At 3.5 pounds, the Mountain Hardwear Nalu 60 is a lightweight in the full-sized pack category but still offers plenty of space for a fall-weekend sleeping bag and fuel enough for late-season summit-bagging. The Ripstop™ Nylon body is durable and weatherproof and Women’s Adventure testers loved the mesh padding with flow-through ventilation that provided cooling comfort during warm mid-day hiking under a full load. The pack is sleek and simple without a lot of extra straps that can get snagged on trees (or airport carousels) but daisy-chain-like straps for easily accommodating extra gear.
The pack is a top loader, but offers right side and bottom access as well an optional bottom compartment divider to separate your sleeping bag and a seam-sealed small top pocket. Remove the outermost top pocket for a convenient (though not super comfortable) two-compartment daypack. The front panel can be cinched to carry lighter loads without wasting extra space. Mountain Hardwear also features laminated zipper flaps to help with water resistance.
($230; www.mountainhardwear.com)
