Philip Werner’s Backpack Reviews 2008-2024
sectionhiker.com (Philip Werner is the founder and chief reviewer) is well known for its in-depth backpack reviews. This past week, I’ve been organizing my photo library, which has over 50,000 images, including pictures from all the backpacks I’ve personally reviewed. There are a lot – like over 200 – so I figured I’d list them all chronologically (as best I could) from the first to the present day. Note: In the past two years, I’ve removed many of the old reviews from the website since the products are no longer available or they’ve been replaced by more recent models.
What could possibly possess one person to review so many backpacks? Well, it means I’ve had to do a lot of hiking and backpacking, like more than 10,000 miles worth, to test them under real-world conditions. Since I like hiking a lot, that’s been an easy cross to bear. The deeper reason is that I like to understand the product development process that goes into designing and manufacturing new backpacks, from ideation through production to retail. In my former life, I was a very skilled and successful product manager responsible for creating new products and getting them to market – so I have a lot of insight into the tradeoffs and compromises that occur during product development.
All those backpack reviews have also put me in a position to help people choose a new backpack that meet their needs. Over the years, I’ve been contacted by countless people for advice to help them select a new backpack. This is an activity I relish since I always learn something new in the process. If you want to read the current list of backpack reviews on the sectionhiker.com website, click on the backpack reviews post category.
Philip Werner’s Backpack Reviews
- Six Moon Designs Starlite Backpack
- Gossamer Gear Mariposa Plus
- Zpacks Arc Blast 32
- Golite Trek
- Golite Jam
- Golite Pinnacle
- Deuter Spectro AC 38
- Osprey Kestrel 28
- ULA Catalyst
- Mountainsmith Haze LTR 50
- Deuter Guide 45+
- Hyperlite Mountain Gear Porter
- Mountain Hardware Direttissima
- Kelty Spectra Cloud
- Osprey Variant 52
- Osprey Kestrel 58
- Katabatic Gear Helios
- Ultimate Direction Fastpack 20
- Montane Grand Tour 55
- Mountainsmith Mayhem 35
- Paradox Packs Unaweep 3900
- Elemental Horizons Kalais XT
- KS Ultralight Gear KS-50
- Mountainsmith Apex 80
- Granite Gear Nimbus Trace 70L
- Bergans of Norway Helium 55
- The Jensen Backpack
- Osprey Hornet
- Granite Gear Blaze A.C. 60
- REI Flash 45
- REI Flash 62
- Boreas Gear Buttermilk 55
- Granite Gear Nimbus Meridien
- Terra Nova Quasar
- Gossamer Gear Gorilla
- Gossamer Gear Murmur
- Osprey Mutant 52
- Granite Gear Crown2 38
- Osprey Exos 58
- Deuter Speedlite 30
- Exped Traverse 40
- Gregory Optic 58
- Gregory Paragon 48
- Osprey Levity 60
- Osprey Levity 45
- Exped Lightning 60
- Exped Thunder 70
- Gossamer Gear Murmur
- My Trail Company UL 50
- Katabatic Gear Onni V40 65L
- Gregory Baltoro 65
- Six Moon Designs Minimalist
- Mountainsmith Scream
- REI Traverse 70
- Granite Gear Crown VC 60
- Osprey Atmos AG 50
- Zpacks Arc Blast 60
- Mountain Hardware Kanza 55
- Granite Gear Leopard 58
- Osprey Volt 75
- Gossamer Gear Mariposa
- Gossamer Gear Kumo
- Granite Gear Virga2
- ULA Circuit
- Mountainsmith Scream (2nd model)
- Klymit Motion 60
- Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 2400 (40L)
- Seek Outside Divide
- Gossamer Gear Mariposa
- Six Moon Designs Fusion 50
- Kelty Redwing 50
- Thule Versant 50
- Superior Wilderness Designs Long Haul 50
- Boreas Gear Lost Coast 60
- Granite Gear Lutsen 55
- Montane Hyper Tour 38
- Gossamer Gear Silverback
- ULA Ohm 2.0
- ULA CDT
- Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor
- ULA Catalyst
- Marmot Gravitron 58
- Camelbak Fourteener 24
- Hyperlite Mountain Gear Daylite 19
- Zpacks Nero 38
- Cold Cold World Chaos
- Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus
- The North Face Cobra 60
- Kelty Trekker 65
- The North Face Phantom 50
- Deuter Futura Vario 50+10
- Vargo Exoti 50
- Vargo Exoti Ar2
- Osprey Kestrel 48
- Seek Outside Unaweep 4800
- Osprey Mutant 52
- Seek Outside Gila
- Mystery Ranch Terraframe 50
- Gregory Zulu 55
- Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50
- REI Flash 60
- Deuter Aircontact Lite 65+10 Backpack Review
- Gossamer Gear Silverback 55
- Granite Gear Blaze 60
- Granite Gear Vapor Trail
- Granite Gear X MassDrop Crown2 60
- Granite Gear Crown2 60
- Gossamer Gear Mariposa
- Gossamer Gear Lone Star 30
- Gossamer Gear Ranger 35
- Deuter Trail Pro 36
- Northern Lite Sundown 46
- One Tigris Black Orca UL 55 + 5
- Osprey Stratos 36
- Seek Outside Flight One
- Zpacks Arc Haul 60
- Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor 40-60
- Gregory Alpinisto 50
- Gregory Paragon 58
- Amazon Basics 65
- Granite Gear Dagger
- REI Trailbreak 60
- Gossamer Gear G4-20
- Seek Outside Flight Two
- Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 3400 (55L
- Six Moon Design Swift X
- Kelty Redwing 50
- Osprey Talon 33
- Osprey Aether 65
- Fjallraven Bertagen 38
- Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50
- Deuter Guide Lite 24
- Outdoor Vitals Shadowlight 60
- Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60
- Granite Grear Perimeter 50
- Gregory Katmai 65
- Gregory Arrio 24
- Deuter Futura Air Trek 45+10
- Deuter Guide Lite 24
- Montane Yupik 50
- Zpacks Arc Air 50 Robic
- Waymark Gear Lite 50
- Cold Cold World Valdez
- Mystery Ranch Scree 32
- Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50
- Waymark Gear Lite 50 (2nd version)
- Gregory Baltoro 65
- Gregory Focal 58
- Osprey Exos 58
- Deuter AC Lite 24
- Granite Gear Crown3 60
- Bonfus Framus 48
- Osprey Atmos AG 65
- ULA Photon
- ULA Ohm
- ULA Ultra Circuit
- ULA Catalyst
- Hyperlite Mountain Gear North Rim
- Superior Wilderness Designs Rugged Long Haul 50
- Atomic Packs The Mo 50
- Osprey Stratos 36
- Osprey Kestrel 38
- Osprey Mutant 38
- Osprey Mutant 52
- REI Flash 55
- Osprey Exos Pro 55
- Mystery Ranch Blitz 30
- Granite Gear Virga 3 26
- Granite Gear Virga 3 55
- Mystery Ranch 2-Day Assault
- Durston Kakwa 55
- Zpacks Bagger UL 40
- Chicken Tramper 45
- Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 40
- Mystery Ranch Coulee 40
- ULA Circuit
- Nashville Packs Cutaway
- Mountainsmith Zerk 40
- Deuter AirContact Ultra 50+5
- Gregory Zulu 55
- Six Moon Designs Wyeast
- Camelbak 14er
- REI Trailmade 60
- REI Trail 40
- Osprey Talon 44
- Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor 40-60
- Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 60
- Hyperlite Mountain Gear Waypoint 35
- Outdoor Vitals CS40
- Mammut Norwand 38
- Nashville Packs Cutaway (v2)
- REI Flash Air 50
- Osprey Talon Velocity 30
- Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50
- Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60
- Hyperlite Mountain Gear Elevate 22
- Hyperlite Contour 35
- Black Diamond Beta Lite 45
- Outdoor Vitals Skyline 30
- Chicken Tramper 50
- NEMO Resolve 35
- Gregory Zulu 24 LT
- Osprey Rook 50
- Gossamer Gear Fast Kumo
- Deuter Speed Lite 30
- Gossamer Gear Loris 25
- Deuter Speed Lite 21
- REI Flash 22
- REI Traverse 32
- Mountainsmith Zerk 25
- Granite Gear Crown3 40
- Zpacks Super Nero 50
- REI Traverse 35
- REI Traverse 60
- NEMO Persist 45
- Gregory Paragon 60
- Gossamer Gear Skala 38
- ULA Ultra Circuit SV 48
- Atom Packs Notch 40
- Seek Outside Flight 3
- Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 55 (Woven Dyneema)
- Lite Werks Daily Dose 55
- Gregory Alpinisto 30
- Mountain Hardwear Alakazam 60
- Outdoor Vitals Shadowlight Carbon 60
- Yeti Skla 38
- ULA Ultragrid CDT 50
- Durston Wapta 30
- Gregry Baltoro 65
Updated 2026
If you go through the list, you’ll see that several packs have been reviewed multiple times. That’s because the companies that make them update them frequently and send me new versions for review. That’s a two-way street since I also provide valuable feedback to companies about how I think they could improve their products, both for my needs and the needs of my readers.
My All Time Favorite Backpacks
So, which have been my favorite backpacks after all these years?
- Six Moon Designs Starlite 60 (no longer made)
- Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60
- Cold Cold World Chaos 66
- Osprey Variant 52 (no longer made)
- Gossamer Gear Kumo 36
- Granite Gear Crown2 38 (no longer made)
- Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 40/55L
- ULA Ohm 2.0
- Mountainsmith Zerk 40
- Zpacks Arc Haul 60 Ultra
Of these, the only ones I still use for personal (non-review) trips are Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 55 and the Granite Gear Crown2 38. But I’m always on the lookout for a new favorite.
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Pretty cool! Thanks Phil.
It was amusing to compile the list!
Wow! Very impressive list! Thanks for all of your reviews. Over the years you have steered me to products I didn’t even know existed.
A crazy impressive list, you must have a trailer at your house to store all those! What’s even crazier is I’m sure there are hundreds more you haven’t reviewed, including some notably popular ones. Some omissions I’d love you hear your feedback on: Nunatak Bears Ears frameless, one of the packs from Atom Packs out of the UK, one of the packs from Lite AF, who have a huge following in the UL community.
I do own a CCW Chernobyl thanks to you. Great pack.
I have a Chernobyl on order, I am looking forward to using it this season.
he *finally* fixed the store’s webpage!
I swear by my ZPacks Arc Haul 70. I tried 6-7 packs for many local trails and also the AT and PCT. I bought a used Arc Haul for the CDT and was hooked! After the CDT, I bought a new Arc Haul and used it for the FT, AZT, NET, PHT, CT, and the IAT. It’s an incredible pack.
I like the arc haul too – a lot. The ventilated back panel really makes all the difference with these insanely hot and humid summers we’ve been having in the northeast. I don’t think I’ll ever use a non-ventilated backpack again.
Having owned only two serious backpacks in my life (so far) my mind boggles at that list. Just…wow!
So no more CCW Chaos in the rotation?
What is your winter pack of choice now?
My winter Day pack is that Crown 2 38L. For winter overnights, I’ll be using a Hyperlite Halka provisionally.
Just last week I searched your site to see if you had reviewed the Durston Kakwa 40 and was amazed at all the packs on your list!
About ten years ago, after owning excellent but heavy Gregory packs, I went on a quest to find lightweight equipment and I discovered SectionHiker reviews! I was intrigued by the ULA Circuit, but I settled on the Granite Gear Crown VC because it appeared to be more robust (and because I could order it through REI with their money-back guarantee).
Today I am on my fourth Crown, because Granite Gear actually pays attention to feedback and keeps making valuable improvements with every version!
(I also discovered ZPacks quilts, Tarptent Rainbows and NeoAir pads.)
Thanks for the tips, Philip!
I do wish Granite Gear got more respect. They really do make fantastic backpacks that can go anywhere.