EMS 5500 Review

"I think thid is a great pack. I took it for a 2-week trip in new mexico and the pack stood up to everything from rain, rocks, hail, mud, and any other thing you could think of. The pack was very comfortable, and made it through the two week with little pain at all."

"excellent pack for medium to heavy loads. carried 55 pounds easily for a 10 day hike through the wind rivers. front zipper allowed easy access to the bottom of the pack. only problem was the top detachable fanny pack. when the pack was not fully loaded it sometimes would slide off the back. This was not too much of a problem for me though. you could just put some bulky lightweight items under it and tighten it down real good. fit was great. i have a medium build and like most packs this one you could almost adjust to any size. plenty of room and comfort. for the price, it can't be beat."

"Bought two of these packs for AT hike 2003. Fanny packs were a pain to deal with and ended up in the trash. Within three days the stays in both packs blew out of the bottom. Many of the straps had started to come undone. Comfortable packs to carry, no matter the weight, but poor construction for the money."

"I've had this pack since the EMS in my town opened, and it's been great. Very comfortable and easily adjustible, it gives plenty of room and has held up well. The only problem was the water bottle holders ripped in heavy bushwhacking, but EMS put on new reinforced holders for free. This is a great pack that will hold up over time."