Kelty Backpacks

[DayTrip]

Anyone out there use Kelty backpacks? I've been looking for a larger day pack for winter day hikes and absolutely love the design of the Redwing 50. However while I was eyeballing it the guy at New England Packpacker mentioned he thought it was the only backpack small enough to be considered carry on luggage. That got me to wondering if this is a quality item for real hiking or a hybrid item for general travel and casual hikes. Upon closer inspection the clips and other hardware do look a little less sturdy than other gear I've bought and it definitely has less "frills" than a lot of other packs but it did have adjustments for the straps, a padded back system, etc. Price was pretty low too relative to other companies.

I wound up buying it to try because the design really suits my needs. Just curious if anyone out there has used Kelty products, had experience with their warranties or had any other observations about their stuff. Thanks.

 

[Daniel Eagan]

I've had good experiences with Kelty. My wife has an external frame backpack that has lasted for years. We both have Redwings 2900s that are as old as our marriage. At one point Redwings were assigned to New York DEC rangers, not sure if that's still the case.

Haven't had to use the warranties so I'm not sure I am answering your question.

 

[Peakbagr]

The older Redwings were indestructible. The original Kelty was sold long ago to another company. I've seen some 'newer' Redwings with some poor quality control.
That said, they are a well designed pack but I don't know that the new incarnations are as well made or would hold up to harder use.

 

[ksearl]

Hi,

I have a Kelty Redwing from 2008/2009 period when I started hiking. It's gone quite a few miles and has always treated me well. It's well constructed and I've had no quality issues with it. I would highly recommend it. I'm not sure if the latest ones are lesser quality or not, but I can't believe a few years would make that much of a difference.

I did buy the Kelty child carrier too, based on my good experience with my day pack. This one is a different story. I would not recommend Kelty for the child carrier version for many reasons...I will not list them here since this thread is about the Redwing.

Good luck!

Thanks.
Karl

 

[Billy]

...I did buy the Kelty child carrier too, based on my good experience with my day pack. This one is a different story. I would not recommend Kelty for the child carrier version for many reasons...I will not list them here since this thread is about the Redwing...

I'd appreciate it if you could explain why you didn't like the Kelty child carrier. I'm looking into one of these, and a first-hand review would be great. You won't be prosecuted for thread-drift, as the title of the thread is "Kelty Backpacks", so you're safe. Thanks.

 

[thegibba]

I have a kelty redwing 50 that I use year round for hiking. Have someone help you bend the metal bar for supportand fitment. It makes all the difference. 40 lbs in winter I maxed out with it and it held it fine. The mesh side pockets where you would hold a water bottle are wearing after 2 years. The red dye has come off a bit on my pants on my backside. The zippers have never given me trouble. (I hate garbage zippers). I may suggest adding something to grab on to the zippers with gloves if you are a winter hiker. Compartments everywhere to stay relatively organized. My only pet peeve is that the locking mechanism to keep the shoulder straps tight loosens often. I always have to pull extra strap to keep them tight. I love the side pockets. I keep all kinds of food there without having to dig through the main compartment. Snow shoes required me to buy a separate buckle strap to keep them tied together. Side straps will let you hang all kinds of gear off it. Overall a decent pack that will last the mile. Aside from the mesh bottle holders there really isn't any wear on it.

 

[Cristobal]

I still have the Redwing that I lugged around Europe for a month in the mid 1990's. Been using it for both airline travel (it does work as a carry-on) and hiking for almost 20 years now, and it still looks good. I don't know if the current models are the same quality, but mine is a real classic.

 

[ksearl]

I'd appreciate it if you could explain why you didn't like the Kelty child carrier. I'm looking into one of these, and a first-hand review would be great. You won't be prosecuted for thread-drift, as the title of the thread is "Kelty Backpacks", so you're safe. Thanks.

I purchase the child carrier about two years ago when we had a baby. I know the model has 3.0 in the name, but I don't think they sell this particular model anymore. It looks like they have a model called the Pathfinder now which looks equivalent. This was the largest one we could get from Kelty at the time.

My disappointment may originate from expectations. I assumed since I was buying a Kelty at a pretty high price, I'd get the same type of construction and quality as my Redwing. My Redwing is a made of a thick canvas material with heavy duty zippers. The child carrier is not. It's made from very light vinyl type material...not really canvas and the zippers are normal jacket zippers, not heavy duty at all. My biggest complaint, however, is the shoulder straps. again, my Redwing has very thick straps to help distribute your load across your shoulders and upper chest for comfort. This pack has very thin straps and magnifies the load on your shoulders making your pack heavy from the beginning. Since the baby has to sit pretty far off your back, that increases the stress on your shoulders...and babies/kids only get heavier, so your discomfort is noticeably worse each time you use it. It does serve it's purpose but I would have definitely got a different one if I had known. It's partially my fault as purchased it mostly based on my satisfaction with the Redwing and without looking at it in the store (bought online). Hope this helps.

Karl

 

[NorthShore]

Kelty Redwing 50 has been my primary daypack for years. Its a bit of overkill for summer, but fits a lot for winter. It has enough lashpoints on it to carry some gear on the outside but that isn't its strong suit for winter equipment; you can attach enough stuff to the outside but it isn't abundantly stable. Or maybe I just need too rig something better than the paracord through the central loops that I use for snowshoes.

I'm sure you could use it for overnights unless you carry too much like I usually do.

I also use it for travel and it does fit in the overhead rack. I've only owned the one I am still using, so I'd say it is durable enough. When I got mine it was the prior years closeout model for $50. They look a little different now, but from what I've heard basically still the same pack. A closeout deal may be the way to go if you decide on this pack.

 

[Raven]

Anyone out there use Kelty backpacks? I've been looking for a larger day pack for winter day hikes and absolutely love the design of the Redwing 50. However while I was eyeballing it the guy at New England Packpacker mentioned he thought it was the only backpack small enough to be considered carry on luggage. That got me to wondering if this is a quality item for real hiking or a hybrid item for general travel and casual hikes. Upon closer inspection the clips and other hardware do look a little less sturdy than other gear I've bought and it definitely has less "frills" than a lot of other packs but it did have adjustments for the straps, a padded back system, etc. Price was pretty low too relative to other companies.

I wound up buying it to try because the design really suits my needs. Just curious if anyone out there has used Kelty products, had experience with their warranties or had any other observations about their stuff. Thanks.

I used a Kelty Trekker (about 4000 cubic inches) for quite a few years and on a thru hike of the AT but that experience is from a pack I purchased in maybe 1998.

The pros: it carried weight better or as well as any pack I have had, but it was an external frame, and packed correctly, it carried the weight high and "easy." It breathed well since there's a gap behind the back. The side pockets were convenient so the main compartment didn't need to be opened often. It was great for backpacking and good on winter day hikes or overnighters.

The cons: It was no-frills for comfort. The straps and buckles were basic. They were functional and I did not have issues with wear or breakage, but the straps were thin. It was cheaper because there weren't many pieces but it was well built. Very well built. My other packs have had much more substance to the hip belts and shoulder straps and been more comfortable (and weighed more).

The Kelty is like my Hyundai Elantra...a very good and reliable option but you crank the windows and there's no AC. My Osprey Aether pack however is more like my Jaguar XJL - the company has gone out of their way in the name of comfort and perhaps excess. Now the damp, moldy rucksack hanging in the basement...that's more like my rusty black creeper van.

 

[Tom_Murphy]

I have two KELTY external packs that I bought 4-5 years ago and they have been very durable.

My Kelty external and SVEA do turn heads.

 

[Stan]

I've had two Kelty packs (Redwings) which I selected for their design ... love the multiple pockets. One served me well for many years ... my only complaint being the belt was not sturdy enough to pick up much of the weight and transfer it to my hips as opposed to my shoulders. That was many years ago and I would expect the belt was improved by now. I did trade it in for a larger backpack with a removable fanny pack and that change was for the additional space. The second Redwing belonged to my son and when he worked at REI he acquired a couple other packs that fit him better but I got the hand-me-down and still enjoy it for hikes that I need more space than my Mountain Smith fanny pack, which I use most often. Both packs held up well.

 

[DayTrip]

I hope it holds up. I LOVE this freakin' back pack! I transferred all my stuff into it tonight to take it for a test drive Saturday and I really like the design. Very good pack to organize and store bags of stuff, clothes, etc. Lot of options. There seems to be plenty of straps to adjust fit and they pull nicely. The hip pad belts are much thinner than my current pack which made for a nice snug fit but I wonder if it will be uncomfortable for long hikes. At least in cooler months I'll have some padded clothes on which hopefully will mitigate that fact.

This pack is available for $119 brand spankin' new which is already a pretty good price relative to just about everything else I looked at. If you're really anal about how you store all your stuff I give it a major thumbs up. Just have to see if it is comfortable after 6-8 hours of walking and if it holds up over time.

 

[rup]

Redwing is great. But still prefer to have it sit higher on back.

Also have an OLD Moutaineer frame with an old A4 pack. Stores do not carry waist belt upgrades.

 

[DayTrip]

Can definitely validate the previous comments about the load riding more on the shoulders. I did Crawford Path back and forth to Pierce and Eisenhower (about 10.3 miles) with about 35 lbs of stuff and my shoulders were pretty sore (I wore only a wicking t-shirt to get a good feel for the fit). The hip belt adjusts easily but it is fairly thin. To get it tight enough to support the load you have to crush your stomach uncomfortably. My old pack has much thicker hip pads so you can cinch it pretty tight without crushing your stomach. Gonna have to see if I can add some padding or some other sort of modification to make it ride differently or pad the shoulders. It will probably be better when it gets colder and I'm wearing thicker clothes.

 

[Mike P.]

We have a lightly used Redwing from the 1990's. It's held up well and and is a comfortable pack. For the price, Kelty has been a fair value. I've not looked at the new stuff so I'can't really comment on the new products.

 

[rup]

I'm a bit disappointed in how low on back my Redwing sits. Perhaps needs more tweeking.

Q on the K pack-frame. I have a mountaineer frame bought 30 years ago. The newer frames have a nice padded nylon hip belt, etc. Big upgrade to the simple canvas belt I have. Local stores (Campmor, EMS) say they do not carry the newer padded belt by itself. So what can I do? Call Kelty?

 

[Rick]

I have a couple of Redwing 50's from about 2006-2007. One of my hiking buds has carried the same one on the trail for about 9 years - A real workhors!!. Both of mine are in very good shape, although one has started to lose it's PU coating on the inside (I use it to carry my gym clothes, laptop, thermos and workpapers to work daily).
One really nice thing is that I have been traveling extenseively for work these last few months - crisscrossing the US Weekly, to visit sales reps and it does easily meet Carry-on regulations It is a breeze to fit 3-4 days of clothes in it. It also fits under seats, so when the overhead bins are full and they are tagging bags at the gate, I know I am always safe to carry it on.