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Reviews > Packs > Internal and External Framed Backpacks > High Sierra Sport Company Naja 70 10 > James Triplett > Long Term ReportLong
Term Test Report:
High Sierra Sport Company NAJA 70+10 Backpack
Personal Biographical Information: Name: James E. Triplett Age: 44 Gender: Male Height: 6' 2" (188 cm) Weight: 195 lb (88.5 kg) Email address: james_triplett@hotmail.com City, state: Cedar Rapids, Iowa Date: May 11, 2004
Backpacking Background: I grew up car camping all through my childhood.
As the son of two teachers, we camped in order to be able to afford a
vacation, always in the summer, and usually we headed north from the
Midwest to find cooler climates. That instilled in me a love for
the outdoors, which spurred me into backpacking, and eventually
motivated me to continuously hike the lower 1/3 of the Appalachian
Trail. Currently, I spend many weekends backpacking and camping
each year, and am out on a daily basis on shorter hikes. I camp
with the Scouts, my family, and solo. I try and take at least one
one-week backpacking trip each year in addition to the several one to
three-night trips.
Manufacturer Information: Manufacturer: High Sierra Sport Company Found under High Sierra: Internal Frame Packs –or- by searching for “Naja”
Product Information:
Features:
All Naja packs at the time of this review are available in three color combinations, according to the High Sierra website: 1)
Cypress,
Seafoam, Evergreen, Black
2) Cinder, Biscuit, Hot Sauce, Black 3) Dive, Ash, Navy, Black
Review This report concentrates on the long term use and durability of the NAJA 70+10 backpack. For additional product information, please see the High Sierra Sport Company website, or my Initial Report. For additional test information please see my Field Report.Since my Field Report, I have taken the NAJA 70+10 backpack on three overnight trips, and several day hikes. These outings have all been in Eastern Iowa, with the exception of one two-day trip in Southern Missouri. I have only used the NAJA at altitudes below about 1000 feet (300 meters), on dirt and rocky trails, in mostly clear weather with temperatures ranging from 32 to 70 F (0 to 24 C). I am happy to report that the durability of this pack has been excellent. The heavy fabric and solid construction have proven to be quite adequate for bushwhacking and general trail abuse. The cushy belts and straps have kept their form and continue to perform as they did when I first used the pack. I managed to get the NAJA rather dirty (and sweaty) during a mild heat wave this spring, and once home, a little warm soapy water brought the pack back to its original condition. The other item I am happy to report on, is the usability of the storage space within this High Sierra Sport Company pack. I am a certified adder-of-last-minute-items, and the NAJA has always accommodated me. The multitude of storage options have made this a fun pack to load and arrange. What is still troubling to me, however, is the fit of the NAJA 70+10. When I adjust the shoulder straps and load-lifters to where they seem to be correctly placed, the hip belt rides too high. When I adjust the hip belt to the desired position, the shoulder straps angle upward in order to go over my shoulders. This adds weight to my shoulders, and when I loosen the shoulder straps the pack wants to fall away from my back, rather than downward on the support of the hip belt. The Ergo-Fit adjustable shoulder harness system has been extended to make the harness as long as possible throughout the test. When heading out hiking I typically try and avoid altering the adjustment of my pack for as long as possible. I find that once I make that first adjustment, I can't seem to get it right, and I fidget with the straps, tensioners, and buckles continuously from that point on. With the NAJA, I give in early and start the fidgeting process almost immediately on any excursion. I have only had the opportunity to use the attached rain cover on the NAJA 70+10 once. This was on a seven mile day hike near Maquoketa Caves State Park in East-central Iowa. I got caught in a light but steady rain while on a tree-lined trail just before completing my trek. The rain cover was easy to remove from the bottom of the pack, and easy to slip over the pack. I hiked back to my truck, estimating the time in the rain with the cover on at about 45 minutes. When I examined the pack later there seemed to be some wetting on the inside of the pack, but it was of a small enough amount that I wasn't sure if it came through the cover or was a result of putting the cover on during the rain. The contents of the pack were still dry. Despite the negative aspects I have written about, I find that the pack is quite usable. The best scenario seems to be to lower the backpack onto my hips and then pull the shoulder straps tight enough that the pack is reasonably tight against my back. This works the best with a light but bulky load, with the heavier items centered and as close to my back as possible - as I normally do. Loads of less than 40 pounds (18 kg) ride better than heavier loads. On all the multi-day trips I have taken with this pack, I have gotten by with this method and have thought the pack to be adequate. Summary: This is a solid pack with a well padded harness system and made of durable materials. There are an abundance of features which work well. The ability to detach completely the rain cover and the small pack lid would be an improvement over the current design. As with many adjustable products on the market, the Ergo-Fit adjustable shoulder harness system only needs to be adjusted once and left that way, therefore making it unnecessary in my opinion. I would prefer to have a choice of sizes and to do away with the adjustment feature. Fit, as with any backpack, is of paramount importance. I would be more enthusiastic about this product if it fit better. The weight of the pack is a bit high, but that is a trade off for the heavy fabric, and amenities such as top lid, lashing hardware, shock cords, pockets, straps, and the rain cover. Likes and Dislikes: Likes:
Dislikes:
Respectfully submitted, -James T. Read more reviews of High Sierra Sport Company gear Read more gear reviews by James E. Triplett Reviews > Packs > Internal and External Framed Backpacks > High Sierra Sport Company Naja 70 10 > James Triplett > Long Term Report | |||||||||||||||||||||||||