Coleman Elate Backpack?

Is anyone familiar with this backpack? Right now the bag I have is a cheap hunting backpack that I gave about 20 bucks for. Its around 50 liters, but the belt on it isn't very good, and it also doesn't have any load adjusting straps so its not too comfortable with a larger load in it. This coleman looks to be a much better bag, having the load adjusters on the shoulders and the waist, along with a much better belt and much more comfortable shoulder straps. The shoulder straps are also adjustable for height with basically a MOLLY system of webbing on the back part of them. The attachment there seems very sturdy from looking at it. I've heard people talk about it being good for a bag to have a double bottom, so that the weight is directed more toward the body, and this bag also has that feature. The bottom part is a sleeping bag compartment and the divider between the two slopes down to the bottom of the part against your body, which I think is what was being discussed in those articles. Anyway, I would like to see if anyone with more experience has any input on the bag.

I could only find a picture of a 38 liter daypack, and I'm not familiar with the model you're discussing, but Coleman makes some pretty nice backpacks and I've been using one for many years now.

Really, it depends on how you're going to use it, how much gear you're going to stuff into it, and most importantly, how it fits and feels. If it works for you that's all that really matters.

I found this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKDJl_pWhlc youtube review of it, but thats about all I could find online about the bag. I couldn't even find it on colemans site. Thanks for trying to find it to look it over. I guess I should have posted this to begin with.

I have a couple friends that have Coleman packs that are very similar to that. They both like them a lot. They're nice packs, and well built.

The price is hard to beat. If it fits your budget and needs, I say buy it. You could do a lot worse and that pack will get you out there now. After you've used it, if you find you want something different, that will make a great loaner pack.

Sounds like I may give it a shot. It seemed to me to be a pretty nice bag for the price, but I had also thought the bag I have now was alot better than what it is. I am a bit more educated about what to look for in a bag (thanks to this site), so I was a little more confident in what I thought about it, but its always nice to get a second opinion.

I decided to go ahead and pick the bag up and give it a shot. I put all my stuff in it, and crammed it the rest of the way full with random stuff just to fill it out for the pictures. I'm still working on fitting the stays but it feels SO much better than the old one. I had fourty five pounds in it, and it felt better than the old bag did with twenty five in it.

as far as I can tell, these are the first pictures of this bag posted anywhere online haha.














Here is how the shoulder straps attach to the pack

I cant find out for sure how the lifter straps are supposed to be set up. I know a 45 degree angle is suggested, but where should the strap hit the shoulder? is this right or should it be further back or forward?

I sure like those shoulder straps better than those on my old Coleman bag

I didn't see my old bag on Coleman's site either, but they had them for sale last December at the "Camp Coleman Outlet Store" near here. I think they had the one you got too. If I'm right, they were selling them for around $89 and I thought that was a sweet deal. The one like mine was selling for $49.

Yours is a bit heavier, but I could sure use some extra room in mine. Maybe next year...

There's one thats VERY similar to it that was the coleman max 65L but not the elate. It was a bit heavier, and higher. This one was only like 68, but thats walmart price. I think the non elate one was closer to 90 at walmart. It had ice pick things on the back, and its a heavier rougher material. Thats the biggest difference I can think of off the top of my head. There's a good bit of info on it online, but not the elate.

here is a link to it on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Coleman-Max-65L-Internal-Frame-Backpack-w-RainCo-O-/110660681938

The shoulder straps look like they're wrapping around your shoulders properly, and the load lifters appear to have the proper angle. If the pack is riding comfortably, I'd say leave the suspension set that way until you've got a few miles on it.

Thanks for checking it out for me Glenn. I've done a bit of searching and reading about fitting a pack, and I felt I had the shoulder straps about right and the angle was right on the lifters, I just noticed they had that slider on them to shift the attachment point of the lifter to the shoulder forward or back and I hadn't really found anything about that. It feels pretty comfortable, so I guess its just time to give it a try (hopefully this weekend if the weather holds out.

All the opinions in the world are moot to good fit.. if it's fits you well and feels good, carry it.

I missed the fact that the attachment point is adjustable. From the picture (which doesn't give a totally clear view) it looks like the attachment point is a bit high on your shoulder - maybe an inch? If I have the option, I usually move mine to a point just forward of my shoulder, but not quite on top of my collar bone.

Like I said, I'm not sure I'd mess with it if the pack fits comfortably; this would be a tweak to try if you end up with a pressure point just below your collarbone, in the shoulder area.

Thanks again, thats what I was wondering, centered, forward, or back of the top of the shoulder. I will try to post a clearer picture later of the adjustment method just incase anyone is curious.

Here is the adjustment to change where the lifters attach to the shoulder straps.



I did about 4 and a half miles with this bag over the weekend with about 35 pounds in it, and it was great. It was even more comfortable than I had expected. I dont have any experience with any of the higher end bags, but this one seems to be pretty good to me. It's MUCH better than any other bag I've ever carried.

I own a Coleman Elate Max 65L also and I love it!!! Hold's way more than I need!!!

The straps there are to keep the top of the pack close, but not banging you in the back of the head,lol. As long as that's not happening you should be good!!!