Compared two backpack brands for my hiking trip in Colorado and one fell apart after 3 days

I bought a cheap pack off Amazon for $40 and another from REI for $120 before a week-long hike near Estes Park. The cheap one ripped at the shoulder strap on day 3, had to duct tape it. The other one held up fine through rain and rocky trails. Anyone else find that spending a little more on gear saves headaches later?

2 comments

2 Comments

cole_davis471mo ago

Estes Park is where I saw a moose for the first time, freaked out, and dropped my phone in a creek. That cheap pack would've probably just floated away, but my Osprey was too heavy to lose. @jaken23 duct tape is a solid backup but man, once you fight with tape on a cold morning you start to wonder if the extra cash was worth it.

jaken231mo ago

Eh, duct tape fixes everything though right? That's kind of been my experience with cheap gear. You spend $40 and you get what you pay for but honestly a little tape on a shoulder strap isn't the end of the world. Most people aren't doing super technical climbs anyway, just walking on trails. Plus you still have the REI pack for next time so it's not like you're out anything.