Around 2002, I participated in a pack review on this site. I used about a dozen packs for one day each, wrote a little bit of what I liked and didn't like, and in the end I got to keep the pack I liked best. I kept the arc'teryx rt 45. It's been my gunks pack ever since.

Well, I think it's finally time to retire it. There's been a two-inch hole in the bottom of the pack for about a year (patched, but the patch is wearing out), and the zipper on the front of the pack just went. Overall, I was very happy with the pack. Carried great, liked the big open top (although stuffing a rope bag in and out could be a pain), and it held up pretty well for the 8 years I used it.

I thought I'd check back with anyone else who participated in the pack review. What happened to the pack you got. Are you still happy with your recommendation?

BTW, here's a link to my original reviews. It would be nice to put a link to your old review if you can find it:


My 2002 Pack Reviews

I liked the Metolius Shield and still use it as my summer crag pack. It's held up really well. Only complaint is the laminated plastic fabric has gotten softer so it doesn't stand upright and open as well as it used to. One annoyance - the drawstring around the opening is exposed and snags on gear as it's taken out, esp. Tricams. (Grrr) It's got a few small scrapes from short hauls, so it isn't a real haul bag by any stretch of the imagination. But I am 99% delighted with it, yes even the day-glo orange color.

I can't find what I wrote in "02 but that's OK; most of those packs are likely gone off the market by now.

Here's your review:
Mike's Review

That haulpack you picked looks like a nice gunks pack - where we pack and unpack half a dozen times a day. Glad it held up.

Julie's turn

I kept the Gregory, but it eventually got destroyed (bottom panel collected too many holes) from the rough rock in Joshua Tree.

I was so disgusted with all the kludge on all the packs that I got into cutting crap off of my packs. And then, a few years later, I found myself manufacturing packs...

it's all the fault of that damned review! hahahaha! ...if only I could blame Eddie!

I bought an RT45 based on the reviews. I really liked the pack, but it had a couple of flaws. Strapping rope on top of the pack forced the frame sheet to eventually tear through the bottom of the lining. I reinforced it with some heavy duty cordura.

Then the frame sheet broke. The frame sheet had three metal stays, in the shape of a Y. The weight of the rope on the two wing stays flexed the sheet and eventually tore it. I sent it back to Arcteryx (against my better judgement) and they sent me a new Needle 45 in return, which I didn't like at all. I should have kept the RT45 and fixed the framesheet myself.

I used an RT35 for a while, which is OK, but a little small. Recently picked up a Cilogear Worksack 45. Woohoo! Go Crackers!

I have an old 30L Worksack that I used to use for day-to-day. Now I'm using the 20L Worksack. Fits my 14" laptop (with no sleeve or padding, so gotta be careful), DSLR, book, and water bottle. Weighs nothing, mates to the bigger packs or gets stuffed inside, great little pack!

wow, someone actually uses one for around town?
awesome!
(not to say i dont love my pack, i do, i just never really got the "hey, you can use it for your laptop, and make it smell like your harness" thing.)