14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very nice lumbar pack, April 14, 2011
This review is from: Jansport Coltrane Waist Pack (Sports)
I purchased the Coltrane pack from Amazon about six months ago and am ready to post my impressions of it. Overall it's a very comfortable, well built and well designed pack. First off, I love the mesh bottle holders; they're designed to zip inside the pack when not in use. This makes them completely disappear if you don't need them- a great feature. And they're very well designed, with elastic to help retain the bottles. There's also a clip on a short ribbon sewed securely onto each one- a very good idea! My purpose in buying the pack was to create a survival/wilderness EDC, and the Coltrane fills the bill perfectly. It has plenty of room to carry everything you'd need, plus two water bottles. I bought two x 500 ml stainless bottles (can boil in them if need be), and they caribiners clip securely into the packs's own clips. So even if by chance they fall out they'll still be retained. Very slick! The pack includes very well designed compression straps to keep it tight and pulled into your back for comfort. And they can be run over the bottles if you prefer, cinching them in and adding yet another level of retention. The waist belt is very long to accommodate nearly any user yet effectively keeps the extra out of the way. The back is very well padded and has mesh channels to keep sweating to a minimum. The first three or four inches of the belt, where it meets the pack, is also well padded. There's also a small carry loop at the top of the pack which is handy for loading it.
Internal organization is very good, with three zippered sections and one open pocket. Right next to your body the first compartment is probably about 50% of the internal capacity. On top of that there's another one that's a bit smaller, with a fairly shallow one on the front. This gives you plenty of room to hold about anything but with a good ability to keep things organized and tidy.
The pack is fairly light yet very well made. All the seams and stitching of my sample is very good with no notable flaws or loose threads. The material has held up well, offering a good ratio of durability to weight.
The downsides? Well, the compression straps are much longer than I can imagine any use for, and there's really nothing to do with the extra length. It doesn't really get in the way much as it hangs straight off the pack but it's still a bit annoying. Also, considering the rather large size of the pack (450 ci) the waist strap could be a little wider and/or padded further around your body. The pack is pushing the size limit for a lumbar pack. The large capacity encourages overloading it, and if you do you'll find the 1.25" wide belt digging in uncomfortably. And while it's a very minor point, some packs have a small zippered pocket on the side of the belt. The Coltrane lacks this convenience. Again, not a big deal.
Overall I wish I could have given this pack a 4.5. It probably deserves a half-star ding for not incorporating a slightly wider belt into the design. Aside from that I've found very little to criticize. All in all it's a very good pack!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Roomy, comfortable all day long, October 21, 2011
The Jansport Coltrane Waist Pack is just great. Don't think of it as a "fanny pack" - and don't think of it as a "back pack." Instead, consider it just a terrific cross between the two, perfect for a 10 miler through the woods, or maybe a carry-on for a long plane ride. Excellent also for walking tours around town.
Complete with water bottles on each side pocket (one downside: no sipper tops), the unit has multiple compartments to carry your essentials - from food to compass, firestarter to cell phone, Ipod to map, plus a camera, plus a strap you can fit an emergency poncho through. With plenty of adjustable straps, it fits any body well. (Except, perhaps, fopr some off Biggest Loser contestants). It also has a detachable over-the-shoulder strap for carrying heavier objects (but I have yet to find a use for it).
It has a water resistant inner pocket (but not water proof).
Best of all, the padding is just terrific. No binding or rubbing after an 8 hour day along the Appalachian trail.
Highly recommended. So good, I bought a second for my wife.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
toni, August 6, 2011
Nice fanny pack. A little larger than I expected, but very roomy and the hidden water bottle holders are a great feature. I especially appreciate the adjusting tabs in the belt to pull the pack snug against your waist when it is full (nothing worse than sagging fanny pack). Lots of pockets to choose from. Definitely recommend this pack.
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