TETON Sports Explorer 4000 Internal Frame Backpack

List Price : $129.99
Price : $64.60
You Save : $65.39 (50%)

Product Description

Amazon.com
The Explorer 4000 is packed with features normally found only on more expensive backpacks such as a full-length adjustable torso that allows this pack to be adjusted for those 5 feet, 1 inch tall all the way up to 6 feet, 4 inches tall. The padded back and airflow system provides padding in the perfect spots while allowing substantial airflow to prevent your back from getting too hot. Its contoured shoulder, lumbar, and hip pads help ensure a comfortable trip. The Explorer 4000 also features a padded water bladder pocket for your favorite water bladder up to 3 liters in size. Side zippered pockets, mesh pockets, and a top zippered pocket provide plenty of room for smaller accessories. There's even two spots for walking sticks. A top-loading main compartment and a sleeping bag compartment complete the pack. Includes bright yellow attached rain fly and is hydration system ready.
Features:

• Rugged, internal frame backpack with 4,000 cubic inch capacity
• Dual aluminum stays adjust to the contour of your back
• Full-length adjustable torso and adjustable shoulder straps for a more comfortable fit
• Padded shoulder straps, padded waist belts and padded lumbar area for maximum comfort, with airflow system to reduce heat
• Separate sleeping bag compartment
• Includes a bright yellow attached rainfly and is hydration system ready
• Height-adjustment shoulder straps accommodate a wide range of torso lengths

Specifications:

• Capacity: 4,000 cubic inches
• Dimensions: 34 by 18 by 12 inches (full capacity)
• Pack Weight: 5 lbs
• Shell: 600D Diamond Ripstop

The Explorer 4000 is packed with features normally found only on more expensive backpacks. A full length adjustable torso allows this pack to be adjusted for those 5'1" all the way up to 6'4". The padded back and airflow system provides padding in the perfect spots while allowing substantial airflow to prevent your back from getting too hot. Its contoured shoulder, lumbar, and hip pads help ensure a comfortable trip. The Explorer4000 also features a padded water bladder pocket for your favorite water bladder up to 3 liters in size. Side zippered pockets, mesh pockets, and a top zippered pocket provide plenty of room for smaller accessories. There's even two spots for walking sticks. A top-loading main compartment and a sleeping bag compartment complete the pack. Includes bright yellow attached rain fly and is hydration system ready.

Product Details

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• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B002XF8106
  

Product Features

• Rugged, internal frame backpack with 4,000 cubic inch capacity; weighs 5 pounds
• Dual aluminum stays adjust to the contour of your back
• Padded shoulder straps, padded waist belts and padded lumbar area for maximum comfort; Airflow system to reduce heat
• Full length adjustable torso and adjustable shoulder straps for a more comfortable fit
• Separate sleeping bag compartment

Customer Reviews

I read the earlier review about the sleeping bag pocket being too small, but bought this backpack anyway. Sure enough, you weren't lying! As soon as I took the backpack out of the box, I grabbed my sleeping bag and tried to stuff it in there. After about 5 minutes of jockying it around, I did manage to BARELY get the thing zipped up. However, the sleeping bag I used is my summer bag. If I tried to stuff my winter bag in there, with bivy sack and stuff sack, there's no way it would all fit. This can be a problem if you're intending on doing a legitimate backpacking trip in high altitudes with cold weather. All this being said, I'm in the Army and I take a different approach to this issue than most civilian hikers probably do. In my opinion, you don't need to have your sleeping bag available for quick access. The only time you use it is at night, when you'll have time to dig in your bag and get it anyway. Since the sleeping bag pocket is too small, just throw your sleeping bag in the big compartment...this compartment is large enough to easily hold a winter bag. Use the sleeping bag compartment for more important items that you might actually need to access quickly (medical kit, rain gear, flashlight, signaling device, GPS, knife, etc.) Therefore, problem solved. No need to return the bag.
Another negative I saw mentioned in a previous review is all the excess straps that hang loose. Not a problem...just get some 100mph tape and tie it all down. Too easy.
The rest of the pack seems to be quality. The material seems durable and there is a good deal of padding along the back and straps for a comfortable fit. Everything is adjustable so you won't have any problems getting this backpack to fit all shapes and sizes of hikers. It also has a quickly accessible rain cover which will definitely come in handy during those suprise thunderstorms.
All in all, this pack seems to be pretty reasonable for the price you pay. I'm going to Colorado for a 3 day hike soon and will be taking this pack with me. I'll update this review upon return to let you know how it holds up in the elements.

This is my initial review on the bag. I will add a followup review after a 3 day backpacking trip next weekend.
Pros: (Quite a few, generally happy with initial inspection)
Lots of adjustments
A decent number of pockets and options for storage(example would be a mesh velcro pocket on the face of the bag good for maps, energy bars, etc.)
Straps seem to be of decent overall quality, and there is what looks like a sleeping bag/sleeping pad strap near the bottom of the bag. There is also two straps on the very top of the bag that seem like they could be used to strap something down. Nice to have the option to securely strap some gear to the outside of the bag.
2 Mesh water bottle pockets on either side, couldn't tell by the product description or pictures but they are there! Phew.
Bright Yellow Rain Cover is located in a nifty pocket at the very bottom of the bag, nice feature.
A few loops on the outside for strapping things down.
Holds up to a 3 liter bladder with an exit whole and clips to keep in reach.
Seems to be of Durable build and quality. Field tests soon.
Cons: (Only one real con for me, two cons if you are taller)
Sleeping bag compartment is SMALL, well actually its initially more of an issue with it's opening. I have a decently small winter bag that I can't fit in when its in it's stuff sack, at all. If I take the bag out of the stuff sack and stuff it into the compartment, it just BARELY fits, nice to know that it could though. For me, I will most likely use the straps on the outside of the bag to hold my sleeping bag, I have hooked it up and it seems to work pretty well(Almost like it was made to hold a sleeping bag). 4000ci is not that much room for a winter backpacking trip so having my sleeping bag on the outside will create a decent amount of space for say my clothes, sleeping pad, and cooking gear in the sleeping bag compartment. If you are someone who must have a sleeping bag compartment, this will work for summer camping but a winter sleeping bag will be very tough to fit in, the one and only con for me but big enough to deter some people. If you are someone who doesn't mind sticking the sleeping bag on the outside where it would work out just fine in the bag's straps, then this con is not that much of an issue.
Not for TALL people. This bag seems to fit me ok but I am not a very big guy. I'm about 5'9 - 5'10 and it is a close fit. I think it will work just perfectly for me but if you are above 6 ft or anything, beware(then again I am pretty new to backpacking and this is MY first pack).
Overall:
In the end, I bought this smaller bag over the cheaper and larger cuscus bags because of the many reviews those had with cheap build quality. They get a lot of space with their big bag but have a lot of issues with bag quality. I sacrificed some space for quality and extra features. I am a little disappointed by the small backpack compartment but if I have my pack on the outside, this bag should work quite perfectly. I'd say for summer camping this bag is Perfect and for winter camping, if you can stick your sleeping bag on the outside, this bag is near-perfect. I will do an update in about a week after I give this bag a good hard test.
4/5 stars for not being 100% "perfect" but an overall good bag.
UPDATE:
Went for my November 3 day backpacking trip and this bag performed perfectly. Was comfortable and carried all of my gear with ease. I was able to pack up everything and more. The pack worked as good as I hoped it would and with the sleeping bag in the straps on the outside, it was a non-issue. No complaints, no problems, this bag is awesome. Great deal. Love it.