I work for the National Park Service as part of the trail crew of Isle Royale National Park. We bought several redclouds in various sizes for our work (which entails being in the backcountry for up to ten days at a time). The bottom line is this is a great pack. Very comfortable lower back and waist padding. The two side pockets are useful, but the zippers have a tendency to burst open, so avoid overloading them with things of value. The detachable pack is great, allowing plenty of room for a day's food and water and then some. If you pack heavy like us, demand durability, and comfort...this is the pack for you.