Kelty Redstart Daypack - Women's

Great Hiking Pack
June 22, 2012

I bought this pack for my Victoria Peak trek in Belize, and these worked great. It is well built, I know it will last forever. It was smaller than I had anticipated, but the size is perfect for a day hiking or for traveling. It only has one zipper, and a large pocket at the front for easy access to your stuff like a camera or a cap. The straps are very comfortable and cushiony. Overall, I'm happy with this purchase.

Poor fit for a woman's day pack
September 16, 2010

After trying on countless day packs at a super sporting goods store, where all the packs seemed to be made to fit men, I was so relieved to find that Altrec had a variety of packs made just for women. And that's why I am pretty disappointed with the Kelty Redstart. While heavier than my old pack, the Kelty has very strong construction, and reasonably good pockets (though no small, secure pocket for things like a wallet or keys). The problem is the fit. The padded shoulder straps are pretty uncomfortable, and the sternum strap is nowhere near my sternum. It is so low that it acts like some kind of squeeze-together bra, definitely not what I would have expected in a day pack designed just for women. Oh, it does have a "feminine" little decorative detail, as if that's the real difference between a man's and a woman's day pack. For my money, I wish I had kept on shopping. In fact, I think I'll check out Altrec's return policy.

Already own the Kelty Redstart Daypack? Tell us your thoughts.

Not a good pack: heavy and shoulder straps hurt!
August 14, 2012

I bought this pack for hiking and it was not a good fit for me. I'm 5'0" and 105lb. The back panel created an odd fit that just wouldn't sit nicely on my hips regardless of how I adjusted the hip straps. Also, this pack is pretty heavy even when it's empty. Plus, the shoulder straps are made of a scratchy fabric and are really uncomfortable if you're wearing a tank top - and I don't think this was a function of my height/weight. I asked my sister to carry the pack for me for a couple of miles and she is much taller than me (5'6"; 140lb). I hadn't commented to her about the straps but a few minutes after she put the pack on she stated, "The straps are scraping my shoulders. This material hurts."