I am pleased to welcome Veronica Giancola as a contributor to Outside San Diego.  Veronica is a seasoned hiker and backpacker with years of practical experience under her belt.  Please enjoy her first test report on the REI Venus 70 backpack.

I love my new pack! I have been backpacking for many years. I thought tender spots on my shoulders and hip bones were a part of the sport. That is until I got my new woman’s specific REI Venus 70.

This pack is so comfortable even with a heavy load trudging through deep snow on snow shoes. There are many adjustment straps to make this pack contour to and fit my body specifically.

The hip belt fits me like a glove. I love the adjustment system designed to tighten by pulling from the hip forward. The belt was generously padded and designed to fit my narrow waist.  I like the zippered pocket on the hip-belt for quick access to energy snacks and sunscreen.

The shoulder straps are comfortable and I hardly noticed the pack for the entire trip. It fit me well and distributed the weight evenly. I didn’t get any tender spots even after 14 miles uphill with 43 pounds.

I also really like the u-shape access zipper into the main compartment. It allows for easy access to my gear at any location inside the pack.

I wish the top compartment converted into a daypack. As it is designed, it is not removable. I also wish there was a small compartment inside the top so I could organize my keys, ID and money. I do like where the zipper access is positioned so that I can reach back and access the top compartment without having to remove the pack.

It’s obvious that a lot of thought went into the little details that make a pack my best friend on the trail. REI thought of many niceties like: a waterproof zippered compartment on the outside for items I may need to access quickly such as rain gear, hat or gloves; zippered access into the sleeping bag compartment and compression straps on the bottom of the pack for my sleeping pad or tent. Last but not least there are 2 daisy chains on the outside for the last minute camp shoes I wanted to carabiner and take with me.

Thank you REI for your thoughtful design and excellent fitting pack. I will recommend it to my friends.