Review: Ozark Trail 45 liter, Backpacking Backpack

Used for its intended purpose, this is one of the best hiking/backpacking deals I’ve ever come across. This daypack came in handy just for what I intended. The Ozark Trail backpack has a total of 22 liters of capacity with several pockets for your essentials. It has an open top side pocket, a vertical hidden pocket and a large zippered main compartment. It is also designed to hold a 15″ laptop in the padded pocket.

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 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.

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.

ozark trail backpack

Much of it is also accessible for mountain biking and horseback riding. I’ve had this pack for 2 years and I’ve beaten the living daylights out of it and it still performs just as well as the day I bought it. Like the Ozark Trail 45 Qt Rolling Thermocooler, the Pelican 45QW Elite Wheeled Cooler includes a lid with inch notches and also includes centimeters for those outside of the United States. Similar to the Ozark Trail cooler, the Pelican features orange wheel rims and also has orange clasp accents. You can get this cooler in three colors, Tan which is featured here, as well as graphite and white.

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 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.

They don’t work well, and they tend to get in the way. So, I end up carrying them when I don’t the poles. With the added height of an inflatable pillow and sleeping pad my head height was indeed close to the curvature of the tent ceiling but there was still enough room. I did have a few inches along the edge for some clothes, a water bottle, and a headlamp, but that could have been made wider with a narrower sleeping pad. Size is perfect for day trips, smaller individuals, and teens.

Sometimes it’s a single trail or we combine multiple trails at a state park. During these longer hikes I found it useful to have a large hiking bag and not just a school backpack. ozark trail chair Generally, you get what you pay for when you purchase cheap hiking gear. But I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the Ozark Trail 45 Liter Backpacking Backpack.

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 chair 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.

As always, make sure to bring the “Ten Essentials”, extra food and water, sunscreen etc. Be aware, this is a daypack, intended for lighter loads and shorter distances. It isn’t built to be on your back 8 hours a day, and it won’t support 25 pounds.