This pack is already a great value, but add the sale and you get an awesome deal! Construction is solid, yet pack is light enough for a ""flyweight"" like me to carry. Perfect size for a few days on the trail. Pack is not overly noticed on the trail, just the way it should be!

Customer Service

EMS is great!

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I own 4 packs and this is the only pack that I really use the others just take up space. The pack has so many great features, such as great room for more than what I need for 5 days on the trail. The fanny pack is a great addition to a great pack. I have climbed Mt. Washington twice with it, winter and fall. Both times I had enough room for my gear. Left the pack at Hermit lake shelters and took the fanny pack to the summit. I would reccomend this pack to any level of climber and hiker. This pack is as good a value as you will find today.

Customer Service

EMS staff put up with my absolute pickyness on getting the right pack. I am horrible to wait on as I need it to feel perfect before I will buy. EMS is a great way to shop.

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This is a great pack! It has all the accessories you need at a reasonable price. I traveled with 4 others for 5 weeks and we all agreed that the EMS pack was the best. Starting from the top, the detachable butt pack is large enough to carry a big camera, traveling docs, and food. I also like it because it looks and feels like a butt pack- unlike the Mt. Smith. It was also easy to lock. The butt pack is easily attached even when the pack is stuffed and the top fully extended. The main compartment can be divided into two separate parts or left as one. I separated the two and used the bottom half (intended for a sleeping bag) for all the stuff I needed to get at while traveling. The bottom zipper allows easy access. There is also a zipper that runs down the side of the main compartment -- good for stuffing but I would prefer a J-zip. Inside the bag, there are a couple of handy pockets and a bladder. The exterior of the pack is pretty plain. There are two large waterbottle holders made of net and plenty of loops to hang everything from. The fitting adjustments are all easy to work with and the shoulder straps are well padded. As you can tell- I like this pack a lot! It is comfortable, durable, and makes traveling easy.

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Great value and good capacity in the 5500. The frame is sturdy and copies the best qualities of a Dana Design pack. The straps are a bit too long, and a few extra ounces could be shaved, but overall, there's plenty of areas to do some self refining.

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I have had this pack for 5 years now. I like that it is a very simple pack. After some tinkering (it has many adjustments to fit different body types) I was able to get a very comfortable fit. The stitching gave out on one of the cinch straps.

This is my first large pack, previous packs were simply big, heavy, canvas boy-scouting packs. I love the 5500, everything I need to put in it goes in, it fits perfectly, and the features make it ultimately worth the price I paid. This pack served well moving me to and from college, also, letting me fit almost every article of clothing I own into it.

The butt pack makes a good summit pack, but I find butt packs in general to be uncomfortable...

Only two complaints: The side-mount water bottle pockets are too small for my larger bottles, and the sternum strap has a tendency to chafe when I hike without a shirt. That second problem was easily fixed with a loop of duct tape, though, so no problem!

Customer Service

When I bought the pack, the salesman actually talked me out of buying a more expensive pack, since he realized I wouldn't be needing all of its features. The guys and gals at EMS are generally very friendly, helpful, and willing to explain almost anything to you.

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This pack is fairly cheap. It provides plenty of room for your gear and even comes with a detachable fanny pack for those quick climbs to the summit and back. A great quality pack!

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This pack is truly the ""right size"" for my needs. My sleeping bag, clothes and gear fit easily and accessibly inside and the bag fits my body well. Is is a very well balanced pack. The suspension and belt make for a very comfortable and stable load.

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Lowe

Nice overall pack! This pack has a great amount of wonderful features like.... detachable waistpack, bladder slot inside, daisy chains, shovel pocket, sleeping bag compartment, and LOADS of room. I took it to New Mexico for 12 day's of backpacking and it fit EVERYTHING. It's a comfortable pack that you can completely customise with the movable shoulder and waist straps. The only worry I had was that the straps were only velcroed onto the pack but I didnt even notice it when I was on the trail. They don't flinch. Good price if you snag it on sale like me too.

Bought the pack about 2 years ago and it has worked really well. Did 5-day 62 mile trek in Adirondacks and it held everything I needed. Fit is wonderful, the EMS staff fit me the day I bought it and it has fit wonderfully since. Only complaints: water bottle holster's awkwardly placed, and got a little frayed. Overall great pack

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