Vaude Astrum 70 + 10 Backpack 4272cu in 2016

You've moved far beyond the behemoth first backpacking pack you had as a braces clad youngster, its external frame and bulky design seeing you through your first extended trip in the wilderness, awkward and impressionable. For your latest endeavor, celebrate just how far you've come since adolescence with a pack that demonstrates how far modern designs have come. Whether it's a week exploring the Alaskan backcountry or a trek along the AT you've dreamed about for years, trust the Vaude Astrum 70 10 Backpack to hold your stuff and keep you comfortable for the miles ahead. With roots in European mountaineering and a clear focus on creating environmentally responsible products, Vaude packs come bred for life on faraway trails. In addition to more standard features like a sleeping bag compartment and multiple internal pockets for organization, the Astrum also features a 10 liter top lid, which gives you the option to expand your carrying capacity if you need to or save weight by removing it if you don't. As with most of its packs, Vaude also showed thoughtful attention to fit, giving the suspension a highly adjustable design to accommodate different torso lengths. Pull the straps until they're just right so that you don't end up with achy shoulders on the ascent, and enjoy the added support from the wide waist belt, which comes with easy to access pockets for a phone and snacks. Stash other gear you'd like to keep close at hand in the accessible side pockets, then cinch them down using the compression straps to streamline your setup as much as possible. When the skies open up, you'll already be prepared with the Astrum's integrated rain cover, designed so that it's impossible to forget at home.