Jansport Access 40

Jansport Access 40

The Jansport Access 40 was my pack. It was a great backpack but it wasn’t right for me. I failed to realize I needed a pack made specifically for a woman. Even though it was considerably smaller than Chuck’s Big Bear, it still just didn’t fit me right. This is not to say it’s a bad choice! What I loved about the Access 40 were the many pockets and compartments. It has two front loading pockets that I carried all the soap, toothpaste, brushes, etc in and a front stash pocket I actually managed to stuff our entire tent into. (The actual tent, not the poles or ground cloth) If that doesn’t sell it I don’t know what will! It has great side pockets, one of which carried our cooking pan, cup, and utensils. It’s got a little pocket up top that’s great for change, carrying numbers, id’s, or anything else that you don’t want to dig through your pack for. The waist straps could have been a little bigger in my opinion but what really sold me on the Access 40 were the Aircore shoulder straps. They were very comfortable and Chuck was always jealous of them. This pack also has a hydration sleeve. I never used it so I can’t comment on it.

Now for the cons: this pack compresses very well on the sides, but what I hated about it is how wide it gets when it’s full. It was extremely difficult to take on buses or hold in a car. The Big Bear was very long and slim when full while the Access was thick and bulky and would constantly cause me to bump into things. I compare it to driving a truck versus a car; when driving a truck you have to be constantly aware of the back end. Also, the two front loading pockets tore in my pack. However, I’m not 100% sure if this was the pack’s or my fault. I did constantly over stuff it and I also carried razors in those pockets. Speaking of overstuffing, 40 liters may seem like a lot, but it wasn’t enough for me, packing my bag in the morning was a thirty minute ordeal for me because everything had to be “just-so” for it all to fit. This would make a great weekend pack (which is what it’s advertised for anyway) and has a ton of versatility. However, if you need to stuff this thing until it bursts, I suggest you keep looking, it’s just too awkward when full. Check out the full specs here: Jansport Access 40

Jansport Big Bear 63

Jansport Big Bear 63

This was Chuck’s backpack. I personally loved it. This thing is huge and it’s the smallest Big Bear they have at 63 liters. It has two huge side pockets, a good front pocket, a ton of room on the inside with a drawstring top. My personal favorite was the compression hood. It had a ton of room and Chuck carried both of our rain jackets in it. This pack compresses so well! He could do some serious shrinking from top to bottom and also on the sides. It has great waist straps that are very wide and sit perfectly on the hips. The only complaint Chuck had for this backpack were the shoulder straps. He said they really needed some more padding. My only complaint would be how long this pack is. It fit him perfectly of course, but I’m much shorter. I would have loved to have one but it was just way too huge for me. He got it on sale at Campmor for about 60 bucks. They still have this sale going on so check it out here: Jansport Big Bear 63

Also, order a free catalog from them here: Free Campmor Catalog You’ll get a new one every season! I absolutely recommend the Big Bear. It’s a great internal frame pack built for backpacking. They have three different sizes but unless you’re planning on permanently moving to the woods the 63 liter is probably all you’ll need.