Customer Reviews

CUSCUS 120L Internal Frame Hiking Camp Backpack Travel Bag Gray Black

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I had a bag that was closer to 2300ci. After pre-packing, I realized that I wanted a far larger bag for my 10 day trek through China. This completely fit the bill and is a fraction of the price of similar bags. It is well made for the most part. The only thing I had a problem with is the strap that goes across the chest. It is not attached in such a manner that it can be removed(which some people like). As a result, it's easy to lose this piece. Not a really big deal.

As far as convenience of compartments, the main compartment is generally one large bag, though next to the framing, there is a place to put flat items such as books or a lap top. The top compartment is gigantic and is great for items you need quickly.

There are tons of places to hang things. The side compartments are large enough to fit a towel(wet or dry), or shoes.
The bottom compartment is quite large and can fit things that must be separated.

I adore this bag and became a walking advertisement for it through China. It can hold a lot of stuff and you will most likely need to check this bag if using in the U.S. Outside of the US, it's no problem to bring aboard - so long as you do not over pack, it will fit in the overhead compartment. If you know you're going on a large trip, you may want to get the rain bag which usually is great for keeping the water out, but is particularly handy when checking the bag, as it will save you the trouble of securing all of the fasteners (so they don't get caught in the conveyor belt).

Some people have written that they feel this bag is too small if you are taller than a certain size, please be aware that I actually think the opposite is true. If you are too short, you may have a slightly tough time, as the bag is really long. I am 5'6" and had to massively adjust the bag in order to keep it on right. There are actually adjusters that (are not obvious) will allow you to adjust the manner placing of the shoulder straps.

It's an amazing bag for anyone to use while trekking through the wild parts. I can not say enough good things about it. So long as you are fine to check your bag in at the airport, you should definitely feel confident purchasing this bag.

I decided to get this bag (the CUSCUS 120L) a few months after buying their 88L model - I liked the 88L & thought that this bag would be about 30% larger (120/88=1.36). To my utter and profound astonishment and dismay (and horror, and disgust), when it arrived I found out that it is NOT a 120 liter bag. I laid the new 120L on top of my 88L (both empty) and the 120L is slightly smaller than the 88L model.

I'm not sure how a company (CUSCUS apparently) is able to market two nearly identical bags in such a manner: the stitching on the sleeping bag compartment and the product name clearly imply that these bags are a different size, to say nothing of the product claims on both Amazon (by Adventurer's Bag) and CUSCUS's own site ([...]) where the 120L is described as being 23"(L) x 13"(W) x 34"(H) [note: if these were accurate measurements then the bag would be 10166ci - they only claim 8100ci for some reason, even though that would still require the bag to be over 18 inches deep, the W&H measurements seem accurate]

Here's the kicker: the 120L came with a nice little tag on it describing the bag, the tag says the product dimensions are 36.5x23.5x73cm (this is just slightly less than 63 liters).

I was (eventually) able to get a full (cost+shipping) refund from Adventurer's Bag, however they have failed to update their listing for this bag as I requested, so I'm writing this review to help Amazon customers make an informed decision.

Backpack buyers beware! Size specifications are "estimates" and can vary widely between manufacturers, unfortunately it appears that CUSCUS has abused this fact to falsely advertise one of it's products.

Summary:
CUSCUS 120L: sturdy, simple, cheap backpack. Approximately 80L in actual volume. Comes with "A reinforced handle at back for better holding" and a flimsy "FREE" rain cover.

CUSCUS 88L: sturdy, simple, cheap backpack. Approximately 80L in actual volume (slightly larger than the 120L). Nine (9) dollars cheaper when i ordered (though you still pay the outrageous shipping) - Spend less, get more.

was reluctant to order this initially due to the high postage but after research on pricing decided to go for it. am really glad i did. it arrived within 3 days and far surpasses my expectations for the price of the bag. has an easily removable small aluminum frame for extra support, lots of clips and supports for carrying a large load (it is a BIG bag). worth much more than the cost even combined with the postage! thanks!

As an Assistant Scout Master on a tight budget, I was looking for a good, large backpack at a really good price. After reviewing A LOT of backpacks, I found that Cuscus was generally well recommended and generally well priced. Our Troop is working on their Backpacking Merit Badge and we will be doing 3, 15+ mile, two night hikes and one 50+ mile, 6 night hike in the comming year.
This pack and I (and 11 Scouts) survived our first trip with flying colors. It had plenty of room for all my stuff, (gear, food, water) and was pretty comfortable. It might be a little short on waist belt padding (or I'm a little too heavy on it!). I have no doubt that I'll have enough room for our weeklong trip in June.
The only "cons" I had was that it doesn't come with a rain cover and although there are 3 huge exterior pockets, you can't see in them (no mesh) and there are no chain/loops for hanging anything on the outside.
Overall, I think I got excellent value for my money.

I took this as my ONLY baggage on a 4+ day trip hiking, rock climbing, kayaking and caving adventure to Alabama and it was excellent - worked well in the tent and has pockets that fit a Coleman camp stove and propane bottle plus clothing, shoes, ext., ext.....

Bought this pack for camping with the Boy Scout Troop. It's great! Very comfortable and roomy. Big pockets, padded straps and sturdy adjustable loops for anything from tent poles to a rifle.

Pack is great. Bottom compartment is good for a small light sleeping bag. But our -60 Wiggy bag fills up half the pack. I would have given the pack 5 stars but the pack was $35 & the shipping was $30. I didn't need it "overnight express, personally flown to Alaska by an astronaut". It didn't show up overnight anyway. Standard USPS or UPS would have been fine. It's still a good bag for $65. I bought another one for other son who tried to co-opt it from his brother. I'll probably buy two more once I recover from the shipping charge.

Great delivery time 2-3 days. Good price for what you get. Has more thatn enough room for all your needs. Hydration pack campartment included in betweeen the frame pocket and the inside compartment. I am thinking about the same company, but a day pack. I had one adjutment clip break when it arrived, but customer service took care of the problem.

I just got back from a weekend backpacking trip with this beast and must say that it is the best pack I have ever carried. Granted it's only been out once and wasn't treated very badly so the real test will be how it fares over subsequent adventures, but my initial impressions of this thing are awesome.
I've always had problems with backpack size because as a tall man I have rather bulky clothes which take up a good bit of space, not a problem with this bag I had plenty of room and since plenty of room translates into good organization and even weight distribution it rounds out to a comfortable carry.
The torso length on this bag is quite adjustable but having a long torso I just keep it at it's maximum. The straps seem to be high quality and feel good on my shoulders while under way. My only real gripe with this bag, as another reviewer has noted, is the chest strap. This little strap reeks of after thought. I didn't even realize it was supposed to be detachable until I tried to put it on and the strap came off in my hand as I tried to tighten it.
There are plenty of outside pockets which are quite large. I was able to easily put my pocket stove, tank of gas and cup into one of them with a large water bottle, bandanna, and the included cover in the other one. Speaking of water bottles, this pack includes a handy little spot for a water bladder which I had never used before this trip, but found to be quite a nice addition. You don't get a bladder though included with the pack but they are available at any shop that sells camping or bicycling gear.
Prior to this pack I had never carried an internal frame before so I was a bit nervous about that. If you've never used one before, you're in for a treat! With an external frame, especially a large old style one, you always suffer from the top bar of the pack, this handy internal eliminates that! Also the internal aluminum stays seem like they would make great emergency splints, a very minor plus I know, but that's the first thing I thought upon seeing them. Speaking of the stays though they are held in in a weird way by little velcro flaps I latched these down well the first time I played with the bag, but they keep coming unlatched. This doesn't seem to have posed any sort of problem so far, but I guess I could just always tape them in place with duct tape or something if it does.
The top flap has a massive pocket which is a good place for quick access items like your compass or map. It is a gigantic pocket though so I packed mine with stuff, ultimately containing my gps, compass, match box,a gigantic bag of trail mix and some first aid stuff. This might be a handy place to but a water pump since the pocket is large enough to hold one and being on the top of the bag will expose the contents to little stress. Also, you get a nice big bottom pouch for your sleeping bag and a good snapping strap to tie on something like a sleeping pad or roll up mattress. On top you have a bull tight bungee strap type mesh thing to lash on small items.
Now while this bag is massive, it's really not any bigger than your average framed pack in terms of the car or tent space it occupies. A lot of it's alleged size comes from the way the internal main compartment is set up and from the outer pockets. If you are a smaller person though I think you may want to consider a different bag, I haven't tried syncing this pack up to the smaller sizes, but it looks to me like it would make you sort of top heavy if you moved the adjuster down by more than maybe one size or two. But that said being 6'2 this pack fits me like a glove.
The plastic on the snap on the belt feels a little flimsy so I'm not sure how long it will hold up, but it hasn't cracked or anything so this may not be a place to concern yourself. If it were to break I imagine it could be easily replaced with a higher quality one.
Well what else can be said of this pack. I'm suspicious of how it will hold up long term compared to say a Kelty, but the benefits definitely warrant the purchase of this bag if you have a long torso, a lot of stuff, are just physically big, or want great compartments.

I've had many backpacks over the past 25 years of scouting and hiking with friends. I camp out most months and hike several times a year. I am 6'2" and 245 lbs and this pack adjusts to fit me fine. Love the padding on the straps, the sturdiness, the room in it! Great pack.