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Reviews > Packs > Internal and External Framed Backpacks > High Sierra Sport Titan 65 backpack > Test Report by Erin Marie Hedden
HIGH SIERRA TITAN 65
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Backpacking Background: I have been backpacking since 4 years of age, taking long trips into the mountains with my family. I hike various terrains from mountains and plateaus to grasslands and prairies. My excursions can be a day hike with a light-weight waist pack, a loop trail taking up to 5 days on which I keep my pack as light-weight as possible, or an in-and-out trip for a night or two where my pack can be heavy. Slow and steady is my pace and I use a tent or a hammock depending on weather and terrain.
INITIAL REPORT
GENERAL INFORMATION
Manufacturer: High Sierra Year of Manufacture: 2012 Manufacturer's Website: http://www.hssc.com/ MSRP: Not Yet Listed MEASUREMENTS & SPECIFICATIONS
Capacity: 65 L (3965 cu in) INNITIAL IMPRESSIONS
The color of the Titan 65 was the first thing that I noticed and I fell in love with it immediately. When I removed the backpack from its packaging I noticed that it felt quite a bit lighter than I had expected it to be from my previous experience with backpacks of the same capacity. Right away I was pleased with how light it felt in my hands but after weighing it and the 5.1 lb (2.30 kg) total weight was confirmed I was very happy with the Titan 65. After giving it the once over by checking out all the attachment points, all the straps, pockets, compartments, zippers, clips and buckles that the Titan 65 has I was very impressed not only with the construction and materials of the pack, but also with the fact that High Sierra did not seem to leave anything out. From the daisy chain webbing on the front of the pack for attaching extra gear to a removable media pocket, everything about this backpack impressed me greatly. There is a sleeve sewn into the rear of the main compartment that is designed for storing a hydration bladder and there are two small elastic lined holes, one on the rear left, one on the rear right part of the backpack to allow an exit for the hydration bladder hose to be accessed while wearing the Titan 65. There is also a zipper on the exterior of the front facing right side of the backpack that will allow easy access to items that may be packed away in the main compartment without having to actually get in through the top of the backpack itself. Also in this rear, top, area of the interior of the pack there is another slit that is not really noticeable at all. This is a hook-and-loop type flap that will allow for access to the skeleton of the Titan 65. The skeleton is a plastic frame that has two aluminum stays which can be shaped a bit if it is needed to make adjustments for a more personalized frame fit. At the base of the backpack there is a sleeping bag compartment that can be closed off for storage of a sleeping bag alone, or opened up to make the Titan 65 a single 65 liter (3965 cu in) pack. This compartment can be accessed from the inside of the main compartment of the pack, or from the outside via the exterior zipper. Attached to the pack itself are many different straps, pockets and pouches that come in a variety of sizes and shapes to secure or store all types of goodies and gear. The biggest pocket on the Titan 65, other than its main compartment, is an expanding, hinged pocket that has gusseted sides. The instruction booklet that came with the Titan 65 states that this gusseted pocket is ideal for storing climbing ropes or other gear and I am curious to see what uses I will find for it. The hinged pocket can be closed with two adjustable webbing straps that will also provide some force for compression. There is also a zipper on the front of this pocket that reveals another small area inside that can be used to store maps, snacks and whatever else I may want handy. There are also two hook-and-loop straps that are perfect for attaching otherwise loose gear like a trowel, ice axe or hatchet. As if that were not enough to make a backpacker happy, High Sierra threw daisy chain loops onto the Titan 65 to sweeten the deal and make extra gear attachment a cinch! There are two elastic pockets located on either side of the exterior of the Titan 65 for stuffing a water bottle into, or other items that I would need to keep handy. My 1 liter (1000 mL) Nalgene easily fits snugly inside both of these two pockets. On the left strap of the Titan 65 there is a removable media pocket that I can fit my Garmin GPS into, my cellular phone or my MP3 player. Attached to both sides of the waist belt of the Titan 65 are two more adequately sized pouches that are accessed by a zipper. These are great pouches to keep snacks handy and any other items that will be getting a lot of use on the trail. The belts themselves are padded with VAPEL® mesh. On the external portion of the pack there are two grab handles that are attached to the front portion of the pack which makes for easier handling of the pack itself. The grab handles are also located where the compression straps meet - one runs towards the top to secure the top lid, one goes downwards in order to function as compression for the sleeping bag, and the last one gives side compression to the pack. The bottom strap can also function as an area where a sleeping pad can be attached and carried. There are also two loops that are located at the front, bottom, of the pack. The back portion is all a part of the AIRFLOW® system that is supposedly made of a high density foam and is designed to help keep the pack distanced from my back so that I do not get so hot or sweaty. It appears as if there is almost a "Y" shaped groove that stretches down the entire portion of the center of the back of this pack. The shoulder straps are attached with the proprietary ERGO-FIT® 'S' shaped harness and load lifters. The ERGO-FIT system is supposed to be very easy to adjust to different lengths of a person's own torso. This can be done by lifting a hook-and-loop tab, sliding the harness out of the daisy chain webbing then relocating it to an appropriate height. It also appears to me that the shoulder harness is covered in the same VAPEL® mesh that the hip belt is constructed of. There are 'D' rings sewn to each shoulder strap as well. The sternum strap can be slid up or down to accommodate a variety of positions for comfort and stability. INSTRUCTIONS The High Sierra Titan 65 backpack came with instructions on how to get the right fit, loading the pack, cleaning the pack and general information about the backpack and its construction. The pictures that were included in these instructions provided excellent visual cues to follow and were easy to read and understand. TRYING IT OUT
I have taken the time to pack up the Titan 65 with everything I will be needing on my next trip out into the bush and even though I will be needing quite a bit of gear for this next outing, I found that after I was finished, there was still quite a bit of room for me to fit any extras in. SUMMARY
To summarize my findings on the HIgh Sierra Titan 65 backpack I am not ashamed to say that I am in love with the color and construction of this backpack. There doesn't seem to be anything High Sierra has left out or not thought about when designing the Titan 65 and I am excited to get it out on the trail as soon as possible! FIELD LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS
As late summer set in I packed up the High Sierra Titan 65 backpack with enough gear to weigh out at 40 lbs (18 kg) total and set out on a 13 mile (21 km) hike up hill on a switch back trail in the Sangre De Cristo Mountains in Huerfano County, Colorado. The hike in was during a clear and sunny day but I failed to get a temperature reading because I had left some key pieces of gear back at the car, but when I checked the weather conditions on line the day before the trip NOAA predicted that temperatures during the day would reach 92 F (33 C) and for the return date and my hike back down the switch back trail to the Jeep NOAA gave information that indicated that the temperature would reach 94 F (34 C) for the area I was setting out to backpack into. PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
Packing up the High Sierra Titan 65 backpack was easy and using the adjustable strap that goes from the middle front facing interior part of the pack, located at the base of the gusset, to the center rear for securing my tent as opposed to tying it on to the top of the pack with rope or bungee cords was a luxury I enjoyed and was very thankful to have. I had no issues packing up, or finding room for, all the gear that I would be needing in camp and employing along the trail. The addition of the two waist belt pouches made access to snacks and other gear that gets a lot of use and play along the trail was another wonderful luxury. The media pocket that is attached to the left side shoulder strap of the Titan 65 secured my GPS system and made it easy for me to access at all times. SUMMARY
To sum things up about the High Sierra Titan 65 backpack at this point in the report I would say that I have had a good time using it and have not had any problems with this backpack so far, in fact I have found that some of the inclusions like the handles for transporting it and the adjustable strap that goes from the middle front facing interior part of the pack at the top opening of the main compartment of the backpack have made using this pack and packing it a little easier on me and my gear. I have not had any issues with being uncomfortable, of feeling overheated or feeling discomfort from sweating and having a wet, sticky and irritating backpack snug against my back and shoulders. So far, so good. I would like to thank High Sierra and BackPackGearTest.org for giving me the opportunity to test the Titan 65. This concludes my Field Report and my Long Term Report on the Titan 65 will follow in two months. This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1. Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Read more reviews of High Sierra Sport Company gear Read more gear reviews by Erin Marie Hedden Reviews > Packs > Internal and External Framed Backpacks > High Sierra Sport Titan 65 backpack > Test Report by Erin Marie Hedden |