This design, although simple, delivers all-day comfort with moderate loads. With 35 pounds aboard, I logged 43 miles in two days on Wisconsin's Ice Age Trail, and never had a moment's regret about the Minaret. Even when I scrambled down a steep slope to a spring, the load stayed put. But when I hauled a 43-pound load on the Lakeshore Trail in northern Michigan's Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, I needed the distraction of the spectacular Lake Superior views. The problem is at the rear of the unstiffened hipbelt.
Heavier loads cause it to droop where it connects to the aluminum stays.
At 4,800 cubic inches, the Minaret has plenty of room. A spindrift collar and floating top lid allow another 700 cubic inches of capacity when fully extended. The top lid and two vertical pockets on the back offer lots of easy access without having to excavate through the main pack bag. Between the side compression straps, the dual ice axe loops, a daisy chain down the back, and two six-slot strap holders on the bottom, the Minaret affords plenty of attachment points. Rough handling never put a dent in the 420-denier ripstop nylon that covers the pack above the sleeping bag compartment.