Big Agnes Prospector 50L Pack for Men

The Big Agnes Prospector 50L Pack for Men is ultralight, built from quality fabric made from recycled materials, and with roll-top and back panel zippered access points.

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Key features & benefits

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What this is about

Big Agnes is one of the best known outdoor brands, but from what I know, this should be their first pack ever. They have built it together with the Big Agnes Sun Dog 45 L Pack for women. But as of the moment of writing this text, there are more packs coming on the market. 

Note that you have two sizes M and L, but this is only related to the torso fit, the actual volume is the same 3051 in³ (50 l).

So this is a top loading pack with a roll-top closure, in other words, there is no classic lid here. The picture below shows how it looks when closed:

But there is also a full size zipper on the back-panel that provides duffel-style access to the pack interior. Below you can see how it looks. This is quite unusual to see, there are snow packs with such a design and this is good to have when you use a pack on the snow, but this is rare in standard backpacking packs.

The pack is hydration compatible so you have an inner hydration sleeve for a 3L bladder with a bladder hook. Hose clippers are on the harness, you will see it in the video.

Note that the sleeve is on the inner side of the back panel, so when you unzip the pack, you have a very easy access to the bladder. This is a good feature for those who use a bladder. 

Suspension system

The suspension system is based on an aluminum perimeter frame, and you also have an anatomical back-panel with a body mapped foam for a precise fit. The picture below shows how this looks. 

As you see, there are some ventilation channels, but this is the design where the pack is close to the body, so do not expect much of ventilation here.

You have a sliding adjustable sternum strap, and the usual load lifters. The torso length is not adjustable, this is why they build the pack in two torso ranges. 

Probably the best part in the system is its massive and padded hip belt. This is a split V-shaped design so that you have a perfect hugging of the hip zone, see the picture below. 

This is what they call the Open Range hip belt design with a cut-away construction to avoid excess weight and bulk. It includes dual hip belt stabilizer straps on both sides.

With this you can tighten the upper and lower sections of the hip belt separately for a custom fit. There are pull loops so this is all easily done and on the go.

However, if you are a slim person, it may be difficult to tighten the hip belt properly. The reason is that the padding goes far too long to the front and you might not have space to tighten the belt.

Pockets and other details

The pack has:

• 2 Really large stretch mesh side pockets. I do not remember many packs that could match this.
• Front quick-stash large pocket, see the picture above.
• One front-top zip pocket with a key keeper.
• 2 Very large and removable hip belt pockets.

There are many attachment options and compression straps.

• Dual side compression straps zig-zag from the bottom to the top, you can see them as orange straps in the pictures. This is what they call the Hoist Compression system.
• Long dual daisy chains on the front visible in the picture above.
• Top grab handle for easy movability.
• Dual bottom loops for an ice axe and trekking poles, paired with bungees higher on the pack, see the picture below.

Bonus: They have included also a 7 L Trash Can for camp trash or collecting litter on the trail, see below how it looks. Its market value is around $25 so this is a true bonus. 

Materials

The main fabric is a puncture and tear resistant micro-fine denier yarn Mipan regen robic nylon with a solution-dyed ripstop grid. The solution dyeing means adding pigment directly to the molten plastic solution before the fiber is made. 

They claim it has an UTS environmentally sustainable coating with a 1500 mm rating. But I would not count on the waterproofness of this pack, if you expect rain, you will need a rain cover, it is missing here. 

The pack is GRS certified, where the letters mean Global Recycle Standard. The bottom is a heavy-duty twill fabric for maximum reinforcement and increased durability. 

You have stretch woven fabric on shoulder straps, hip belt, and back panel for maximum comfort against the body. I already mentioned the frame and this is aluminum.

Please see more in this short video:

 

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Who is this Big Agnes Prospector 50 pack for

Regarding the size, with 3051 in³ (50 l) volume this is a mid size pack suitable for shorter tours of a few days.

You have already seen that this is a gender-specific pack for men.

Regarding the weight, the volume-to-weight ratio here is around 36 liters/kg, so this is an ultralight pack. This is remarkable when you see its overall features and padding.

Regarding the price, it is a bit steep, but this is Big Agnes after all so you know what you are buying. The price is still in the range of its top-competitors. You can compare it with this Gregory Focal 48 Pack for Men which is also incredibly light.

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Specifications

• Type: internal frame pack.
• Volume: 3051 in³ (50 l).
• Two sizes: M, L.
• Weight:
  – M: 3 lb 1 oz (1.39 kg).
  – L: 3 lb 3 oz (1.45 kg).
• Dimensions (H x W x D):
  – M: 33 x 10 x 8 in (84 x 25 x 20 cm).
  – L: 35 x 9.5 x 8 in (84 x 24 x 20 cm).
• Torso fit:
  – M: 18 – 20 in (46 – 51 cm).
  – L: 20 – 22 in (51 – 56 cm).
• Maximum load: 40 lb (18 kg).
• Waist/Hips fit:
  – M: 32 – 54 in (81 – 137 cm).
  – L: 35 – 58 in (89 – 147 cm).

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Final thoughts & rating

Below you can see how I rate it against my usual rating criteria so that you can easily compare it with other items of this type:

 

BEST PLACEs TO BUY

Moosejaw

Amazon

Big Agnes has launched several other packs recently, so check this Big Agnes Parkview 63L Pack for Men if you need a larger pack. But check also this Kelty Outskirt 50 Backpack with some unique details.

Let me know if you have questions or comments, there is a comment box below. Have a nice day.