Working for RE going on 3 years now has given me the opportunity to review some great products from some of the biggest names in tactical gear, such as 5.11, Kelty, Blue Force Gear, Safariland, and many more.
Today, I want to discuss the backpack that has given me 6 years of use with impeccable durability, reliability, and comfort. It all started when I was hired on to serve as a Park Ranger in 2016 for the United States Forest Service.
I was issued a black Kelty Redwing 32 to use as my work bag as we hike through the woods, clearing dead trees, cleaning facilities, and bringing gear, such as axes, chainsaws, trekking poles, and other gear needed for a day’s work.
How Do Choose The Right Backpack For My Needs?
Choosing the correct backpack for your needs can be difficult if you don’t understand the different types and styles of backpacks. For example, knowing the difference between an internal frame pack and an external frame is vital to understand before you buy. Knowing the difference between water-resistant and waterproof is also important to understand.
Before you start your search for a backpack, think about what exactly you’re going to use the pack for. For example, if you’re an avid hiker that is in and out within a day, you’ll need a different pack from those who hike and camp overnight.
Whereas, if you’re looking for a backpack that can be used for hunting and hauling out big game animals like elk and mule deer, you’ll want a bigger pack with an external frame.
What’s The Difference Between an External Frame and Internal Frame Backpack?
There are many differences between the two frames, but some of the most common revolves around comfort, price, purpose, and preference. External frame packs have the frame of the pack on the outside to stabilize heavier loads, such as camping gear, weapons, and game animals.
I don’t think you’ll ever find someone that says an external frame backpack is more comfortable to wear than an internal frame backpack. Internal packs are designed to hide the frame inside the fabric of the pack and allow for a much more comfortable form-fitting feel on your back and shoulders.
When it comes to comfort, the biggest issue for most people is the weight of the pack and how it rests on your shoulders. Internal packs are always lighter than external due to the heavier metal frames of an external pack.
Which Frame Has better Ventilation?
An external backpack is often underrated when it comes to comfort due to the metal frame being stabilized off of your back. It sounds like it would be more uncomfortable, but if you sweat as I do, an external pack allows much better ventilation than an internal pack.
As internal packs are designed to be form-fitting, external packs are all about carrying a lot of gear over a lot of miles without compromising your skeletal system.
As the frames sit off of your back, many external frames also come with a mesh ventilation fabric on the back to allow more air to pass through your back and butt. I promise there are few things worse than swamp-ass on a 30-mile hike in the middle of the mountains.
Which Frame is More Affordable?
An internal frame used to be more expensive than an external frame pack, but due to the increased demand for internal packs, they’ve become more affordable due to the higher volume available.
Just like anything it depends on the materials being used because an external frame can use either an affordable aluminum or go with a carbon-fiber frame that will cost much more but lightens the load, substantially.
Without a doubt, you want an internal frame with multiple pockets, hip-belt, and at least a water-resistant finish on the fabric. My Redwing 32 has handled every hike I’ve gone on in the past 6 years, including 12 of Colorado’s 14er’s and over 100 miles on the Appalachian Trail.
I’ve used this bag to hike in the Cascades, Sierra Nevadas, and even in Everglades in South Florida. The entire pack weighs only 2 lbs and is perfectly balanced on my shoulders, even when I’m carrying a little extra weight.
Which Frame is Better For Multi-Day Hiking/Hunting?
There is no argument that you’d benefit much more from a multi-day hike or hunt with an external frame backpack. However, it comes down more to the capacity than it does the frame of the pack if you’re camping and hiking.
For example, the recommendation from Kelty is you should have at least a 50 L capacity pack for anything more than an overnight trip.
If you’re hunting in the wilderness, camping, and trying to haul out hundreds of lbs of freshly harvested game, you’ll undoubtedly need an external frame.
The stability and weight limits of an external frame will give you the best chance at remediating the wear and tear you place on your back, knees, shoulders, and neck.
What Attributes Should I Look For in a Backpack?
Versatility
Durability
Affordability
Fit
What Makes The Kelty Redwing 32 So Special?
Kelty is one of those American brands that every outdoorsman/woman knows very well. One thing I like to do is check out what other hikers and hunters carry in the wilderness and besides the Kelty, I see Osprey, ALPS Mountaineering, Camelback, and Gregory quite a bit in the Rockies.
Kelty is the brand that I’ve used the most because that’s what a lot of Park Rangers use for hiking around the National Parks and National Forests. I figured if it was good enough for my fellow Park Rangers, it was good enough for me.
The Kelty Redwing 32 is incredibly versatile with applications in hiking, hunting, school, work, and air travel. Other than packing out a deer in the woods after a hunt, there is nothing this pack can’t do for you.
Will The Redwing 32 Fit Under The Seat of an Airplane?
Yes, I’ve never had a problem getting my pack to fit on a plane under the seat or above in the compartments. The only time you’ll have any issue is if you have extra-large Nalgene bottles in the side pockets. I’ve flown at least 30 times with my Redwing 32 as my primary pack.
Will The Redwing 32 Fit a 16" Macbook Pro?
The Redwing 32 easily fits my Macbook Pro (16") in the laptop sleeve that protects the laptop from anything else inside the pack. It barely fits the 16" model, but it doesn’t stretch any of the fabric or cause issues pulling the laptop out of the bag. Simply put, this laptop sleeve can handle the biggest laptops out there with ease.
Is The Redwing 32 Waterproof?
Unfortunately, the Redwing 32 isn’t waterproof, but it’s water-resistant. I’ve hiked with this pack for a few years without knowing it wasn’t waterproof and only 1 time did I ever have any problems with water.
I was hiking in Montana and had to cross a river, my foot slipped and I fell into the river back-first. Water got through the seems, but nothing in my bag was ruined or compromised by the water getting in.
I’ve hiked through rainstorms that have lasted for hours with little tree cover overhead and have not had any issues with water getting inside my bag. The best thing I could recommend for everyone is to Scotch Guard your bag to add a little bit more waterproofing to the fabric.
There are many different types of fabric that ensure a pack can last for a long time, but I’ve put my Redwing 32 backpack through any and every stress test I can think of and my pack still stands strong.
This pack has lasted hundreds of miles of hiking and hunting in every environment from the humid forests of North Carolina to the high elevations of the Rockies and Cascades.
Denier is a scale that measures the weight in grams of what 9,000 meters of a strand of polyester would weigh. For example, a 420 (gram) denier polyester backpack is what each fiber of polyester weighs.
With thousands of fibers, the density by volume is compounded to make a fabric that can withstand well over 100 lbs of weight on top of it without breaking. The thing to consider with fabric is the higher the denier, the stronger the fabric is going to be.
Affordability
Being able to afford a great backpack is very important to me because, like many of you, I’m not made of money. The Kelty Redwing 32 has been on sale for as little as $80. The only problem with the Kelty Redwing 32 is they don’t make them anymore so you have to buy them from a secondary market, such as REI.
The Kelty Redwing 32 fits me great with the soft and comfortable mesh shoulder straps, the hip belt, the load lifter straps, and the sternum strap for when I’m carrying heavier loads through tough terrain. I’ve never had a complaint about the way the bag fits or how it rests on my shoulders. I find it to be centered and balanced perfectly as long my straps are set to the same length.
Purpose
Hiking, school, travel, work
Frame
Internal Frame
Overall Capacity (L)
32
Overall Capacity (Cu. In)
1,950
Number of External Pockets
6
Materials
420-denier polyester
Frame Material
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
Weight
2 lbs
# of Stays
1
Resouvior Compatible
Yes
Height
23"
Width
14"
Pack Access
Top
Hip-Belt
Yes
Gender
Unisex
MSRP
$80.00
Features
Dual side pockets
front stash pocket with closure hook
front pocket with an organization
top stash pocket
water-bottle pockets
Dual-use laptop/hydration sleeve (hydration reservoir sold separately)
I can use this backpack for almost every situation, including hiking, working, air travel, and school.
Kelty is a brand that I trust with my money.
All Kelty Bags are made in America.
Excellent storage options with the front pocket, top stash pocket, 2 side pockets, and 32L main pocket.
Extremely durable– This backpack has lasted me since 2016 so far and shows no signs of slowing down.
Affordable.
The laptop protection sleeve works wonderfully with my Macbook Pro (16") and any other documents or electronics I want to protect while I travel.
The polyester fabric may not be as strong as rip-stop nylon, but even with the high amount of sun exposure, my pack still looks relatively new.
Cons
I would prefer to have a bag that’s at least 50 L so I can use it as a hunting pack or multi-day hiking pack.
My biggest complaint with the Redwing 32 is the internal frame bends too much and you can never stand this back up unless is loaded down with something heavy and flat at the bottom. I know it sounds like I’m being picky (I am for sure), but it does bother me that the backpack doesn’t stand up unless it’s leaning against something. This issue hasn’t caused any performance issues or anything to be concerned about, but it’s more of a convenience issue that I don’t want to have to deal with.
If Kelty Doesn’t Make the Redwing 32, Which Pack Took Its Place?
As I’ve said before, Kelty doesn’t make the Redwing 32 anymore, but they made a bigger and better bag that I recently bought called the Redwing 50. I’ve only owned the Redwing 50 backpack for a few months, but I absolutely love the bag.
I’m working on putting together a review very soon for the Redwing 50, and I look forward to providing updates along the journey of ownership to share what I like and don’t like about the pack.
As I usher in a new chapter in my hiking, camping, and hunting gear, I’m excited to see if the Redwing 50 can hold up to the same level of wear and tear that the Redwing 32 can. I will still use the Redwing 32 on day hikes or squirrel hunting, but the Redwing 50 is an incredible pack that has been upgraded in every way possible.
In the few short months that I’ve owned the Redwing 50, all signs look like I made the right purchase. The one thing I do know for sure is that I trust Kelty products because they’ve always treated me well at the most affordable price.
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