The North Face Terra 45 Backpack TNF Black

My son just used this bag for a school hiking trip and he loved it! Very roomy and great quality of course.

Have used mine for many weekend trips to random local cities. Have gotten many compliments on it, since it's not your typical bright oranges and green colors. Subtle.

My North Face Terra 45 is durable, well-padded, very well-made, good looking, and has many features. Its one shortcoming: it weighs about 4 lb. These days you can get a backpack that weighs 3 lb. less.Those 1-lb. backpacks cost $130 more than the Terra 45. So it's a matter of whether you can afford to shed those 3 lb. at a cost of $44/lb. That's $2.75 per ounce saved, which is relatively quite cheap.Other things to consider: those 1-lb. backpacks work well with loads of 25 lb. or less, so in order to use the 1-lb. backpack you may have to spend money to decrease your load by replacing some of your other gear with lighter items. Also: unlike the Terra 45, those 1-lb backpacks are not "bombproof," though they are durable enough to be practical.It comes down to money. The Terra 45 is flawless, except for those 3 lb. you won't have to schlep if you spend $130 more for a lighter pack. Shedding 3 lb. from your load significantly improves your enjoyment and range.Notice I say the Terra 45 is well padded. I don't say it's comfortable, because my load is too heavy to be comfortable. So I've invested in lighter equipment, including the 1-lb. backpack. I'll use my Terra 45 one more time, then replace it when my new backpack arrives.The Terra 45 is a great pack, or would be but for the fact that backpacking has changed: loads have lightened, and lighter is better.