40L Lightweight Hiking Backpack for Men & Women - Waterproof Camping Backpack with Rain Cover, Internal Frame Support - Perfect for Outdoor Adventures, Travel & Trekking (Blue)

I'm starting to go backpacking more and decided to upgrade my old 75L pack, since I rarely need that much space anyway, and I found out that it weighs almost 6 pounds completely empty. I was going to go with the Naturehike Rock 60 pack, but then saw this recommended to me for a cheaper price, and looking at the product description, I saw that this pack claims to be made with 840D Nylon, rather than the 420D Nylon that Naturehike uses on theirs, which in theory should make it a bit more durable in the long run.I was a bit skeptical since this looked pretty new and had few reviews, but I'm cheap above all else so I figured I'd take a chance on it. Upon receiving it, I can verify that it is indeed virtually an exact clone of the Naturehike pack, down to the backwards zippers on the hip belt pockets, so if you're considering this pack and want more info, you can look at their reviews, there's also plenty of YouTube reviews covering all its features as well. The best part is that it was a decent bit cheaper; at the time of this review, this pack (65L version) is listing for around $80 (I snagged a 15% clippable coupon and paid about $75 USD total after tax), whereas the Naturehike version is going for about $130.Now I just got this last week, but I did take it on a ~3 mile (5km) hike over the weekend on a moderately challenging trail, with the pack fully loaded up for a 3-day trip (forgot to weigh everything exactly but base weight was 18 lbs so I'd say I was at about 25 pounds with water and food) just to take it on a bit of a test drive to see how it sits and feels before committing to any longer journeys. I do plan to update this after getting some more mileage on it, but I do want to give my first impressions for any other budget-conscious backpackers looking at this right now.For reference, I am right about 6' 1" (184cm) tall, and about 260lbs (118kg).Pros:- Heavy-duty, durable, materials: time will tell if this holds up, but the fabric feels tough and rugged, the elastic on the mesh pockets is very snappy and firm, and the mesh can expand to hold a lot while the elastic will still hold the top of the pocket closed up.- Lightweight: Coming from a 6-pound pack, this one is less than half the weight and I can feel the difference.- Cost effective: lets me cut my pack weight in less than half while staying well under $100- Plenty of space: the max volume for the internal compartment is insane, and you get a little extra space with the mesh pocket in front for stuff you want to be easily accessible.- Lightweight internal frame w/ lumbar cushion: I was also looking at a couple frameless packs, but ultimately decided a frame was worth the few extra ounces, and I can really feel how the frame in this pack helps distribute the load and keep it sturdy, and the lumbar cushion really fit into the small of my back just perfectly.- Roll-top: some people don't like roll-tops, but I love how versatile they are because you don't have to fill them all the way up in order to make sure the load is packed tight and evenly.- Large side pockets: these can hold 2 water 1L water bottles each comfortably, or water plus long gear (tent poles, hatchet, etc) that can be secured by the adjustable cords on the sides- Buckle fastened cords: the cords on the sides and top allow you to secure extra gear that doesn't fit inside to the outside.- Load-lightening straps work really well to keep weight close to the back- Trekking pole loops; these are great because my tent uses two poles, but I usually only use one on the trail, so having a spot to put that second one is really convenient.Cons:1. No water bladder pocket; kind of seems like a missed opportunity to not even put a couple loops inside to hold a bladder with carabiners or something, especially since there's already two vent holes on the side of the pack to let air out when you roll it down.2. Side pockets not very easily accessible when hiking; this really highlights the lack of a bladder pocket too, since the position of the pockets, along with the firmness of the elastic (which does hold things more securely) make it really awkward to reach back and try and grab a water bottle on the trail without taking your pack off. Looking at getting a bottle cap adapter with a drinking hose to fix these first two gripes, which are really my only serious issues with this product.3. This pack is not customizable; the shoulder and hip straps are fixed, and this larger 60+5L version (from the Naturehike amazon and youtube reviews) seems to fit best on taller folks, whereas shorter people might want the 40+5L version. It fits me great, and other taller reviewers seem to agree, so may or may not be a problem for you.4. No back ventilation means your back gets really sweaty. I sweat a lot anyway, so this is something I already deal with and am just kind of used to it, so not really a con for me, especially if I'm already wearing moisture-wicking fabric that dries quickly.5. Hip-belt pockets: this is very minor, but the hip belt pockets don't have any bulge to them, so can't really fit anything when they're curved around your waist, but you can still fit a map in there folded up so they're not completely useless. The zippers, however, do unzip back-to-front, which takes a bit of getting used to, but again, not a huge deal.Overall, I really like this pack so far. Every single one of the pros I listed was really noticeable compared to my old pack, and the few cons I could find are either addressable, minor, or not personally applicable. Will definitely be keeping it for the moment and looking forward to putting it through the paces over the next few months and updating this further.