Yup, it's a 5 all the way around. Carries alot of stuff very comfortably. Excellent quality and details.

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None

Awesome pack, VERY comfortable. The kangaroo pocket is perfect for stashing away wet stuff. Very well made and simple, functional design.

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None

This is an incredible pack. The main pocket is HUGE. Be careful or you will overpack. This is a top loader but also has a full length zipper down the side to access items at the bottom so you don't have to unpack. The Kangaroo pocket is a great feature which I use a lot. Mainly for wet items such as rain gear, tarp etc. as well as items I want handy and easy to get at. Kangaroo pocket features a drainage grommet at the bottom. Top lid is floating so you can extend the capacity of your pack and also converts to a fanny pack for day trips. The suspension is what really sets this pack apart from the rest. The thermo molded hip belt distributes the pack weight along the entire contact area so I experienced no bruising even when humping 70lb loads. You wear this pack, you don't carry it. Other great features include: wand pockets, ice axe loops, dual daisy chains, compression straps that actually work, good head clearance and bombproof Canadian construction. In fact the only fault I can find is that there is no water bladder pocket. Not much to gripe about. Five stars all around. In fact I like this pack so much I'm going to purchase the Bora 40 daypack for a short trip to Europe next year. Arc'Teryx has earned my loyalty. Value rating is if purchased from MEC ($245 US dollars!). Otherwise I'd give it a value rating of three stars.

Customer Service

Not needed yet......doubt I ever will.

Similar Products Used:

Mountainsmith Frosfire & Mountainlite, The North Face Inversion, Gregory Pallisade

This is one comfortable pack. You can stack on the lbs. and your shoulder and hips don't get worn or tired. Of course it's not magic, you legs will pay for the weight. But the way the pack handles the weight is magic. Stability is as good as it gets. I have had 40lbs in the pack and then my 4 year old son poops out and says "Daddy carry me!" Up he goes on the top of the pack and I'm still comfortable and stable. Even when he falls asleep. I have a North Renegade and a Patrol Pack. Both a good packs. But the Bora 95 is more comfortable, more secure, with more wieght and it's easier to get into with that side zipper.

Customer Service

I haven't had to get any service yet. Don't expect to soon.

Similar Products Used:

North Face Renegade

Like everyone else has said this pack is great. No need to go into huge depth about it. Simply put, for your money this is the best on the market. Very large pack, keep that in mind, consider a Bora 80 (still large) if you're not doing multi-day stuff. MEC no longer ships this pack to the USA due to the huge demand for it, they couldn't keep their stocks up. Go buy it!

Customer Service

Haven't needed it and I don't cound on needing it.

Similar Products Used:

Lowe (smaller pack, but still good)

I narrowed my choice down to two packs, the Vortex 5800 and the Arc'Teryx Bora 95. MEC in Canada was the only nearby dealer I found who had the Bora 95 in stock. After examining the pack and wandering around for a couple hours loaded down with weight, I decided that it was probably what I wanted. I took it home and loaded it up for the gear test.

The construction of the Bora didn't appear as beefy as the 5800. My biggest concern is where the support rods attach to the hip belt. It looks like it could be a point of failure.

Like the 5800, and unlike the Gregory, the Bora has a large zippered access to the bottom compartment. The Divider between main and bottom seals tightly preventing items from slipping down but wouldn't allow a long item to slip down the side into the bottom compartment. I didn't find that to be a necessary feature.

A side zipper allows access to the main compartment, which is great when trying to fill in empty space around bulky items or searching for poorly packed items.

The wand pockets don't look like they would drop wands, however, they also have no drainage at all.

The Lid has one zippered pocked with a clip (for keys). Padding for fanny pack use. Might be able to slip small hydration pouch behind padding. Lid comes off by unbuckling 4 buckles and a simple twist of a cinch buckle through a loop. The lid has a daisy loop sewn into the top.

There are two ice axe loops on the Bora and, unlike the 5800, velcro straps for the ice axe shaft. There are also two daisy loops running along side the kangaroo pocket.

The huge kangaroo pocket fits shovel (and handle), rain gear, radios, beacon, and still has room for more. The pocket has a small hole in the bottom so moisture from wet items can drain.

This years model is supposed to come with a hydration system pocket which is attached to the inside of the pack. To me, hydration bags look flimsy and too easily damaged. One sharp object or hot coal against that bag and it's toast. My system is to use a Nalgene wide mouth bottle with their 'Sport' accessory lid and tube. I tuck the Nalgene bottle into the wand pocket (since the Bora's don't have a decent water bottle pocket, AHRG!) and clip it to the lower compression strap with a cheapo mini 'D' 'biner found at most department store camping sections. Voila, a sturdy, flexible, hydration system that can withstand abuse. Still, it would be nice to have the bottle a little more secure in the pocket. A slightly larger wand pocket could solve this problem.

The zippers were burly and had corded grasps for managing with gloves. They grasps looked like they would be easy to self maintain should they eventually fail, which didn't seem too likely.

The capacity of the Bora is fantastic, more than the 5800. I was able to fit all of my 60lbs of gear with room to spare. The kangaroo pocket really makes the pack. It holds a lot of gear and, unlike most shovel pockets, it keeps the pack sleek and the items contained so they can't catch on branches or get lifted out of the pack. I realized that if I need external pockets, like those found on the 5800, I can always buy aftermarket add on pockets and attach them to the pack.

The Bora was comfortable, even loaded up with 60lbs of cra..., er, essential gear. See my Vortex review for a list of my personal stats. It's hard to say, but probably not quite as comfortable as the 5800. The Arc'Teryx lacked extra shoulder adjusters that the 5800 had for fine tuning. There was plenty of room for any sized helmet.

No written documentation was included with pack on how to best fit and size the pack nor was there a list of all of the design features nor did it come with any written warranty information.

The company. When I called, I had to leave a message, however, they returned my call within a few hours. I sent an e-mail on the 21st of February with no response to date. With the Bora, the number one complaint over the last couple years, from what I've seen, is that the wand pockets won't accommodate a water bottle, yet they haven't bothered to address this.

Overall. Well designed pack with a huge capacity. Not as burly as the Vortex 5800. The kangaroo pocket not only adds quite a bit of space, it helps keep items contained so they can't be snagged from the outside. This pack should suit the needs for extended backpacking trips, winter treks, or glacier climbs.

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Dana Glacier: Great fit. Too small for my needs. Concerned about ability to handle heavy loads. Didn't care for features.

Dana Terraplane: Didn't fit me too well. Didn't care for features.

Gregory Wind River (and most Gregorie's in general): Didn't like design, features, and some materials. Bottom compartment access too small. Too much mesh/net material.

Vortex 5800: Very good fit, possibly better than the Arc'Teryx. Bombproof construction. Great warranty (assuming they'll be around in 10, 20, or more years). See my Vortex review.

I adore this pack.
Excellent suspension, excellent hip belt, good shoulder straps. Carried great even with 90 lbs.
One thing I really like about the kangaroo pocket is that my climbing helmet fits in it. Very convenient spot (though it creates an odd looking bulge). The velcro ice axe holder things are the best I've come across.
For the first trip I took it on it was actually almost too small... But that was a month of mountaineering waaaaayyy out in the wilderness.
Under the lid there is a sleeve which is meant as a place to stash the hipbelt (the one for use when you pull the lid off and use it as a lumbar pack) That's where I put my 1.5 litre camelbak. It's marvelous there.
As to comments about the side pockets, they aren't designed for water bottles. They're meant to support things you've got stashed under the comprssion straps like skis, avalanche probes, shovel handles, etc.
I strongly recommend Arc'Teryx packs!

Similar Products Used:

Jansport big green thing (good for the price)
Osprey Sillouette

The Bora 95 was selected after carefully comparing to a couple of Gregory's (including Denali Pro) and Bora 80. Only one trip so far with this pack, but am blown away by the fact the pack fits perfectly. The Gregory's seemed to have a more pronounced lumbar pad which didn't feel quite right. The Bora 95 seems molded to your back. The pack straps fit superbly, but with so much weight transferred to the hips, they have an easy job. The construction is the best I have seen. The darn thing is just easy to use. Some packs have recalcitrant zippers for the sleeping bag compartment. The giant YKK's used by Arc'teryx simply slid open and close with no fussing. They would make a great pack nearly perfect by using vibrant colors for the pulls on the zippers to make them stand out-but that is a very small point on an otherwise extraordinary piece of equipment. Valuewise they are expensive, now that MEC will not take US orders for them. There may be another Canadian outfit that will ship to the US, but cannot remember which one. Nevertheless, it should be the last pack I will buy for a VERY long time.

Customer Service

none needed

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Jandd Barad, Eureka internal, Camp Trails external

This is the best pack I've ever owned. The hip belt transfers weight from my shoulders and MY HIPS DON"T GET BRUISES! This is important when you have a long torso and thin waist like I do. Also, the pack does not sway or creak. Properly packed, your load feels like part of you. I took an inadventant swim headfirst into a stream wearing this pack, and nothing inside was wet. It is heavy, but this pack is bombproof.

Customer Service

None.

Similar Products Used:

Gregory Rock Creek, REI NorthStar, Jansport (?), Chouinard, Sac Millet

I purchased this as my expedition size pack. This is a BIG pack! I can stuff anything from my sleeping bag to the kitchen sink in this thing. My wife owns a REI Clima 80 which doesn't compare to the carring capacity of this thing. I find the kangaroo pouch useful for stuffing food or extra-cold weather gear. I use the top pouch for quick snacks and general safety gear such as matches and my knife. This pack is also very comfortable and doesn't seem to hurt my shoulders or waistline. As with any pack, try it on or rent it first. The construction is BOMBPROOF!!! This thing has the biggest zippers I have ever seen and the pack cloth seems VERY ruggid!!!

Pros - Good size, maybe too big for general use. Suspension make the ride comfortable. If packed right, the load won't knock you off balance. The construction of this thing is a MUST SEE!! With all of the zips, everything inside is very accessible.

Cons - Side pockets are a little short. I usually use the side pockets and side straps to hold my therma-rest and tent poles.

GREAT PACK!!! Give it a try!

Similar Products Used:

Dana Tarraplane - Great pack, a liitle more than I wanted to spend.