Someone in the comments of that same article recommended Osprey...they seemed a little pricey but very "woman friendly".
My wife went through the same thing...the key seems to be finding a bag that has adjustable torso length...
...but I suspect that it only matters when the bag is enormous. The Blackhawk is only a men's bag in the sense that it makes the wearer's pectoral muscles swell from the influx of testosterone. :)
At 2100" cu., you probably don't have to worry as much about having it specially designed for your gender. But that's only my opinion.
Remember: enough bungee cords, you can put anything on the bottom/side/top of a backpack. ;)
Yep. Osprey is your best bet. I consider myself an outdoor gear aficionado and I love backpacks. Osprey makes the best packs in the world in my opinion--even better than Arc'Teryx.
I actually just bought the Osprey Stitch 26, which is actually designed for skiing but it has been money on this trip to Colombia. Check these..
http://www.ospreypacks.com/Packs/
There was one bigger one (but not huge) that I saw in REI when I bought my ski pack. It had this ingenious ventilation net that keeps like 3 inches of air in between you and the pack. Might be exactly what you're looking for.
REI carries it for sure.
Joined: 05-04-07
Argh! Does such a thing exist? I need a much smaller bag for my trip to China, but I'm getting frustrated looking online for what I need. (Looking in a sporting goods store in Warsaw was even more trying.) I'm looking for something around 2100-2650 cubic inches (I think) that has a front or side access zipper (not just a top entry), a waist strap, and will fit a two person tent on the bottom. Preferably not super flashy or ugly or obvious. I'll even take ugly if it's awesome.
I read Jacob's (Olivebeard's) article on BNT, but the Blackhawk looks a men's pack. Other than that, the Kelty Redwing 2650 looks promising. Any suggestions? What do you use?
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Jacob's article: "One Traveler's Quest For The Ultimate Backpack"
http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/15/one-travelers-quest-for-the-ultimate-backpack/
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Damnit. Is it completely moronic to think that I'd be able to fit a two person tent (and still have room for other crap) in a 2--- cubic inch bag? I don't know because it's not my tent and Yogi says he doesn't know where it is exactly (somewhere in Warsaw? In northern Poland at his parents'?) Argh!!!