[Smokey Bear]

Hello everyone. I am new to this site and was wondering if anyone out there has a Vaude pack and what you think of it. I just purchased the Accept 65 II backpack and I'm waiting for it to be delivered. I tried one out in a store and it felt great, and then found a great deal on this one. I chose the bigger (and heavier) pack because I tend to take week long trips solo, and when I do overnighters close to home I end up carrying a lot of gear for my family. Any thoughts???

[strider]

Ed, welcome to the whacky world of NWH.... Don't know about your brand of pack, but my preference over the eyars has been to go towards bigger volume packs. The high end large volume packs all have good suspension systems, and the larger space available creates lots of flexibilty when packing for various trip scenarios. I carry a Gregory myself, the Denali Pro.

[native]

I usually go to Trailspace first for reviews, but other sites that often have reviews include backcountry.com, altrec.com, and ems.com. In this case, only trailspace had reviews out of that list, but you can always use Google to expand your range of information. Hope this helps, because I don't have personal experience with Vaude packs. As an aside (and I realize it's not part of your original question), I often use a Gregory Denali Pro, for exactly the same reasons as Strider. It has enough space to be very flexible in gear loads, and has a suspension design that I consider the best in the industry for carrying heavy loads. I also think it has the toughest pack materials which allows me to travel with confidence in the pack not letting me down. It is *not* a good choice for fast and light! I have other packs for that...

[native]

Forgot to post links related to your question. Trailspace reviews of Vaude packs Google hits related to Vaude pack reviews

[Smokey Bear]

Thanks Native. I got the backpack today and can't wait to fill it and cover some miles.

[Smokey Bear]

Ok, just a quick update on the Vaude packs. I tried out my Vaude Accept 65 on a overnighter to Boulder River with two of my kids. What a great pack, I had the thing stuffed to the gills, at least 40 pounds worth, had to take a lot of gear for my kids, bigger tent, extra sleeping bag, all the food, etc. The pack fit perfectly and adjusted very easily. I have been an external pack guy for years, so maybe this added comfort comes from the pack being an internal frame and fitting better???? If you are in the market for a new pack, you might want to check out Vaude. As far as I can tell, the Accept 65 is about the biggest one they make, 4500 cu. They have a huge line of smaller packs and daypacks.

[Allison]

Vaude makes really nice packs. I'm glad to see they are back in the US market. I've seen Vaude locally at REI and Second Ascent. SA has lots of models.