My four-year-old wanted to know when we could go again but my three-year-old was uninterested in another trip. Now he’s 12 and carries almost the same weight as I do and loves to help me plan trips with 10-mile days. This pack fits me fine and is very comfortable for lightweight loads. It’s light enough that I don’t mind putting it in my backpack and it takes up almost no space at all.
The Ozark Trail Association maintains a number of maps to help you traverse each section of the trail. If you are using your phone for navigation, bring a paper copy of a map in case you lose signal or find yourself without battery. Trail maps are free to print at home or available for purchase at the online store. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Also included are side profile daisy chains for carrying items externally. It is made with a low-profile adjustable sternum strap to help you get the perfect fit and air-mesh padded shoulder straps and back panel for comfortable carrying without a frame. It is also hydration compatible and comes with an included ozark trail chair 2L reservoir so you can stay hydrated on the trails. It’s hard to guess which kids will take to hiking like a fish to water and which ones will beg off. My kids were toddlers the first time we went backpacking on a short, level trail where I carried everything and I knew they could do the hike with no problem.
I sweated just a bit but not too much since the walk was short (and I didn’t want to sweat after a shower). I did finish my activities very sweetly and was able to walk and hike without carrying anything in my hands. This pack has no extraneous features, save for the small front zip pocket and an internal hydration sleeve. There are no compression straps or other means of securing anything to the outside of the pack, aside from the “daisy chain” on the front. My only knock on it would be the lack of a small water bottle pocket. Aside from the main pack bag, there is a small zippered compartment on the front, that, depending on how much you have stuffed inside, is pretty tight.
I also liked how my head wasn’t directly beside the door, which often occurs for an end-door tent. If something crawled through the zipper door it wouldn’t immediately be inches from my face but instead would have to work its way a few more feet to my head. At the same time, my head wasn’t zero or six feet from the door, but about two or three feet at all times.
Fast and easy to adjust and all buckles and webbing are in good quality. For the second overnight hike in which I used the pack, I left the hammock at home and stuffed an REI Stratus insulated pad and lightweight bivy inside. I saw this pack at Wally World and figured, $19 for a 28-liter pack, I’d give it a shot. If it doesn’t suit my needs, one of my daughters would be able to use it.
The Ozark Trail cooler is made from polyethylene, which is the most common kind of plastic in use today. The rotomolding process entails heating plastic pellets which coat the interior of a mold while it is spun around in a number of different directions at a very consistent pace. The mold is kept on the move during both the heating and coating phases as well as the cooling phase. So, I have to say that I was really surprised with how this test turned out. You can see from the images below that there was consistent ice melt, however two of the three were better performing.
And I do day hikes in Sequoia National Park and on the coast. If you’re looking for a daypack, or a carry-on that fits everywhere, this is the deal. All told, I’ve had the pack on my back for about 50 miles. Keeping the load under 15 pounds seems to be the key. I really wanted to use it for our fall two-nighter on the AT, but was unable to fit my bivy with a 20 degree Kelty Cosmic down bag inside.
Cracking this thing open sounds like you are opening the airlock on a spaceship. You can tell there is a serious seal established when you latch this shut. The Ozark Trail 45 Qt Rolling Thermocooler also comes with an internal tray, which the other two do not. Lastly, I haven’t yet had a chance to test its waterproofing in a huge down-pouring of rain, but it did hold up in some strong winds surprisingly well.