Gear Reviews: Backpack

Needle 45

Manufacturer: Arc'teryx

Reviewed by: oldskul

I purchased this Arc'Teryx backpack in the summer of 2007, on sale at a local outlet. I was looking for a general trekking backpack, in the neighborhood of 50 liters, when the Needle 45 was suggested by the helpful salesdroid. Although this is an ascent pack, it still has enough features to make a decent trek pack. In the year that I've had it, I've stomped all over the local Midwestern wilderness, from Ohio and Kentucky locations such as Red River Gorge, Clifton Gorge, East Fork State Park and Germantown Preserve. The pack has proven to be high quality and worthy of consideration. The pack is sold in varying torso lengths - at 6'2", I fit a tall model. With a 30# load, the pack sits just right on my back. The hipbelt is made to support the lion's share of the load - it's quite thick and supportive. The belt is heavily padded on the sides, tapering to gentle curves in the front. The pad ends don't cut into my torso at all. Each side is independently adjustable, and the clip in front is robust. The shoulder straps are heavenly. Shaped ergonomically, they ride wherever I place them, and once everything is adjusted, the usually stay in place. Comfort-wise, these are superior shoulder straps. Once on the trail, one has to pay attention to how the pack is riding in this area, to make sure they don't slide around too much. I have to adjust them more than I would like to. The pack is hydration compatible. I was able to put a Camelbak 100oz bladder inside the pack, and I was also able to strap on an external bladder with no issues. This pack has a standout feature - it's a rolltop pack. Instead of a corded opening, the pack is equipped with stiffening strips along the top, and one simply rolls up the top of the pack to close it, strapping it down for travel. The system hasn't failed, but the straps do show some wear. This does, however, make for a nearly waterproof pack - the tough nylon outer skin, combined with the sealed zippers and the rolltop, would prevent water from entering in all but the most immersive downpours. I seriously think it would take a short trip underwater to get water inside this thing. In my often-wet Midwestern climate, this is a plus. The pack is roomy inside and has the usual complement of load compressing straps on the outside. There's a couple of ice axe mounts - not that we get a lot of ice climbing in here in southern Ohio - and there's a small pocket along the top of the pack. There's also an accordion pocket along the back to accomodate your extras that you don't want to open the pack to get at. The pack is not especially cooling in hot weather. On hot, humid days, my back wound up soaking wet with sweat. The foam on the back, although comfortable, does retain heat and moisture. In terms of durability, I am very pleased. The pack has performed admirably, and shows only a few signs of being broken in, let alone wear. This pack is a high-quality Canadian-made unit that will carry your stuff hundreds of miles without a breakdown. I would recommend it to anyone.