Arc'teryx Bora 80

After much research, reading up and soliciting of passer-by's opinions, followed by an in-store weighted pack test while browsing, I settled on the Arc'teryx Bora 80 for my long distance hiking needs.

While a bit overkill for shorter 4-5 day trips, I found the Bora 80's large volume convenient for quick and easy trail packing while on extended hauls. The Bora 80 comes with a few standards such as detachable top pouch which converts into a fanny pack for day hikes, separate bottom compartment for stuffing a sleeping bag and multiple straps for cinching down to stabilize the load.

Major Pros: first, thick padding and a suspension system which makes it the Cadillac of extended hike backpacks, while this does add to the burdensome near 7 lbs of weight which many complain about, it is weight I am willing to carry if it means comfort during my long days on the trial, and comfort is one thing this pack provides. Second: an easy-access large front pocket, which I found convenient to store all my clothes for the trip. Could also be used to store the days food and needed easy access supplies. Lastly the pack boasts a large internal space with minimal frame intrusion for easy packing, which also made it easy to load the cumbersome bear bin.

Sadly there are a few Cons: The first being the two side pockets which are shallow, making it easy for things to fallout unbenounced to the hiker, and poorly designed and thus difficult for mid-stride access to the gear that hasn't yet fallen out. The newer model has addressed this issue, but I am not sure how effectively. There is also no water reservoir to store a camel back, thus one must be rigged McGuiver style. The pack is rather pricey in comparison to other packs in its class, but Arc'teryx makes their gear by hand and stands behind their product, so you are getting a quality made pack for your money. It is one of the heaviest packs on the market, and while they put the wt to good use, 7 lbs is still a lot of weight no matter how you pad it. If you are looking to cut down ounces at every corner, I would pass on this pack. Being a solo hiker on many of my hikes, I am fairly devout to cutting back on weight myself, but a comfortable pack is one area I am willing to splurge.

As far as fit goes, I am a 5'8, fairly broad shouldered medium build girl, thus I had no problem fitting nicely into the men's pack, for more petite females there is a female version. The pack carries its load well and disperses the weight to the hips nicely.

I would and have recommend this pack to friends who don't mind a little extra wt for the comfort, After some 300 plus miles of 1 tp 3 week long hikes on the trail last year, I am still happy with my purchase and am packing it up again for another 300 miles.

My family and I had been planning a trip to Havasupai in the Grand Canyon for a couple of years. As a first timer to the reservation, I didn't know quite what to expect from the hike, but I had heard it was rather long. In my search for the perfect backpack, the Bora was at the top of my list but I just couldn't justify dropping the bills for a technical piece of equipment that might be more backpack than I needed. Well, I dropped the bills and I have no remorse. On a hike where I watched other peoples' buckles break or struggle to carry less comfortable packs with gear hanging off the sides and strapped all over the place, all my gear fit inside my pack and I was comfortable for the entire hike, in and out. The ease of access to the various compartments of the pack was perfect and the removable waist pack was optimal for day hikes. I rested easy during the rain knowing my sleeping bag was tucked safely into the bottom compartment which seems virtually water proof. Everyone warned me, "You're pack is too big. It's going to be too heavy!" Nah, it was just right. I was able to pack everything I needed and keep the pack lightweight and I stayed comfortable the entire trip. I'd recommend the Bora to anyone, novice or mountaineer.

As one would expect (based upon the manufacturer and the price) this is a really nice pack. The main compartment is huge, without intrusion from the frame or the front kangaroo pocket (which itself is large and useful). The lid pocket is also large, and the lid is easily detachable, making it easy to take your essentials into your tent while leaving your pack in the vestibule. The side access zipper can be really helpful. The water bottle pockets are kind of strange, but a 32 oz Nalgene or 40 oz Klean Kanteen fit snugly in them, with little chance of them falling out (and one-handed access is not too difficult). The 6 compression straps are useful for smaller loads (or for strapping equipment to the outside of the pack), and there are also daisy chains and two ice axe holders. The pack is comfortable even with heavy loads, although it is important to get the right size and to fit the pack correctly (as described here http://www.arcteryx.com/pack-fit.aspx ). Yes, this pack is on the heavy side, but in my opinion the features and comfort more than make up for the weight.

Excellent pack! I brought this pack to hike at Indonesia's Rinjani mountain and Malaysia waterfalls. These are places where you'll get caught in thunderstorms is a norm. This pack performed as expected, very little water seepage. If you want a fully waterproof pack then get the Naos instead.

As for comfort this pack is top notch. Provided you get the correct size. I'm 5'10 and medium fits me well. Two training hike all it takes to break-in the pack.

Only set back is, there is no provision for water bladder. I normally hike in tropical forest so I sweat heavily. Having to rely on two water bottles is not enough for me. If you wanna use a bladder you have to get creative eg. placing the bladder in the kangaroo pouch. Other than that it is an awesome pack; tad pricey though...

my bora 80 has endured the impassable woods of westren nc . thickets so thick eric rudolph eluded the fedral govet for 5 years in them .
been out alot and in these times of economic uncertany I know that ill always have a home with my bora 80.
im still finding features with this pack that serve me well ive had to adapt to keep things organized by adding a compartmentd bag to my gear to keep small items accessable but the rig is flawless
I dont use 1/2 of the external strapping options but I imagine if I did id double the range of this thing relitively easily
I do wish arc teriyx offered some cylindrical bags for the sides but beyond that I cant see a whole lot o f room for improvement
well done
scott flues
scottflues@yahoo.com
asheville nc

This pack has worked great for me in both the backcountry of Alaska and in the mountains of Colorado. The side access makes getting anything stored inside easy and the front 'toolbox' compartment is perfect for things you don't want touching anything (i.e. Trash).The only dinky feature I noticed was the plastic head-guard. The plastic snaped off the first time I used the pack, making me a little worried about the overall quality of the pack. Nothing else has happened to the pack and it works just fine without the head-guard. Overall, construction is excellent. The zippers won't snap (they are solid and thick), and the fabric is fairly water-repellant, but holds water after intense downpours. The sleeping bag compartment is double lined with fabric, providing a dry bag later.A great buy that I hope, and expect, to last a lifetime.

This is the most comfortable pack I have ever worn. It has all the bells and whistles, almost all of which have come in handy. The removable fanny pack is somewhat cool but it clearly adds a lot to the overall weight. I'm not a huge fan of the side-access zipper. Contrary to other reviews, I have no complaints about the water bottle holders. They are a little tight at first but loosen up with use. This pack doubles as a nice leg pad to elevate your feet and add some comfort. One very cold night I slept with my legs inside the pack! Everything about this pack gives me the impression that it will last a lifetime. My complaint is the horrific weight, nearly 7 pounds is a significant amount of weight.