****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
I've been backpacking seriously for over 35 years, including time as a backpacking guide. I know what makes a good pack, and what makes a mediocre pack. When I saw this pack I knew I was taking a gamble when no sizes were listed, but hoped for the best. I really, really wanted to like this pack. I needed to like this pack!Aquaquest has attempted to fit a niche here in the backpacking world that has long been overlooked, the unicorn of the industry...the 'ultralight' waterproof backpacks that have a full harness/belt system. Unless you want to pay an exorbitant price, and/or wait months for custom orders, there just isn't much out there that can claim full waterproofness and light enough to carry on long-distance hikes. I love the rolltop design, the waterproof zipper, side pouches for water bottles and camp towels, and the weight isn't bad at all for a 45L pack. It seems very durable, and checks almost all the feature boxes I need in a lightweight, waterproof, comfortable pack. The 40L main compartment is just large enough to fit camping/cooking/food/water/and some extras like a couple of DSLR cameras, rock climbing rack, fishing gear, for example.However, and this is a dealbreaker for me...it isn't one size fits all. It's extremely rare to have just ONE size of a pack that could fit all, (or even most), body sizes. It usually requires an adjustable torso length panel, or very long straps that can be trimmed or folded to store away for smaller body sizes. This pack has none of that and ends up being a bit small for those that need the pack's weight fully situated on your hips. Even when I extend the shoulder straps and load lifter straps completely, there is still tension on the shoulders and causes a bit of compression on your back from the short torso length of the pack. (In fairness, almost ALL packs that claim waterproofness suffer from this flaw, aside from abysmal belt design and virtually no padding). But here is the thing...I'm only 5'8" and 185lbs, fairly athletic stocky build. I'm not some 6'5" 280lb leviathan pro-baller. I'm a fairly standard torso length and wear a size large t-shirt. Finding a pack that can fit the weight completely on my hips shouldn't be a problem. But here, it is. Totally bummed as I'll just have to give the pack to a hiking friend instead of being able to use it myself. It'll be a great pack for her body size, just not mine.Been holding up pretty well after a few months from my experience.Amazing...the perfect combo of light weight, durability and functionality.Intro: I was looking for a large pack to take on an upcoming hike that I am planning to take later in the fall and wanted something that had a certain level of built in waterproofing and found this unit. I spent time in the USMC so I’m used to packing and waterproofing my gear but wanted a pack shell that had a higher level built in as an added level of protection. I have not taken this on the road yet to fully test it out but I have tested it locally in heavy rain showers and the pack performed like a champ with nothing inside getting wet so I’m looking forward to putting this to use on my upcoming trip.Pro’s:• Huge pack with one internal compartment for all of the gear you want to keep dry• Also has one internal zipped pocket, one on the front that runs down the front and also has two large elastic side pockets• The top of the pack has a standard roll down closure that when properly used with the plastic buckle will seal the top of the pack very tight• Solid well-built pack all the way around with waist and check straps to help keep the pack load stable.• The pack also has straps on the side that allow you to tighten and compress the main compartment once you have everything loaded to help stabilize the load when hiking etc.Con’s:• None that I can think of at this time.Final thoughts: I’m really impressed with this pack and can’t wait to take it out in the wild for an extended test run. It’s certainly larger that I would use for everyday commute but I know if I did choose to use it to protect my gear that it would work like a champ. Unless there’s something I’m missing, I feel this pack will perform well in the outdoors, keeping my gear dry for the entire excursion. I will update my review and provide additional feedback if anything changes after my actual outdoor test.So I got this Aqua Quest Riparia Waterproof Backpack 45L Dry Bag and I really like it. I may use this for hiking but my main reason for purchasing this is as a storm/bug out bag. We get lots of severe weather where I live and I have a storm shelter in my back yard but it’s a good 40ft away from my back door and weather usually isn’t that great when I’m going out there.This is a excellent dry bag plenty of room in the main waterproof compartment and the material seems very durable. There’s lots of straps on every angle of the bag to adjust to make the bag fit just right. It has two side pockets for water bottles and one pocket in the back with a zipper. After you fill the main compartment with all your gear the top rolls down and straps to the main compartment making it waterproof. Even though it’s a big bag it’s a compact bag meaning there’s nothing sticking out to catch things. My old bag wasn’t like this and when I would get in my storm shelter it would sometimes get hung on the side while I was trying to get down the stairs. You don’t have to worry about that with this bag.Overall I really like this bag and would highly recommended itThis is a well-thought out backpack. There is ample storage for any 3-5 day hike and comes in especially handy when rain is in the forecast. It truly is a dry pack. The pack includes all the necessary straps (hip, sternum, shoulder) to keep the weight distribution of the pack in the right places and off your shoulders. I live in South Florida so rain can come anytime and from anywhere so having this pack handy is a lifesaver. I should mention that this pack does include mesh pockets to hold water bottles or a cell phone, which is an improvement over their 30L dry pack. Recommended for all half week hikes.Perfect
