BOUGHT 2 OF THESE PACKS ABOUT 18 YEARS AGO, WHOLESALE AT THE NORTH FACE OUTLET STORE IN FREEPORT, ME, WHILE ACQUIRING TOPO SOFTWARE FROM DELORME, WHEN THEY WERE STILL IN AN OLD BARN IN FREEPORT.

THESE 2 PACKS HAVE BEEN UP THE 25 HIGHEST PEAKS IN THE EASTERN USA, FROM MT. MITCHELL TO MT. MARCY AND THE 49'er CLUBS, 49 HIGHEST PEAKS IN N.Y. STATE, OF WHICH MT. MARCH IS THE HIGHEST OF THE 49.

WE CARRIED AN AVERAGE 65 TO 75 LBS. EACH, COMFORTS AND A LOT OF CAMERA GEAR.

AT NO TIME DID WE HAVE A SINGLE PROBLEM WITH EITHER PACK. NO SEAMS, BUCKLES, ZIPPERS, MATERIAL - NOTHING FAILED OR RIPPED, EVENTHOUGH WE BOUGHT AT WHOLESALE.

GREAT ADJUSTABILITY AND COMFORT / BALANCE, ABSOLUTELY MANDATORY, CONSIDERING THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE WE NEEDED TO MAINTAIN ON THESE PEAKS.

STILL GOT THEM AND CAN NOT SAY ENOUGH GOOD ABOUT THEM. BEYOND EXPECTATIONS.

Customer Service

USED CUSTOMER SERVICE ONLY ONCE, WHEN LIKE A TENDERFOOT IDIOT, I PLACED THE DAY PACK ON TOP OF THE MAIN PACK, GOT PREOCCUPIED ELSEWHERE AND FORGOT TO FASTEN IT. NOTHING VERY VALUABLE, SO NEVER WENT BACK. CALLED NORTH FACE TO ACQUIRE A REPLACEMENT AND THEY JUST LAUGHED AND REPLACED IT FOR FREE, INCLUDING SHIPPING, MAKING ME THINK SOMEONE AT CUSTOMER SERVICE, SHARES A LACK OF BRAIN ACTIVITY, TOO, ON AT LEAST ONE SIMILAR OCCASION.

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I DON'T REMEMBER NOW, BUT, SEVERAL NAME BRANDS AND NONE WERE WELL SUITED TO HANDLING THE HEAVY LOADS, BALANCE WISE. NEVER USED ANY OF THEM LONG ENOUGH TO TEST QUALITY, ONLY DESIGN FLAWS. AS I THINK BACK KELTY AND LL BEAN WERE TWO. ONCE I ACQUIRED THE FUSION PACKS, I LEFT WELL ENOUTH ALONE, AS "YOU DON'T FIX WHAT AIN'T BROKE".

This pack has a lot of good features, but after changing to a pack that does not have a front opening I really miss it. I also broke three buckles on my last winter backpack trip, luckly it was on the second to the last day of the trip.

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Kelty, Gregory, Salomon, Outdoor Reasearch

Purchased in the summer of 1999, the Fusion has served me well for more than a thousand miles in Europe, Canada, and the USA. The pack is excellent overall, eventhough a little on the heavy side. The only complaint is the difficult reach of the mesh side pockets with the pack on. The fabric has worn well from abusive terrain and the only tears are from squirrels trying to get to food. A great buy, but now is discontinued.

Can't believe no one has reviewed this pack!! Stands out from every other pack I have tried in terms of comfort, with a unique compressed foam shoulder strap system that is worth its weight in silky taffeta. No complaints here, all of the quality you'd expect from TNF, and rei knocked about 120 bones off the retail! I am 6'& 185#, and have a tendency to suffer from a sore back and shoulders that feel like they've been run through a meat grinder from other packs with the same loads.

I'm short (5'3") so I bought the smaller version of the Fusion - I think it was womens medium. I selected this pack primarily because of fit and also capacity (5000 cu.in.) Used pack on Rainier and Shasta. Worked/fit great - no problems. Very comfortable straps. There is an recess for head on top portion of pack but must position bracket correctly to form concave recess. Also got great deal at REI

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This pack is great! Narrow enough to for arm movement, especially poling. Pockets everywhere. Super comfortable and adjustable.

Once I get to a hut I tighten up the straps and use it as a day pack. Or in the summer just grab the top and go with the fanny pack.

This is one of the best pieces of gear I've got!

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I really enjoy the fit of this pack. I am 6'tall, 200+ pounds and I can carry 60-75 pounds comfortably with this tremendous bag. The quality is excellent and the combination of outside pockets, internal hydration pocket, the zippered pockets at the belt (I really love these), the fanny pack top pocket and misc. straps provide incredible versatility. I've only carried it about 50 miles so far, but it makes the work much more comfortable.

The downside is the plastic buckles and hardware. So far, I have broken two waist belt buckles -- the one from the fanny pack as well as the regular waist belt -- and one ladder buckle on the load lifting strap. I begin worry about being stranded in the boonies with a bag that can't be worn. Has anyone else experienced such problems.

I would rate the pack higher if it were not for the broken hardware.

Customer Service

The folks at North Face replace the two belt buckles very quickly. Replacing the ladder buckle, however, requires sewing and I will have to send it in for that work.

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I have carried REI's Valhalla pack and a Kelty Super Tioga external frame pack.

This pack is absoultly amazing. It holds almost anything, has endless pockets with endless uses and is water-proff. The top converts into a lumber pack which is great for a uses as a day pack. The back panels work great and the straps are extremly comfortable. The only down side to this is that the lower compartment zipper is fairly hard to undo at some times. This pack is great and will fit anyone like a glove!!

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This pack is so much better than the Jack Wolfskin one that I used to have. The North Face Fusion just simply kicks all others butts!

Wow. Capacious pack. Ingenious design to create separate zips for the main compartment, plus inner "partitioning." I am still discovering new uses for new pockets in this one. Lots of places to strap things on, but still retains is functionality and doesn't get too carried away with an excessive amount of nylon webbing. The only minuses I care to mention are 1) no recess for head, but I've only overstuffed it like that in a pinch - had to pack up fast and clear out 'cause of inclement weather. 2) haven't found much use for the top section as a fanny pack/waist pack. Lost a plastic clip and found out the hard way that TNF makes its own flavor of hardware that no one else in the civilized world carries. Tough as nails pack that looks great, performs great. Internal "frame" does the job and trucking around with the house doesn't fatigue shoulders.

Big plusses for padded back and whatever foam they use for straps. This is the best $40 bucks I've spent in a while, unless you count my $40 TNF Peregrine Tent :) I got lucky at a clearance sale.

Customer Service

Only once did I send an item back for a factory repair. It was an older canvas pack that was showing its age. It came back reinforced with some heavyweight cordura, in strategic places, and cost me a whopping $3.

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Most of their gear kicks butt. Sometimes its hard to swallow the price-tag, but if you know you'll be using (and abusing) the gear, it's good to know that it'll hold up, and be backed by the factory. The rep told me as long as I don't melt/burn it, I'll be okay. Big plusses for their down bags, anything gore-tex, and the contrastingly simple day-packs. I love my Miwok.

This is a great pack. It's comfortable to wear, large enough to bring all of your gear, technical enough to do whatever you want to do. Front pockets are nice to help you organized. Recommend this pack to anybody out there.