The North Face Solaris 40

So I bought this bag to replace a NF Wasatch that was way past its prime (but still functional and usable, after all it's a NF). Anyways the difference between the 2 bags are like night and day. The shoulder and waist straps help evenly distribute the weight and you feel like you have 75% less weight than you are actually carrying. To see if it REALLY was better at distributing weight than my trusty wasatch, I loaded both bags with a 30 lbs. dumbbell each. The wasatch could hold the weight but in doing so was making my back hunch over. With the solaris however, I felt none of this and I could maintain good posture. I could lean back making an almost 70 degree arch with my back and not fall backward, whereas with the wasatch I could only lean back maybe 30 degrees at most and had to stop or I would have fell on my ***. That being said, this bag is much larger than any bag I have owned, but not so big as to prevent you from using it all the time. My only complaint is the flimsy trampoline divider on the bottom. Why the hell didn't they use a zipper for that? Did they intend for people to use this bag only for packing clothing (which the trampoline divider works well for). I ended up just disconnecting it and using it as a single large compartment. This seems like a good bag for a student with a lot of things to carry and carry in style. But the waist straps and compression straps may get in the way of constant zippering and unzipping. The construction seems very solid so far. Also this thing just plain looks cool and futuristic. Cave black is awesome!

I've owned this back pack for over a half a year and use it regularly. I haven't used it for the main design (camping/hiking) yet but I'm sure it will do just fine. I use it mainly as my campus bag. It's big enough to take whatever I need for the day, ie. jacket,lunch, gym clothes. I am overall impressed with the bag. Some features that I would have to have seen are a more useful compression straps (I find that it doesn't compress the top of the bag only the bottom), a daisy chain (it does however have 3 gear loops at the bottom) The feature's that I like the most are the number of pockets for storage and organizing, the deep water bottle pockets, and the padding. Overall great bag. Hope this helps aid your choice for a pack.

I bought this backpack based on one of the reviews from a customer who is 5 feet tall and said this backpack fit her perfectly. It had everything I was looking for, but did not fit me properly at all. I am 5'0" and petite, and the backpack was obviously way too big for me - the hip buckle hit a few inches below my hips, and the straps cut into the back of my neck. Not my size - not even close.
However, my husband tried it on and it fits him perfectly - he is about 5'8." He liked the backpack so much that he is keeping it. I ended up doing what I should have done in the first place - buying a backpack in a women's size (duh :) ).

I bought this backpack a month ago and ordered another one for my brother so that he could also enjoy it.
It is a compact (wide rather than long) 40lt backpack..doesn't have a compartment for laptops (hydration pocket is small even for a 12" laptop). But it doesn't matter if you use your laptop sleeve.The sleeping bag is accessible from inside (separated with a detachable thin layer)
my only disappointment: there are no straps at the bottom of the pack to carry sleeping pad..
R zipped pockets on the sides,2 in the front (1 with organized) are very useful to organize your load...
everything is great quality (e.g. zippers).
I am 6.1 and the back support fits me well but it might be little bit too short for taller people

Ever since i bought this bag about a month ago, i have used it everyday. Whether its for just traveling, or hiking during the summer. It is probably the most comfortable bag I have ever put on my back, and it doesnt make your back sweat. With all the support straps, shoulder harnesses and the verticooler back lining, this backpack is unbelievably comfortable when carrying a heavy load, especially if u have back problems like i do. Tons of pockets to carry all your stuff in, and material is very durable. I recommend this backpack to anyone that does moderate hiking and or just traveling back and forth from place to place. If you havn't already bought this backpack, then you are missing out on a great product!

This is a tank of a pack. It's on the larger side for a daypack, so frequently I've used it for quick light packing overnights. I've also traveled with it when I want something small enough for carry on but big enough for a few days trip. I've done three day trips with this pack (including packing 13" / 15" computers). Perfect as a *long* day pack when you need water, stove, food, layers, etc.

And yes, the black has orange accents. Deal. I recommend Indian Clay Red. Money shot.

I got this for school because I needed more room. I love how much it can hold and how comfortable it is when packed full and heavy. I wish the water bottle pockets on the side would have a bungee as my bottle has come out multiple times unless I put the compression strap around the top of the bottle. If that is too much of a pain I just slide it in the long pocket on the side. I love the hip belt and totally recommend this pack.

I think my boyfriend is getting sick of me telling him how much I love my backpack. Everytime we go day hiking, I say "have I told you how much I love my backpack." The thick padding on the shoulder straps are a major plus. I'm working toward a week-long hike to the Appalachians and comfort for that trip is essential. I'm only five feet tall and very petite and this backpack fits me really well. It was well worth the investment.

I bought this bag about a month ago and have used it at least 3 times a week, and i love it. the verticooler back lining works but i still get some sweat on my back. and i couldn't fit my mummy bag in there and still have room for my gear, but with those loops on the bottom of the i can attach my sleeping bag so i still have room for all my gear, and its still feels great.

Bought the pack about 3 months ago. Have used it heavily for day trips with the kids in the mountains and the occasional overnight. It is built to take some serious abuse and is very comfortable when fully loaded. Pros: 1) Very comfortable 2) Ruggedly built 3) Great size for hauling lots of stuff Cons: 1) Sleeping bag compartment is too small to be useful 2) No external lash points