Well, this thing is just impressive. I did a bunch of research looking for a new backpack, and had it narrowed down to this one and the High Sierra Fat Boy, which I also have written a review for. I originally went with the Fat Boy, considering it has more liters of space and was about half the price, it seemed like a good value. While that pack can absolutely hold more stuff than it seems it even should, it's just not comfortable. This Recon backpack, in my opinion, is everything you could want out of a pack in this price range - and then some. Allow me to explain...

The first thing is the shape of the pack. It is more "tall" than wide, and this is very important. As it gets loaded up, the weight is perfectly distributed and stays "up and down", rather than the pack pushing out and making you feel like you have to work against it to not tip over backwards. Combine this design with the chest and waist straps, and this thing is not going anywhere if you don't want it to - very good for hiking, etc.

Next is the comfort, which is top-notch. The straps are nice and thick, but not "squishy", they feel substantial. They are perforated in the top of the shoulder area which is going to allow them to breathe in hot weather. The material over the foam is like a thicker basketball jersey mesh, which is very comfortable and allows you to move around. The back has really well-designed foam "pockets", which have channels to help ventilate the area. Inside the back is some sort of board (assuming plastic), that keeps the shape of the pack intact no matter what's in the main compartment. I have seen a couple other reviews describe this pack as "heavy", and I completely disagree - I think it's this board that might make it seem like it's heavy, but with the pack loaded, this is what helps it keep the weight distributed nice and evenly. It doesn't feel heavy at all on your shoulders.

Lastly, the compartments are insanely useful and well-designed. The secondary pouch is particularly impressive, going all the way down to the bottom of the bag and giving plenty of space. The various pockets and compartments within this part can take pretty much whatever you throw in there. The main compartment does not spread out as wide front to back as other packs, but it is very deep and still can swallow up plenty of items.

There isn't really a feature on this pack that I don't think is awesome, including the front mesh pouch for quick access and the double bottle holders. This is just simply a well-designed and very comfortable backpack, and well worth the $75. The only slight issue I have with it is that it will definitely not stay upright on its own, and will need to lean on something or of course be hung, but that is really nitpicky anyways. The only other thing to watch out for is that the price varies wildly here on Amazon depending on your color choice, which kind of sucks, but it's not really in their control anyways.