My suggestion is to get a smaller bag for shorter trips so can save on weight. Every pound does add up and if you cut the weight down by 5+ lbs. The one downside with integrated rain flies is the lack of ventilation and temperature control. We had great weather – not too hot and not too cold – but it did rain for about 5 minutes.
I did some quick adjustments and gave the bag a try. It was heavier than the premium brands but still light enough for our needs. Once I got home my wife helped me fit the bag to my size and shape. We loaded the bag up with everything we might need for a 10-to-12-hour day out on the trails. The stitching wasn’t as good as the premium brand but, it was still a well-built bag that should last if I didn’t over stuff it. (This is not sarcasm.) When I was a new mom a hike with my baby on my back was a wonderful antidote to the feeling of being overwhelmed by this huge life change.
If you need a large pack, or are heading on a days-long adventure, this pack won’t work for you. My favorite way to keep kids happy on hikes is to invite their friends. It’s amazing how much complaining happens on a hike with only one family. But if you add another family with at least one kid in roughly the same age range, like magic the hike seems to get shorter and the climbs easier for everyone involved.
It was pretty easy to make adjustments from the side door access. End-door access would have made it more difficult. I have noticed that when I fill the bag up full or close to full it puts stress on the stitching.
Bring a dedicated bear canister or hang a bear bag for all food and other aromatic items that might attract a bear’s attention. Browse Ozark Trail’s top-rated backpacks and more. We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews.
The Ozark Trail cooler is made from polyethylene, which is the most common kind of plastic in use today. Yes, you will most likely see differing results when adding cans or bottles into the mix. If you are adding warm drinks to your ice, you will see reductions in the overall length of time your ice will stay cold. When it comes to the seal, I was again very impressed by this cooler.
The constant color feature among the two are the orange rimmed wheels which I don’t love but, it is not a deal breaker. The coolers in competition were the Ozark Trail 45QT Rolling Thermocooler, The Pelican 45QW Elite Wheeled Cooler, and the Yeti Tundra Haul. I chose these coolers because they were the closest among the brands when it came to internal storage. However, some sources may run dry during extended periods of drought.
As always, make sure to bring the “Ten Essentials”, extra food and water, sunscreen etc. Be aware, this is a daypack, intended ozark trail backpack for lighter loads and shorter distances. It isn’t built to be on your back 8 hours a day, and it won’t support 25 pounds.
Much of it is also accessible for mountain biking and horseback riding. I’ve had this pack for 2 years and I’ve beaten the living daylights out of it and it still performs just as well as the day I bought it. Like the Ozark Trail 45 Qt Rolling Thermocooler, the Pelican 45QW Elite Wheeled Cooler includes a lid with inch notches and also includes centimeters for those outside of the United States. Similar to the Ozark Trail cooler, the Pelican features orange wheel rims and also has orange clasp accents. You can get this cooler in three colors, Tan which is featured here, as well as graphite and white.
The Ozark Trail does not have permit, parking, or registration requirements for its trail sections. Wetlands give way to ridgelines at the start of the Blair Creek section. The 26-mile route follows Blair Creek south as it carves down a valley through oak-hickory-pine forest before merging with the emerald waters of the Current River. Here the 30-mile Current River section picks up, following the river for two miles before veering south toward Stegall Mountain. Enjoy views of the Ozark landscape as you gain 500 feet of elevation up 2.5 miles to the top of Stegall Mountain. Camp out at the top overnight, catching a glimpse of a full sky of stars if it’s clear.