TETON Sports Backpacks

Low prices with a lifetime warranty behind them are Teton's formula, first applied to sleeping bags, cots and canvas tents; the company now trades as Teton from tetongear.com. Scott Holmes started it in a Utah garage and traces it back to a miserable camping trip as a child. Its budget internal-frame packs, the Scout 55 and Explorer 65, carry that warranty too: defects in materials and workmanship are covered for the lifetime of the product, for the original owner with proof of purchase, though hydration bladders get only one year.

The two are split by torso length rather than by quality. The Scout 55 is the smaller fit, a three-quarter frame aimed at shorter torsos and one- to three-night trips, with an adjustable back panel and a rain cover built into the pack. The Explorer 65 is the standard fit for full-size torsos, adjustable from 19 to 23 in on an aluminum frame, and comes in 65, 75 and 85 L versions with the same integrated rain cover and a sleeping-bag compartment. If your torso is long, the Explorer is the one to consider even if you do not need the volume.

The Scout stops carrying well around 30-35 lb, after which the budget suspension and thin hipbelt push the load onto the shoulders. The always-attached rain cover is a real advantage at this price.