Black Diamond Axis 33 Outdoor Backpack

Great pack use it for taking my climbing gear the the climbing gym. Over all great climbing pack

I bought this pack through REI and took it out on the AT to test it. I intend to use it for backpacking, not climbing. If you have the right gear this bag is great for backpacking in the spring and summer, when your load is going to be a lot less.I went 20 miles in 2 days with roughly 25lbs of weight in this pack and it handled fantastically. The ErgoActiv suspension system took me a little bit to get used to. It did feel good after a while having the pack shift with how your hips were moving along the trail. I did however notice at the end of the day that my hip muscles were strained a bit, and haven't experienced that with any other pack. With that type of suspension system i did notice that my shoulders and armpit weren't as bruised after my trip. Very comfortable pack!However, it is difficult to load this pack entirely since it has a top zipper that pulls down both sides of the pack, almost 1/4 of the way down. This made it very difficult to zip it up having things packed close to the top. Luckily the actual zippers seem very strong so i didn't have any doubt in pulling a little harder. The hip belts are very thin which may cause some problems with carrying loads more than 35lbs. Anything more than that, then they wouldn't be able to hug your hips without slipping down a bit.I recommend this pack for someone who has a minimalist type of gear for backpacking trips that are no more than 3 days long.

Poorly designed attachment system for the shoulder straps. pinches my neck severely. returned it the day it arrived.

not bad..

Good quality!

This is a great pack. It carried a full trad rack, small day pack with a 3L water bladder, jacket, harness, shoes and chalk bag in the main compartment; guide book and snacks in the top pouch; rope across the top; and helmet strapped to the front with a very well designed helmet sleeve. The compression straps work very well and hold the rope in place. The hip belt and shoulder straps felt comfortable, even with all this weight. It carries equally well on steep scrabbles and slabby descents. The ergoACTIV suspension system allowed me to move without feeling like the pack is swinging all over the place. The only thing keeping this pack from a 5 star rating is the poorly constructed zipper tabs. The tab pulled apart the second time I pulled zipper shut. I have tried to capture the defect in a photo. This is a relatively minor fault and certainly one I can live with.