New Outdoor Product Packs

[Mtn Scout]

was at wally world today and i always swing through camping section. outdoor products have 2 new packs out and i am very impressed. i already have the skyline 8.0 and its awesome for the money. the 2 they have now one is called the gama 8.0 and i cant remember what the other one is but here are some specs on the 2. one is 2300 ci and looks more like a backpack. the other one is 3300 ci and weighs around 2lbs. i took my gregory z50 back in today to compare the 2. overall its almost same size as z pack but its lighter, has 7 pockets, has main zip access, super cool air channel for your back. the best news its 49.99. i am going back tomorrow and getting one. did not know if anyone else has one of these.

[stranger]

I'm assuming this is either a joke or you are very, very new to backpacking.

I seriously doubt anyone on here uses an Outdoor Products backpack for anything other than going to class or the gym, there is a reason for that.

Educate yourself about products before you make decisions...it will save you alot of money in the long run.

[tdoczi]

funny story, about 7 years ago i decided i wanted to do an overnight trip at the grand canyon and needed a backpack. figured itd be a one time use thing so i didnt want to spend a lot of money, so i picked up an outdoors products pack for about $100 at sports authority. still using it. it holds stuff and goes on my back, i dont see the need to replace it. its been to montana, its been to yosemite, its been across the white mountains and elsewhere on the AT. would i try and use it for weeks on end? maybe not, but weekend trips its perfectly fine.

[Helios]

Stranger is obviously not a fan of these packs! WoW!

When it comes to gear there really is no wrong answer, only opinions. If you wish to try this pack out, for that price it's no real loss if it doesn't work out for you. There may be better packs on the market, but it's what ever works for you that counts.

I've seen many packs on the trail that I would never even consider carrying. The owners of these packs seemed happy with them, so who am I too say anything about it?

Reality, gear may make things easier, but it's you that makes the hike. Of course you want to have reliable gear. So when trying something new like a pack or tent, go out in an area where you are close enough to bail if it fails on you. Great way to test something out, and still be safe and have a great time. I really enjoy my short gear test hikes. They give me the confidence when I head out on longer hikes that I know I'll enjoy and have what I need that works for me!

[Rocket Jones]

I use an Outdoor Products Skyline 8 for day hikes and it's fine for the purpose. It's held up nicely too over many miles on many hikes.

[harryfred]

I have a bunch of Outdoor Products, and Coleman Max stuff I got from Wally World. I have had no problems with any of it except in the Coleman Max tend to be a little over done and end a bit on the heavy side, but just a bit. The Outdoor Products tend to be very basic but work well. I'd say for that price you can't go wrong If it turns out to be a piece of crap right it off to an education. If it works for you smile politely and nod as some one tells you how much better their $300 whatever is
To be fair I am slowly replacing some of my gear for lighter more compact better preforming gear, read more expensive. I have a lot of miles/time out there because of cheap and homemade gear. I would not have had, had I waited to afford "The good stuff", and the cheap stuff even what turned out bad taught me more about what works for me so as I buy better gear I get more value.

[daddytwosticks]

Agree w/Helios and I consider myself semi-educated. My Outdoor Products daypack from WalMart has served me well on several dayhikes.

[BigHodag]

I've been using an Outdoor Products Arrowhead 8.0 backpack that I bought at WalMart for $30. Liked it so well I bought two more, so family members can backpack with me.

I couldn't afford to build three sets of backpacking gear buying top of the line, name brand gear. Gear lists here at WB generally run over $500 and closer to $1000. Thanks to OP, I can build very lightweight backpacking "kits" for less then $200 complete.

I used the Outdoor Products Arrowhead 8.0 backpack for a two week section of the AT last year and it performed well. Met several other hikers using the same pack along the way.

I have also used OP's trekking poles and they have held up well. Good value for $13 each. OP's $9 2-liter hydration bladder is also a good value.

[jayoung]

dont be snobs people, you started out somewhere and im sure no hitech hiker gave you a hard time.

[thelowend]

Yeah... who gives a rats a$$ what gear other people use? If it works it works! Shame on ya for a close minded, insolent post.

[BigFoot2002]

Great post BigHodag.

[vibbertations]

I finally threw my Outdoor Products pack out last week. I've had it for 12 or so years. It started out as a school backpack, went into heavy rotation as an overnight/rappelling backpack, back to a school backpack for my roommate in college, to a dayhike pack. I'm no longer in school, I've got a weekend pack, I no longer rappel, and I got a day pack last year so I no longer needed it. Almost had to wipe away a tear when it went to Goodwill! Oh, almost forgot...that pack seen several caves before I finally got a Lost Creek pack which was also way back in the day!

[DapperD]

I have an Outdoor Products Saturn External Frame Backpack:http://salestores.com/outdoorp.html that I do not believe are even listed as being manufactured anymore on the Outdoor Products site. I bought it awhile ago and planned to take it on my thru-hike (still planning to). I only paid like $60 dollars for it but it is a large, rugged, and surprisingly comfortable pack. I used it doing practice hikes loaded with my gear (around 35 pounds) and it is very comfortable. I believe it is just under 5000 ci, and even though a little heavy, worth it in my opinion due to it's overall comfort when fully loaded. It can hold a ton of gear, and with easy to access pocket's for frequently used items it makes things easier. The fabric material and zippers are of good quality. The only thing about it I saw that I didn't like is that the frame, (a lighter type of plastic) which is supposed to flex and make it more comfortable, is somewhat inferior in that when I left the pack stored loaded over a long period of time the bottom of the frame where all the weight was coming down on it began to bend and twist out of shape. This is/was the only negative I can really see overall. It does have a lifetime warranty so I guess if I was willing to pay to ship the pack back, they would send a new one (if they have them still) or fix it. But for those that like externals, and for the money in my opinion, this pack is not bad at all.

[stranger]

Stranger is obviously not a fan of these packs! WoW!

When it comes to gear there really is no wrong answer, only opinions. If you wish to try this pack out, for that price it's no real loss if it doesn't work out for you. There may be better packs on the market, but it's what ever works for you that counts.

I've seen many packs on the trail that I would never even consider carrying. The owners of these packs seemed happy with them, so who am I too say anything about it?

Reality, gear may make things easier, but it's you that makes the hike. Of course you want to have reliable gear. So when trying something new like a pack or tent, go out in an area where you are close enough to bail if it fails on you. Great way to test something out, and still be safe and have a great time. I really enjoy my short gear test hikes. They give me the confidence when I head out on longer hikes that I know I'll enjoy and have what I need that works for me!

That's actually quite incorrect, I have no problem with Outdoor Products, I ran a large pack department for many years which has heaps of Outdoor Products packs, duffles and daypacks. They make basic, but decent quality, stuff for 'recreational' purposes. Long distance hiking is not recreational.

If you are talking about day hiking, or weekend use a few times a year that's another story...but for serious use, it's a bad move, but then again...

...ignorance is bliss

[tdoczi]

OP made no mention of what they were using it for, so by inference you stated it wasnt good for anything.

and what is long distance? i carried my outdoor products pack for about 100 miles over 5 days once and nothing bad happened, or is that not long enough for it to qualify as being useful for a serious hike? and what exactly will happen if i try to use it for longer than that that i should be so very very weary of?

[blackbird04217]

A thru-hike is just several back to back day/weekend hikes...

[NCarolinaHiker]

That's actually quite incorrect, I have no problem with Outdoor Products, I ran a large pack department for many years which has heaps of Outdoor Products packs, duffles and daypacks. They make basic, but decent quality, stuff for 'recreational' purposes. Long distance hiking is not recreational.

If you are talking about day hiking, or weekend use a few times a year that's another story...but for serious use, it's a bad move, but then again...

...ignorance is bliss

Ignorance is bliss, indeed. What a laughable attitude from someone who thinks they know better.

[stranger]

Heya, by all means, run out and buy your Outdoor Products backpacks

And no, I don't 'think' I know better...I do know better. I've forgotten more about packs that most people will every know, rest assured, but it's just my opinion...I'm sure the people defending $50 backpacks with 7 pockets are the ones we should be listening to

Perhaps a more intelligent response to my post might ask what other alternative pack companies are out there that make basic, decent, low cost packs...because there are many

I wish you all the best of luck with your $50 Outdoor Products backpacks, hope you get what you pay for, watch those zippers, and watch your foam compress.

[RGB]

Just because it doesn't come from REI doesn't mean it won't serve its purpose. Criticizing peoples' gear choices is one of the best ways to alienate yourself from others on the trail. If it works for them and they're happy, let it alone. The only time I give gear advice is when I'm asked for it, otherwise I might seem like a pretentious douche. HYOH.

[scope]

Well, here's the ruse folks... it is probably sufficient advice for I dare say most that visit this site, that an OP product at Wally World is not the best value. Obviously, its a viable product that can be used. I think the attitude regarding the original post cuts both ways and I think the initial reply to the original post was quite fair... folks that want to praise the OP product and accuse others of being snobbish might consider what other products they can have for the same $50.