I, on the other hand, could have stayed out longer. True, I wasn’t able to remove the rain fly to watch the stars or let the wind ventilate my tent, but I was able to enjoy the day hikes without any sort of worry. In essence, I had committed to the permanent rainfly option by default and there was a certain contentedness that came with that. The first good design feature is the placement of the door on the side, and more specifically on the long side of the tent. I’ve tried tents with the door on one end and it is cumbersome. For the end-door variants, one has to toss their sleeping bag down the tent when getting ready for bed.
Just be prepared to face changing weather conditions out in the wilderness. Water sources like rivers and streams may only be available seasonally. OT maps are a great resource to help identify places where you can access water.
Walmart had a small section of packs and for the most part I was satisfied. I decided to get this one for a light hike I was going to be doing while camping. 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. I contemplated stepping down to the 45 degree bag, but thankfully, did not.
However, it took a pretty good beating and has held up. Today I immediately loaded it up and went out for a few hours. For water and OJ I use Vapur anti bottles which aren’t bulky at all.
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 managed to fit my headlamp, lighter, map, compass, and some tp in the pocket. Backpacking stoves are a convenient way to boil water for dehydrated meals and instant coffee without adding a lot of weight to your pack. 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. Future users may want to seal or waterproof the seams a little better.
The Ozark Trail Montpelier 45L Backpack is the perfect companion for a long weekend. This 45-liter pack is designed with ample pockets to pack all of your gear and a lightweight internal frame for weight support. This pack has trail focused features like the hydration compatibility, trekking pole attachments and a padded waist belt with zip pockets for quick access to essentials. Browse all our gear like spacious tents, durable backpacks, warm sleeping bags, outdoor cooking supplies, and more. Carry everything you need for your next adventure in the Ozark Trail 45L Montpelier Backpack. The Ozark Trail Himont 50L Multi-Day Backpack is designed to hit the trails on a multi-day adventure, featuring a lightweight aluminum frame and ample storage.
I agree with the other reviewer though, I would not go over about pounds with this pack. Order your 2024 Official Missouri Travel Guide and start planning your Missouri adventure today. While much of the trail is under shaded tree canopy, you’ll still want to use sunscreen to prevent any burns.
We had great weather – not too hot and not too cold – but it did rain for about 5 minutes. My friend chose to not put up his rain fly betting on the perfect weather to continue while enjoying the stars at night. During those five minutes of rain, he was a little more stressed as the risk of a wet sleeping bag had not been completely mitigated and he rushed back to the campground.
Overall, it could have been roomier, but the weight savings were attractive to me with only one spar instead of two. Furthermore, I didn’t plan on being in the tent other than during the nights, so a roomier but heavier 1-person tent wasn’t desirable. The weather was going to be great and the hammock was where I wanted to be during the restful moments of the day. The next section along Trace Creek is an enjoyable, quiet walk in the woods. Some hikers may choose to continue on Trace Creek to the Taum Sauk section, but OT thru-hikers should head west onto Middle Fork/John Roth Memorial section to complete the longer route.
Join Outside+ to get access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. This roomy and practical backpack works well for a multi-day hike. By default, this unexpectedly ended up being my go-to daily bag for several months. It’s been stuffed to capacity ozark trail chair with almost everything I had to carry, including, but not limited to, outerwear, lunch, groceries, laptop, iPad, a Bose speaker, and combinations thereof. I am a 6-foot tall male, weighing 185 lbs and it fits just as well as other day packs I’ve tried.