was pretty easy to make adjustments from the side door access. End-door access would have made it more difficult. ozark trail backpack I have noticed that when I fill the bag up full or close to full it puts stress on the stitching.

My suggestion is to get a smaller bag for shorter trips so can save on weight. Every pound does add up and if you cut the weight down by 5+ lbs. The one downside with ozark trail backpack 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.

I did some quick adjustments and gave the bag a try. It was heavier than the premium brands but still light enough for our needs. Once I got home my wife helped me fit the bag to my size and shape. We loaded the bag up with everything we might need for a 10-to-12-hour day out on the trails. The stitching wasn’t as good as the premium brand but, it was still a well-built bag that should last if I didn’t over stuff it. (This is not sarcasm.) When I was a new mom a hike with my baby on my back was a wonderful antidote to the feeling of being overwhelmed by this huge life change.

Plan accordingly and carry or cache water in case you are not able to find a source close by. Always treat any water for drinking and cooking along the trail. Specific water sources are indicated on Ozark Trail online and printed maps. A great way to ask questions of like-minded outdoor enthusiasts is to check out the Ozark Trail Section Hikers and Backpackers  (OTSHAB) Facebook page. You’ll find numerous advocates eager to answer your questions and aid you in planning your thru-hike.

I have to say that I am very impressed with the performance of the Ozark Trail 45Q cooler. This cooler is not only smaller in its overall size but also a fraction of the price of the competition. Pelican is a newer entry in to the world of rotomolded coolers and have taken their own spin on design and function.