Looking for a single pack to take you through multi-day hikes all year long? No surprise, Kelty has you covered. The Lakota 65 is a lightweight yet spacious pack that keeps you organized all season, every season.
The Lakota's 65 liters of space are more than adequate even for winter weekends, and at just 3lb 12oz for the medium/large size your back will thank you. What's amazing are all the features they've managed to stuff in the Lakota: it's a top-loader with a separate sleeping bag compartment, floating top lid with two pockets, side access to the main cargo area, two mesh water bottle pockets, hydration sleeve, and a few small flat open pockets sewn inside the top of the main compartment.
Compression straps out the wazoo keep your load tight, and the beefy padded hip belt rides comfortably with loads as heavy as you'll want to carry. Ice axe loop? Check. Load lifters? Check. Rain fly? Check – wait, what? Yeah, a built-in pull-out rain fly is tucked into its own little front pocket. Another unexpectedly nice touch is the grab handle built into the daisy chain on the front, which is a very useful means to move the pack when its lying on its back and is in addition to the normal handle on top.
The Lakota 65 is an exceptionally well thought-out design with extensive features at a very reasonable, even light weight. Kelty manages to keep it all streamlined and working well together, and does it without breaking your back or your bank account. Nicely done.