Has anyone tested the Jansport Big Bear Backpack?

Question

It's a relatively cheap pack but seems to offer a fair amount. Anyone have some pros and cons on the issue?

thanks.

Answer 1

I'm not familiar with that model but I can tell you from over 30 years of using and selling outdoor gear and teaching and equiping others for backpacking that I would NOT recommend buying a Jansport pack. Yes, they have all kinds of nifty features but the bottom line is that they are not well-made and don't hold up. I have owned and heavily used more than 20 medium to large backpacks in my life and the only 2 that blew out on me were both Jansport. And I mean "blew out" like in total seam failure and frame breakage. And when I worked for JanSport dealers we had more repair returns and complaints about being uncomfortable on that brand than all the other brands combined. Sorry, but they are just flashy junk.

If you're on a budget, you would be better off looking for a slightly used better brand pack on Craigslist or Ebay or looking for a sale on the Campmor or Sierra Trading Post on-line catalogs. Some good brands are Kelty, Lowe, Gregory, MountainSmith, Mountain hardware and Osprey.

Answer 2

Freshmen year of high school, I had a Powerpuff Girls backpack. Sophomore and Junior Year, I used a messenger bag with a pentagram and various band patches on it. Senior year I did not use a backpack.