Glendale Backpacking Backpack – 65L, 85L or 105L (Cathay Spice/65L)

I recently acquired the Kelty [Model Name] backpack with high hopes of embarking on epic outdoor adventures. Known for their durability and functionality, Kelty is a reputable brand in the realm of outdoor gear. However, my experience with their backpack left me grappling with the age-old adage: bigger isn't always better. The first impression of the Kelty backpack was undoubtedly positive. The build quality, material, and overall design reflected the brand's commitment to crafting reliable outdoor equipment. The problem, however, surfaced when I realized just how large this backpack truly was. The first indicator was that my backpack had extra room that I had not utilized. The sheer size of the Kelty backpack turned out to be its Achilles' heel. Despite being an avid hiker and camper, the enormity of the bag made it impractical for my needs. The 105-liter capacity, proved to be excessive for my 3 month Asian excursion. The extra space led to a frustrating game of Tetris each time I packed, the bag would not correctly close because of the excess room. The oversized nature of the backpack also posed a problem in terms of weight distribution. When fully loaded, the bag felt unwieldy and threw off my balance, making me feel like a turtle with a shell that was just too big for its own good. Navigating through the frequent planes, trains, buses, and taxis was more than a little difficult. The other complaint I would have is that I prefer not to have the bottom of the bag open. While it is great for hikers to easily access their rain gear or some other item at the bottom of their pack, I don't really see the need to quickdraw a pancho. Traveling across Asia I was always concerned it would open and I not notice. I solved this with a Zipper lock, which I had to replace part of the zipper to use. I will most likely have it sewn up. I would say this is not a design flaw just something to be aware of. On a positive note, the quality of the materials and construction were consistent with Kelty's reputation. The backpack's durability stood the test of time, and the zippers, straps, and seams held up well under various conditions. I choose Kelty for comfort and for size. I tried on several different models, and Kelty was by far the best in terms of fit and comfort. It feels almost weightless. In hindsight, I wish I would have choose a lighter pack, but I would have gone with a Kelty.

Great backpack. Roomy, versatile and durable. I couldn't be happier.

I got the 85L pack for an 8+ day backcountry trip in GNP and overall, it held up very well. For the size, it’s probably the max you’ll want depending on the weight of your equipment. The pack can be as big as you want but if you carry too much, it won’t matter how strong you are. My initial pack weight was 62 lbs at the start and while the Glendale held up, the shoulder straps were not super comfy, but that can be said for any pack that heavy I believe. Pockets were plentiful, however the side pockets didn’t extend outward, only inward, so they were essentially useless with a full pack. I ended up storing all of my smaller gear in the lid, rather than on the sides, which made it a little too heavy. Also the adjustable sizing is nice but doesn’t hold up to too much weight so be careful of that, you might get slight slippage if you’re exceeding 50lbs. Finally, I’m not the smallest guy but I also have a small frame and the belt was barely small enough to cinch around my waist. If I was any skinnier it would’ve been too loose. All in all, a great pack for the money, holds up well under pressure, but some comforts tend to fall a tad short when you’re getting into very large gear weights

An amazing pack. Bought it for winter backpacking (true winter backpacking down to -15 to 20 degrees at night. High quality and distributes the weight. Make pack feels lighter then ever from how well this was designed. No longer going to have to struggle to fit everything inside a 65L.

I have use it for more than 2 years. Strong bag

Great backpack: light, strong, plenty of space, and very versatile. The problem is, within a few days of use, the belt failed and collapsed, as you can see, no matter how I adjusted it or how far in or out I took it, the belt straps would rotate the controlling plastic pieces and just slide through it, thus loosening the belt and putting the weight back on my shoulders, seems like a cheap way to do the hip belt which would have been easily improved with an extra piece or two but they did it the cheap and easy way and the whole backpack fails b/c of it.

Very roomy and incredibly light weight frame. I’m a big guy and it fits really well

Good price, versatile design, easy to use