I might actually pick up another for my son to use. I also use a Marmot 20 liter pack which does have a thin hipbelt, but it is more limited space-wise and ozark trail backpack weighs a couple of ounces more. 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.
Please be aware that we make an effort to keep this information current. However, businesses and business conditions change, thus the information contained here is subject to change without the knowledge of the Ozark Trail Association. A great way to ask questions of like-minded outdoor enthusiasts is to check out the ozark trail chair 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. They might be able to assist in arranging a shuttle. Although I saw many diggings from feral hogs, I was fortunate to have never come across any.
“I hiked the trail in 9.5 days, so my average miles per day was 23-plus. A great pack for day hikes, hunting and weekend camping. Wetlands give way to ridgelines at the start of the Blair Creek section. The 26-mile route follows Blair Creek south as it carves down a valley through oak-hickory-pine forest before merging with the emerald waters of the Current River.
In the colder seasons insulating layers are a must, and a good rain shell for you and rain fly for your tent are necessary year-round. This daypack came in handy just for what I intended. Altra Lone Peak 3.5 trail runners were my shoe of choice, along with Darn Tough Merino Wool Hiker Boot socks. I brought water shoes to navigate streams with but only used them once; way too much trouble to switch at every crossing. I was fine hiking with wet Altras and mailed my water shoes home at Brushy Creek.My food cost me around $300, not counting what I ate on my town day in Van Buren.
A sub-freezing night brought beautiful, delicate frost flowers. Water from a full day of rain and a nighttime thunderstorm brought life to the small waterfall in Wolf Pen Hollow. I’ll forever cherish the memories made and accomplishments achieved — and my own cherishing quickly turned to wondering about other OT thru-hikers’ experiences. Ultimately, the good design for this product was that it was sized right for what I needed, both in dimensions and weight. Not too small, but not too large (and thus wasteful) – a Goldilocks design. After all, I had to be sensitive to weight as we were required to carry our own water for 10 miles as there were no options for filtering during that stretch.