Granite Gear makes products as tough as their name. If you're looking for a pack that can be dragged, snagged, punched, kicked, and generally abused without ever having to resort to a safe word... wait, that's a different story. Damn you Danish sex tour!
The Granite Gear Blaze A.C. 60 pack, available for both men and women (add a Ki to the name) in short and regular torso length, is a tough little internal frame hauler that tips the scales at under three pounds for a men's regular. If you shorten the name it takes off another ounce (or should). Note that part of the weight savings comes from not having a top lid, available only as an option.
The Blaze does a great job of including minimal but most-used features, starting with adjustability. The torso easily adjusts in one-inch increments from 18 to 22, the hip belt pulls tight from both sides and the shoulder straps have great load lifters and a sliding sternum strap. There are two mesh pockets on the sides that easily take quart bottles, and a tall-narrow 18 inch by 8 inch mesh pocket on the outside center that is perfect for clothing layers. Inside is a zipped pocket with toggle hanger for a hydration bladder, and the single main compartment has is capped by a seriously tall 16 inch spindrift collar.
The Blaze carries like a dream, with the perfect amount of padding in the hip belt and shoulder straps, both of which have plenty of loops for attaching additional gear if that's your bag. The cord used to secure and compress the exterior of the Blaze is different from normal webbing, but you'll learn to trust it quickly. For fast-packers and ultralight backcountry use the Blace A.C. 60 is a winner.
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