Review on ALPS Mountaineering Canyon Clay Chili by Angie Walker

I really wanted to like this backpack. I have a 50L backpack for camping/hiking and a small hydration pack for running around town. I needed something in between for day hikes. I've heard a lot of good things about mountaineering in the Alps, so I decided to try this Canyon 30. I received the backpack on time and decided to load it up with gear to test it out. Pros: high quality material, unique thoughtful design features, large capacity. I loaded the backpack and adjusted the hip belt, shoulder straps, chest belt and weight lifter. Something was wrong. The back of the backpack has absolutely no stiffness/structure. There was no cargo support. I don't necessarily need a contoured frame, but at least some stiff foam would be nice. The backpack collapsed and folded in half when I was on my back, which was very uncomfortable, especially with all my gear. I was disappointed because I liked a lot of the features - a rain cover, hidden garland, unique zip in main compartment etc. I think maybe this was done to reduce weight but at a size of about 30 liters it's a backpack should be some kind of structure (if not marked as a pocket for things). Also, it seems to be a well-made backpack, but I've never tested it on a hike. I sent the bag back and will try to find another backpack.