Kelty Arapaho

Review Date
December 3, 2003

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Reviewed by: stiffizzle(Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker

Price Paid:  $130.00 at Campmor

Summary:
Decent overall for my first pack. I bought it because it was big enough to fit all of my non-professional bulky gear and it was relatively inexpensive. It took me a while to get this thing fitted to me, but now that it's worn in, the fit is pretty good. It carries large loads fairly well. I recently did a week long hike carrying up to 50 pounds and it stayed comfortable all week long.

Now that I've upgraded most of my other gear, this pack is probably too big. It's almost impossible to fill unless you're hiking for more than a week. I don't even use the external pockets any more. It has performed nicely for my first backpack, but I'm ready to get something better and smaller.

Customer Service:
Never had to use it.

Similar Products Used:
None

Review Date
March 14, 2001

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Reviewed by: Sheldon Barron(Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker , from Frederick,Maryland, USA

Price Paid:  $142.00 at REI Outlet

Summary:
If you want to haul a lot of gear for winter trips, or for extended periods, then it will be hard to find a better pack for the same amount of cash.

Construction is bullet proof. The sleeping bag compartment is large enough to accept even the cheesiest bags.

We did EXHAUSTIVE testing with comparable, and more expensive packs including various Lowe Alpine, North Face, Osprey, Gregory, and a couple of others also. The stays are bendable into conformity with even the most twisted spinal columns, and the loaded comfort of the pack was as good as many packs costing twice as much.

Pocket space, and lashpoints are abundant, making the pack an excellent trail pack with easy access to comfort items.

Customer Service:
Nothing has yet broken, but product support personnel have been quite willing to offer assistance and advice patiently over the phone while we were in "analysis paralysis" evaluating the myraid choices.

Similar Products Used:
None

Review Date
July 28, 2000

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Reviewed by: Michael Brown(Unregistered User) ,  Mountaineer , from Anchorage, Alaska

Summary:
This pack rocks! Filling this pack is hard to do but it is a nice convenience to be able to bring everything. The fanny pack/top compartment swallows my tent keeping it in the optimal place to prevent "digging" through your gear for it.

Customer Service:
The cost and reputation of Kelty go together to make it the pack for my back!

Similar Products Used:
The suspension makes this pack into a "gentle giant." Loading on 40-50 pounds is nothing. It makes you forget you have it on!

Review Date
March 24, 2000

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Reviewed by: kevinjack smith(Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker , from mt hope, wv, us

Summary:
the arapaho is a good pack for the money, but a little too large for my needs. the fanny pack could stand some redesigning, and the back pocket has the potential to be inaccessable sometimes because of the compression system, but it was my first pack, and i loved it.
its a good buy for someone starting out, but i wouldnt recommend it for more experienced packers.

Similar Products Used:
kelty slickrock

Review Date
January 30, 2000

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Reviewed by: Mike O'Connor(Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker , from Dayton, OH

Summary:
I was plesantly surprised by how well this pack performed -- at least for the friends I lent it to on the last two 3 1/2 days to the Smokies the last two Decembers. I decided to use the Kelty Moraine (awful). The Arapaho is a very good back and I also bought it Jumbo sports for $79. I can carry about everything you could imagine and does it competently. Both of the other individuals were very happy with the performance