Arc'Teryx Altra 62

Bottom Line

The Arc'teryx Altra 62 is widely considered one of the best women's hiking backpacks. Though slightly smaller than the men's version, it does not sacrifice any of the useful features, with great adjustability and a convenient design. It's large enough for the long trek, yet light enough to take out for just the weekend. It also comes in 33-, 48- and 72-liter capacities.

Performance

Moves with you. One of the main features of the Arc'teryx Altra 62 is its swiveling hip belt. It utilizes a disc, located where the removable hip belt is attached, to allow the pack to disperse the weight more evenly to your hips. While many enjoy this feature, even more complain of the noise it produces. One reviewer at ColoradoHikersGuide.com says, "… the hipbelt disc can start squeaking after a few times outside." This may be more annoying than it's worth for some people, but user opinions are mixed

The Altra 62 is a top-loading pack with seven exterior compartments and a U-shaped zipper to the main compartment. A customer on Mountain Equipment Co-op was pleasantly surprised by how convenient the bag was to load, saying, "This pack is like a suitcase with the zipper than goes all around when you lay it down!"

Ease Of Use

Narrow design. The Arc'teryx Altra 62 has specially designed shoulder straps to suit a narrow frame. A particular feature that makes this pack comfortable is its precise adjustability; it uses the peg-in-hole style GridLock shoulder straps in order to fine-tune the fit. A few customers have complained about the small size of the packs water bladder. At two liters, you can find a larger one on many cheaper packs.

Durability

Leaky and squeaky. While the U-shaped zipper featured on the Arc'teryx Altra 62 may be a luxury, many feel it is not necessary. Also the zipper itself has been known to leak. A review on Backpacker.com said, "Our only gripe: That U zipper should be waterproof; it leaked when the fabric didn't." The removable hip belt has also been known to cause problems, too. A review on Mountain Equipment Co-op says, "Sometimes, because the hip belt is on a swivel, it tends to squeak, and falls off (if not kept greased and put properly in place)." However, she continues to say, the lumbar pivot is more than worth the inconvenience.

Customer Service

Mostly positive. There are mixed reviews regarding the quality of customer service received from Arc'teryx. Many customers of the Altra and other Arc'teryx are more than satisfied with their prompt and polite responses. A few customers however have had issues with their gear and were unsatisfied with the customer service. The Arc'teryx Altra 62 comes with a lifetime warranty.