Denali 5500 - I just got back from a moutaineering trip in the Cascades and took the Denali 5500 pack with me. It performed great. My pack on the way in was in the 65-70lb range. The ascent to base camp took me through low trees and bushes that kept snagging me and the pack but no damage was done because of its durability. Obviously, that kind of weight can not be described as comfortable to carry in any pack but I believe because of the design of the Denali my discomfort was minimized.
Charlie S.

Cascade 5200 - I want you to know how happy and satisfied I am with your products, your customer service, and everything about your company.

After a long hiatus from backpacking, I was thrilled when my sons expressed an interest and were old enough to go with me. One thing that was clear, though, was that some of my ancient gear would need to be retired.

Over the last couple years, I have purchased a Crescent Lake 20 sleeping bag, an Extreme 3 tent, and a Cascade 5200 backpack. All have outperformed much more expensive gear from other "bigger" companies that I have used or that other trailmates were using.

On my most recent trip to the Sangre de Cristo in New Mexico, we chose a beautiful campsite near treeline that we later learned was the windiest place on earth! The Extreme 3 handled it beautifully, and the pole design was much more sturdy against the wind than most tents (which tend to "lie down" flat in a strong wind.)

My new Cascade 5200 backpack is the most comfortable backpack I've ever carried, and it only took me a few minutes of fitting to get it just right. When I was having trouble finding a retailer for this product, I called your office and received friendly help above and beyond what I expected.

You are clearly doing it right--keep the great products coming, and you have a loyal customer in me. (A loyal customer with two rapidly growing backpackers in the family, so you can be assured that more gear purchases are in my future.)
Craig W.

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Solitude - I first used the pack on a 15 mile hike at Devil's Den State Park and it was comfortable the whole time. I like the option of removing the belt. The pack is great.
Matthew S.

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Cascade 5200 - This performed above my expectations. Huge improvement over military ALICE pack I've used for years. The capacity combined with the narrow width made a perfect fit in my Rock 22 tent. I'm looking forward to using this pack again on my next trip! Adam M.

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Denali 5500 - Held all my gear for snow-cave camping with room to spare! Incredibly comfortable and well balanced, hardly even knew it was on my back. Great pack at an AMAZING value! Thank you!! Joseph E.

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Denali 5500 - Overall, the performance and value of this pack is astounding!!! This pack does and should rank with other higher dollar bags. I showed several fellow hikers, two of which worked for the forest service, and everyone was amazed at the pricetag vs. quality. They all asked for your website and information. I gave one guy the the tag brochure (could use a stack of them to help you market). Look forward to using it again soon. You guys rock! Troy L.

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Rock - As a ex-NAVY-UDT- FROGMAN and an extreme fitness guru I have tried over 50 packs out but none comes as close to a perfect design as your rock pack. I have hiked over 330 straight in the WIND RIVER RANGE WHO with extreme weather weather conditions and your pack is the one that i have found to be perfect in weight and Balance, I can purchase and use any pack in the world today and i choose the rock pack/That why i purchased 3 of them. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. Fred W.

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Glacier 4300 - I wanted to update you on the Glacier 4300 backpack. I took it on one hut trip near Leadville, CO this winter and am VERY impressed with its design and comfort. It is the perfect pack for one to two nights for me. During the hut trip, it snowed like crazy. As I was on backcountry skis, I was very happy with the “load lifter” straps in how they cinched the load down to me with enough comfort to move easily, but enough force to keep the load from shifting while making parallel turns at speeds of up to 15mph. This is indeed a pack I would recommend to others. Eric H.

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Hiker Fanny Pack - "Price and feature comparisons made your product the best by far! $75 theirs vs. $52 yours. The belt is the most comfortable I have seen yet. Thanks!" Weston

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Red Tail 4500 - I have a wife and a three year old, so using the pack (Red Tail) for back-country camping usually means really loading it to full capacity. The feature which allows the top to expand has been a great asset for us in this regard. I also found the removable fanny pack to be very helpful. On one occasion my family and I were about a mile away from where we hoped to camp. Rain threatened and I immediately placed the built-in rain cover. Luckily the rain held off until we were able to reach our destination. Having the rain cover built in allows you a perfect fit rain guard and lets you cross one more item off your list you might otherwise forget. The pack was very easy to customize to my torso. Once fitted to my torso I found the red tail to be very comfortable (plenty of padding in the waist and shoulder straps) and think it distributes weight well. Additionally I was impressed with the rugged construction, and heavy-duty zipper in the bottom compartment. I am extremely pleased with the red tail's fit, style and function. I highly recommend it.

Also, we never camp without the extreme 5 we bought from you two years ago. It has weathered MANY heavy storms without a drop of water getting inside, and still has shown no real signs of wear. We love it! Thanks for the great gear at a great price.
Jeremy B.

Red Tail 4500 - I want to congratulate you on a great product. I did a pro testing contract back in 2005 with the Red Tail and I have been pleased with it ever since. I work in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in the summers and I have put at least 1100 miles on the pack. It has been used as a day pack, a multi-night pack, and a wildland fire-fighting linepack. It has shown some wear over the years, but nothing has ripped out and no parts have broken. The pack is very comfortable with all different weight levels. I put a 33 mile day on, and the Red Tail was comfortable during the entire 12 hours of hiking. With all of this hiking, I'm pretty sure my legs will give out before this pack will. Thanks for an awesome product. Eric K.

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Red Tail 4500 - "I really enjoy using this pack. The overall performance and functionality really blew my old pack out of the water!! I'm very happy with this pack and have already begun suggesting it to friends. You guys have a solid product and I look forward to continuing to use this pack for all my outdoor adventures!" Jason

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Red Tail 4500 - "Total pack weight on trip 47 lbs. Regular pack is Bora 95. I think the Red Tail compares well with my more expensive pack for less than 1/2 the price. EXCELLENT VALUE! Tim

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Hiker Pack - I received the buckle the next day. What great service! Thanks! By the way, I like the Hiker pack. It is much more comfortable to wear than my old Jansport. Mark

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It was good to hear from you and to see how ALPS Mountaineering keeps maintaining and increasing your excellent product line. The purpose of this letter is to let you know that I retired from Baylor last August … In my 32 years at Baylor, I thought your equipment was the best designed and most favorably priced I purchased for the department. Because of its comfort and ease of use, the students really enjoyed using it. Please keep me on your mailing list. I am still active in adventure activities as a participant, author, and group leader. Best wishes, Buddy

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Night Hawk - This is just a rough draft, and I need to punch it up some more- but just so you know I am working on it!

This months mountaineering section of gear review looks at two backpacks made for mountaineering.  These backpacks are heavy duty, four season packs.They both are made to get you to base camp, across the snow and ice fields,
and up on top.  Both these backpacks have all the bells and whistles that come with great packs, ice ax loops, daisy chains, sleeping bag compartment dividers, as well as lots of attachment points and compression straps.  We took them all over the west, up and down various peak-bagging expeditions in Utah, Wyoming and Washington.

Nighthawk: The Nighthawk is manufactured by ALPS, a great company with a solid reputation.  Our testers really liked the large separate sleeping bag compartment.  It has it's own entrance, and was large enough for both a very compressed down bag and a bivy sack.  When full however, the side water bottle pockets can't be used.  They do, however, make great pockets for ski poles.  With the two separate pockets on the back, this pack is perfect for both summit day, and the hike to base camp. After 5 months of hauling this pack over slick rock and up glaciers, it has held up well, and shows less than normal wear and tear. The straps seem comfortable, and are easy to adjust. The compression straps also double as attachment points, and let you add all those things you can't fit inside, for example, that extra food for a extended outing.

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Cascade 4200 - Having never heard of ALPS, I was a bit hesitant in purchasing the pack. However, the pack has met and exceeded my expectations. Looking at the low MSRP, I thought the pack would be constructed with cheap fabric and cheap zippers but I have been proven wrong. My Lowe Alpine pack lasted over 10 years, and I feel like I will get the same use out of my ALPS pack. Austin N.