Ozark Trail 35L Silverthorne Hiking Backpack, Hydration-Compatible

The Ozark Trail Association Trip Planner contains information on a thru-hike, including directions to Onondaga State Park and Eleven Point Western trailheads. If you’re searching east of the Rockies for stunning scenery, technical terrain, and a long hike option sans the AT crowds, this is your pick. I tried actually sewing one on, but I don’t have the right size buckle to go with the strap, so might won’t hold tight. I also use a Marmot 20 liter pack which does have a thin hipbelt, but it is more limited space-wise and weighs a couple of ounces more.

ozark trail backpack

Ozark springs see a lot of rain and varied temperatures; Ozark summers tend to be hot, muggy, and wet; Ozark winters can drop below freezing. Wet weather is common to the Ozark climate, especially in late spring through summer, and fosters a breeding ground for bugs, mosquitos, and ticks. Consider bringing waterproof shoes and treating your clothes ahead of time with permethrin to repel insects. In the colder seasons insulating layers are a must, and a good rain shell for you and rain fly for your tent are necessary year-round. Today I immediately loaded it up and went out for a few hours.

On the small side, so it won’t work for hikers who need a spacious pack. 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. Whether you’re planning an epic thru-hike or an out-and-back weekend excursion, this guide will help you get started on your Missouri adventure. 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.

I managed to fit my headlamp, lighter, map, compass, and some tp in the pocket. Fit and finish were pretty good — no loose seams or stitching. Stitches ozark trail canopy appeared evenly spaced and of uniform distance from the fabric edges. There is a lack of reinforcement on the pack’s taffeta bottom, though.

On one of the hottest days, the remote sensor reported temperatures exceeding 107 Degrees Fahrenheit while the air temp was in the high 80’s. The set-up was understandably a few steps shorter, which is always nice when setting up in the dark. More than once in the dark I’ve attached a rain fly upside down and we had to restart that particular step. This tent was close to foolproof when it came to the rain fly because it was already connected.

Backpacking stoves are a convenient way to boil water for dehydrated meals and instant coffee without adding a lot of weight to your pack. The Pelican also features a different pull handle than the Yeti and Ozark coolers as well. I do think the Pelicans pull handle is the lowest on my list of the three. When it comes to the seal, I was again very impressed by this cooler.

Ultimately, the good design for this product was that it was sized right for what I needed, both in dimensions and weight. Not too small, but not too large (and thus wasteful) – a Goldilocks design. After all, I had to be sensitive to weight as we were required to carry our own water for 10 miles as there ozark trail backpack were no options for filtering during that stretch. In the following paragraphs I share just a few design features that, in my opinion, make this a well-designed product. Of course it has no side water holsters, or lid pocket, or hipbelt strap, but I think that all contributes to its low weight.

In a sheer stroke of luck for this test, we are having a very aggressive heatwave in Southeast Michigan with temperatures around the 90’s during the day and staying in the 70’s overnight. I’m using my North facing deck as the staging area which receives direct sunlight at almost all hours of the day. I also placed  a small weather system on the deck rail to help get a sense of how hot surface temperatures are in the area.