Ozark Trail 14 Liter Medium Hydration Hiking Backpack, Grey

Overall the Pelican coolers have sharper edges and a bit more of an industrial feel than the competition. One of the first things to note about it’s design is that it has a larger drainage hole and a tethered drain cap, which is a nice feature. I have lost a couple of drain caps in my day which makes the cooler unusable until a replacement arrives. My own personal beverage drama every summer has really pushed me to do this review. To me, worrying about the temperature of the drinks I have on my boat is the absolute last thing I want to be thinking about when I am heading out on the water.

If you need a good cheap bag you need to see if the Ozark Trail Back Packs will work for your needs. I checked all the hook and loop connections, the straps, the plastic clips. Get Backpacking Light news, updates, gear info, skills, and commentary delivered into your inbox 1-2x/week.

I will often load a large cooler up at the beginning of the week and leave it on my Pontoon packed with drinks and ice. If you have a boat and bring kids or friends on the water, you know that once you leave the dock the requests for drinks start rolling in fast and furious. Sure, you can load a cooler out each morning packed with fresh ice, but it is just so much easier to cut down all that work with a cooler than can keep ice for days on end. Our sister site Alloutdoor.com recently reviewed a hiking backpack sold by Ozark Trail that had an overall stellar performance and it triggered a question among our staff. Is Walmart’s Ozark Trail brand a true sleeper, putting out products that deserve much more attention among outdoorsmen?

ozark trail backpack

This pack fits me fine and is very comfortable for lightweight loads. I use it as a day pack when doing multi-day hikes. It’s light enough that I don’t mind putting it in my backpack and it takes up almost no space at all. And on summit day, I sure am glad I have a daypack! For day hikes this is just as good as (and lighter than) my Osprey Daylite that retails for almost four times more.

It also includes loops to hang your trekking poles when not in use. On the outside you will find two side pockets and rigging that can be used to tighten the bag, hold extra gear, and an option to hold trekking poles. The pockets work great for holding 32 oz Nalgene bottles or 40 oz insulated water bottles. I suggest have equal weight on both sides or switch the weight around. I normally don’t need it, but it does a good job at tightening up the bag up.

It’s hard to guess which kids will take to hiking like a fish to water and which ones will beg off. My kids were toddlers the first time we went backpacking on a short, level trail where I carried everything and I knew they could do the hike with no problem. My four-year-old wanted to know when we could go again but my three-year-old was uninterested in another trip. Now he’s 12 and carries almost the same weight as I do and loves to help me plan trips with 10-mile days.

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. ozark trail canopy 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.

Camp at Highway DD trailhead near the section’s start or Harper Spring around the 15 mile-mark. Most parents and grandparents dream about sharing their passions with their kids. But what happens when your passion includes schlepping 30 pounds or more of gear ozark trail canopy through the tick-infested woods and sleeping on the ground for days on end? 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.