When traveling, hiking, or camping your ‘luggage’ should be the least of your worries. I do admit, I have found myself scurrying through airports wanting to collapse from an over-packed and awkwardly shaped bag more times than I care to admit. If you have made this mistake before, you know that having the wrong size pack can be exhausting and frustrating. Finding a backpack that molds to you as if it were another body part is vital for the vagabond. The Cotopaxi 65L Backpack is that other body part.

The backpack has some seriously versatile and technical qualities, making it good for both a 6-month pilgrimage through Patagonia or 3 day trek in Southern Utah’s deserts. If you’re looking for a great day pack, I suggest the Luzon, but for much larger treks that require more gear, this is the way to go! I recently got to test Cotopaxi’s Nepal Backpack in Southern Utah and it certainly made the trek better! The main body of the backpack has a butterfly zipper which allows you to access the entire pack without having to dig from the top. I found this to be quite useful at first, being able to find exactly what I wanted. The only issue I had was that I needed to be careful not to zip it all the way so that the pack would stay in it’s proper shape. Far from a deal breaker.

The Nepal Backpack has two large front zippered pockets, which is great for organization, and quick access to those clean underwear! In addition to all the outside pockets, there is also a removable top lid and multiple attachments for technical gear like trekking poles. The pack has quite a few internal stashes as well. Seriously, there is no chance to run out of pockets on this guy.

In addition, there is a removable internal hydration sleeve, as well as even more smaller pockets in the lid. There is a top compression rope strap and two configurable side compression straps. Although the straps made for an easy adjustment and good fit to my body, I found it to be slightly awkward and a tad heavy on my small frame. It would be awesome to have the option to remove the padded back panel! That said, it is very adjustable and fits well after some fine tuning.

The Cotopaxi Nepal Backpack: Size S/M

After the multi-day trek across the desert, I was way stoked on the Nepal Backpack. I would say the best parts of this pack are the organizational components, multiple pockets and the durable construction. It’s obvious that the pack is high quality and is going to last much longer than my knees will.  And while I have previously opted for a smaller pack, (50L) when doing long expeditions, I did find that the 65L size on the Nepal to be a much better option for adventures that require lots of gear! The quality of design and material are evident when trekking in high winds and rugged terrain. If you’re looking for a large pack that will fit everything you need, this is a really great option!

Aside from the Nepal being a great piece of technical gear, there is a that “feel good” factor when supporting the Cotopaxi brand. Each purchase of a Cotopaxi product directly contributes to their incredible health, education, and livelihood initiatives in developing countries. It’s nice to know your supporting a company that is an advocate for quality material and quality of life, for all. Read more about Cotopaxi’s “Gear for Good” philosophy.

*Disclaimer: Cotopaxi provided the author with the Nepal Backpack as a sample product (at no cost) for testing purposes.

Buy the Cotopaxi Nepal Backpack from Cotopaxi.com.

You know those items of clothing where your friend or sibling finally says, “When is the last time you washed that thing?” Or better yet, “Do you ever take that off?” Yeah, you know what I’m talking about…

The Sambaya Stretch Fleece is that item of clothing. I was fortunate enough to acquire this fleece several weeks ago before a trek to Escalante, Utah. With temperatures dropping below 20 degrees at night, this was the perfect go-to item to throw on top of some thermals. The best part of this warm and insanely soft zip-up is the hood! I love hoods, and it seems rare to find them attached to technical layers. The Cotopaxi Sambaya takes quality and fashion into account. To note, I tested this in a size medium in the color Capri. This item runs pretty true to size and I could have probably gotten away with a size small, but this works perfectly for layering!

The Polartec Power Stretch fleece fabric keeps you dry, regulates body temperature, and is breathable.  The design allows you to keep that womanly figure and camp in style, with it’s long fit (just below your hips) and long sleeves with thumb-hole cuffs (LOVE!). It’s fitted, but has enough room for several base-layers underneath. It has two big pockets to keep your hands warm or to store snacks for your day hike, along with an internal stash pocket and a small breast pocket for smaller items. The Sambaya comes in two bright colors (Capri or Terracotta) that are vibrant and match everything or black (Raven) which will be my next purchase. I can’t say enough about this fleece, it’s performance quality is great for outdoor expeditions and it’s stylish enough for causal use while tripping around town. My only wish is that it could also block wind a bit, but the breath-ability makes up for it!

Bonus? Each purchase of the Sambaya Fleece provides 1 cancer treatment for a patient in Senegal. If you are going to purchase gear, might as well feel good about it and give back while doing it.

*Disclaimer: Cotopaxi provided the author with the Sambaya Fleece as a sample product (at no cost) in order for us to test. 

Buy the Cotopaxi Sambaya Fleece from Cotopaxi.com

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