I just bought a new Frostfire 5300 because of many recomedations and investigation. I have not been more happy with a ""just right"" sized bag for weekend to multi-day backpack trips. It has all the features of a compartmental bag with the cool ""J-zipper"" for easy access. I don't know how the durability will be yet but the materials and worksmanship are top notch. They are definitely a good value to the Dana bags. Overall fit is good but not as good as the Jannd bags. The only feature that I miss from the Frostfire is waterbottle pockets. I know there is the hydration pocket(which I use) but it would be nice for ice tea mixes and trail food containers, etc. Ofcourse, I do have various little add on from Mountainsmith like the separate bottle holders, eyeglass holder, etc. The one negative thing I could say is the weight of the bag is as heavy as my huge Jannd bag.

Customer Service

They are what a small company is all about; great customer service with a total knowledge of their products.

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Jannd's largest bag: Seems to have a better adjustment system. Jandsport: Holds up but not as well built. Mountainsmith Day Lumbar Pack: It's fantastic for day hikes and city hikes alike. A fanny type bag that has features of a full sized backpack.

I have been reasonably satisfied with this pack. It carries loads very well when packed correctly, and I have had no durability problems. Probably my only complaint is that I don't get to us it enough now that I am in school!!!

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I originally bought this pack because of the price, but found that it did not carry heavy loads well due to the soft hipbelt. The load would sag until my shoulder were bearing all the weight, and the shoulder straps aren't that great to begin with. I landed up returning it and buying a Gregory Massif, which I am much happier with.

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Gregory Massif

This has been a wonderful pack for me. I've had this pack for about 8 years, now, and other than crushing a couple of the fastex buckles, everything has held up great. I've used it for everything from weekend jaunts to extended climbing trips.

The pack is extremely comfortable and carries well over technical terrain. It did take a few weeks to adjust just right for me, though. The hipbelt and lumbar pad are the most comfortable I've ever used.

After reading the last review, it seems that MS must have made some changes to the newer packs. The old version has two mesh water bottle pockets with bungee straps.

The top pocket is huge. I can hold rain gear, food, water filter, and lots more. The interior hidden pocket is great for throwing keys in.

I've abused this pack to the best of my ability without putting a dent in it. Lots of compression straps makes cinching the load a breeze. The load lifter and hip belt straps make fine adjustment easy. The only drawback is that this is a fairly heavy pack, somewhere around 7 lbs. I would not reccomend for light and fast, but for carrying big loads, it's fantastic.

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Osprey

I have owned this pack for over two years and have enjoyed it for the most part. I wish they could take away some of the straps surounding the bag. Also, it's not the most comfortable pack. It's not very accessable when you need something. Water bottle holders wold be great instead of the internal water system. When your back gets hot, so does the water because it's placed directly behind you. On the other hand, it's a pretty decent pack. The yellow elastic cord on the back of the pack is genious, it'll really help you out in a pinch.

A good, comfotable pack. I have had mine for four years now, and it is still going strong despite a couple of durability problems. But these should not be an issue now that they have updated the design and materials. These new ones carry the load with even more stablility. A good choice if you cannot afford a Dana Design.

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A classic internal pack with top loading and HZ zipper to bottom compartment. Mtnsmith has upgraded since I got mine to include easier access, but overall this bag is rugged and versatile. Complaints include a convertible fanny that is more difficult and dysfunctional to use than should be and no chimney's for back ventilation. Otherwise a good value.

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Massive pack for Massive user. This pack is made for expidition style trips. I own the 6000 cu. model. Could use some work on the compression system, and maby some pockets for water bottles. But overall one of the most durable pack I've ever owned.

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The Frostfire II is my third internal frame backpack and by far the most comfortable and durable. I also like the additional amenities such as the biult in Camelbak sleeve and the ability to easily piggyback on some of my smaller Mountainsmith packs. I use the piggybacking feature to provide more room on longer hikes, or just more compartment seperation for camera equipment and food.

Customer Service

I talked to a rep for Mountainsmith about some questions I had about piggybacking some smaller packs, and they were very patient while walked me through the whole proceedure over the phone!

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I have tried a Northface internal frame pack and a Kelty internal frame pack. The Kelty was uncomfortable on longer hikes (over 5 miles), while the Northface just did not have conveniently sized storage areas for all my gear. I love to compartmentalize my gear (rain gear, food, camera equipment, etc..) so it is organized and easily accessable.

I bought one of the mid-capacity (5000 cu. in.) versions, and have been pretty happy with it. I love the multiple adjustments. Once you get the hang of it, dialing-in the pack is such a great feeling. However, I wasn't very comfortable carrying 55+ lbs. Some would argue that I should go with a larger pack to carry such loads. All I can say is that I was able to put that much into my pack, so I figured I could carry it. Granted, it held up better than most packs in that situation. Otherwise, Mountainsmith's stitching looks top notch, and cloth is durable, and the big zipper pulls are a nice touch. Some of the hardware don't seem as bombproof as a Dana, but we aren't paying for a Dana.

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Dana Designs Astralplane, Gregory Massif, Lowe Contour 3&4, Camp Trails Catskill (I was young and poor, forgive me).