Kelty Redwing 44 Tactical Backpack - Durable Hiking & Travel Pack in Forest Green | Perfect for Outdoor Adventures, Camping & Military Use

This is a first impressions review, so it should be taken with a grain of salt. This is also my first Kelty.Durability:The seams and zippers appear to have a durable stitching and the bag material looks and feels to be quite rugged. Compared to a VISM backpack by NcStar that I have ($30), I would say that this feels like it is roughly 2-2.5x the strength of that bag, but that could translate to more than the equivalent longevity.Features:This bag is inside of the sizeclass that I would say is most versatile, being small enough for everyday use, day hiking, light camping, serious acadmics (like of you're taking a lot of credita and need to carry a lot to each class), a work bag, etc.The laptop compartment is definitely a plus, and could be used as a water bladder holder instead given the small opening at the top of the bag. The main compartment is designed to open Almost entirely, giving nigh completely free access to the contents without having to pull contents out one at a time from top to bottom (a personal feature I desire in all backpacks). The top compartment and side compartments are roomy enough to be useful. There are two open pockets (one on each side) that you COULD use for a water bottle if you finagled everything just right, but it's probably to hold hiking poles - the side pockets are connected at their sides, allowing for poles to slip through. You could probably get away with a shotgun or rifle instead, if you needed a gun for some reason. The secondary compartment is also roomy for what it is, and features a velcro-closing felt pocket that I can only assume is for sunglasses. I believe every bag should have a waist strap with metal stay and the fact that this is a bag in this size class that has that support for under $150 is the reason I bought it. It's quite comfortable, and the adjustment straps on the waist are very easy to use as well as secure. There is PALS webbing on the bottom and waist strap, which is a nice feature, although one extra row on each would have been nice. More webbing on the back and sides might have been useful, but that is probably asking a lot from a bag of this amazing price and honestly the pack doesn't need it (using that webbing might add too much bulk anyhow, and also would stand out too much in SHTF). The handles are quite thick and I have a hard time believing they are going to fail under normal use. There are three loops on the outside of the bag and I honestly have never known what to use those for on any pack, but I guess it's cool that they are there. The bag could have had more as far as shoulder strap adjustment, but it is perfect for my size.If this bag still holds up in 5 years after what I am going to put it through, it will have been a worthy investment. I'll probably update in a year.