Vortex 5800 Review

"This is hands down the most comfortable pack I have ever worn. I have owned this one for three years and every time I put it on I am thankful I tried on a lot of packs before finding this one. No pack fit as well, had as bomber construction, or as killer a warrenty.I love it so much I bought a Vortex Day Pack to use when I'm not on the trail."

"This is the only backpack a serious backpacker should have! I have been trying to find a comfortable, large capacity, internal frame pack for two years. I have tried all of the leading products (Gregory, Arc ‘Teryx, North Face, REI, etc.). I even purchased two highly recommended packs (Mountain Smith Specter 5500 – "Backpacker’s Editor’s Choice” and the Lowe Alpamayo 90) and wound up returning them after using them with 50+ lbs. I have a 17-18” torso and long legs and had almost given up on a comfortable, closely fitting backpack. But then came Vortex. I was so desperate that I actually traveled to Salt Lake City to be fitted at the Vortex design center. They really know their stuff. My wife and I were both fitted with 5800’s and were ready to put them to the test in the Capitol Reef National Park. After three days of very strenuous backpacking, boulder scrambling, and desert traversing the Vortex packs proved their worth. These packs were so great they are worth twice their cost. The fit was amazing. We had no painful bruising or discomfort and attribute the success of a very strenuous trip to the phenomenal Vortex product. If you are serious about purchasing the ultimate backpack then look no further than Vortex – there is no other product designed as well nor guaranteed as well (truly unlimited and unconditional). If you want more detail then email me at sonyaandjohn@yahoo.com."

"Yo, I bought this pack (vortex 5800) and took it out for a week in the snow. I was carrying round 50 pds and I had read all the reviews about it. I CANNOT BELIEVE that the reviewers missed some of the basic flaws of this pack. For 1 look beneath the fold and look at what the shoulder straps are fastened to--a piece of plastic! And its single stitched! I tore my shoulder strap turning my pack over with ONE HAND. Thats how I found out about the inadequate stitching. A pack you buy at walmart using cotter pins has better support. Plus if you look at the piece of plastic the shoulder straps are single stitched onto you will find that its not secure. Hiking I found it had a tendancy to teeter back and forth making me walk like a pirate on the high seas. Plus--examine the joint that piece of plastic is sawing against! I had to and after one hike found its sawing away at that 1 inch stitch. I had to hike 25 miles out in the snow and ice with a blown shoulder strap--but used the adjustment straps to carry the weight. This is a real basic design flaw--and I CANNOT believe none of the reviews mentioned it. Additionally the slanted water bottle thing is all hype. Yes with some contortion you can get it out by yourself--but your still going to need help putting it back in. Look for yourself when you examine the pack. Follow the shoulder straps into back of the bag and check it out. This is not an expedition grade pack."

"I do not know where Mr. Conner learned how to count, but in the 4 vortex 5800's that I have owned, they all had double stitching where the shoulder straps attach to the pack. I have to done many trips with my 5800's and have never had an issue with any of them, and have on many occasion had to toss my pack with 70+lbs in it to get down techical canyons and I always toss it by the shoulder straps, again I have never had a problem."

"I agree!!! I am not sure what you been smoking Mr. Conner but after i went and read your review I went and checked my pack. The straps are double stiched just like they are supposed to be. All I can say is that i have tried everything and the vortex 5800 is hands down the best pack on the market. It is confortable and strong and I have not seen anything that can beat it. Mr. Conner as far as customer service Vortex is second to none. I called them just to check and see if they changed there policy on answering the phone and guess what they picked up on the second ring anxious to see how they can serve me. This might be a small company but someday it will be a big one especially if they keep turning out great packs like they already have. As far as i am concerned Vortex is the standard in backpacks and everything else out there is just substandard. If you want the best pack on the market at a reasonable cost with a killer warranty then get a Vortex. Mr. Conner maybe you should try a Kelty daypack for hiking around the local city park but if you are a serious hard core backpacker who likes it rough and rugged the Vortex is the only solution.... Shawnbullock@hotmail.com"

"I have used this pack on multi-day trips in the Grand Canyon as well as 14 day NOLS course in the Wind River Range. I carried 65# in the 5880 on that trip. It did an excellent job. I did break the zipper pull on the top/day pack. When I called Vortex they just said "send it in - we'll take care of it". They actually sent me a new one. These are excellent quality packs. They are stitched with kevlar thread as I understand it. I have never had one tear or come apart. My wife and I both have STXs for shorter trips and they have been great on multi-day trips in the GC, smokies, Yosemite, etc.

The company's service is second to none. You just can't beat the guarantee they provide.

I have found the packs to be comfortable, stable, and quite usable."

"Bought a Vortex 5800 in 2001 and love it. Absolutely comfortable. My son took it for a NOLS semester in the baja, which included 30 dys of backpacking. He is rough on his gear and it returned dirty but otherwise virtually unscathed. I've got a Gregory and an REI but can't bring myself to use them anymore."

"It was time to retire my Lowe Alpine so I bought a Vortex 5800 because I own a Vortex 1800 and a "Superday" pack and absolutely love them. I took the 5800 to the Wind Rivers with a 70lb pack and as far as comfort goes it is better than anything I have ever had on my back. I love the external pockets as well because you can fit a Nalgene as well as a 2 liter bladder with room to spare in each external pocket. The compression is 2nd to none and the padding is heavenly. I was backpacking with a lot of rookies so I carried 15lbs more than I usually do and I couldn't tell I had any more weight in my pack versus my old pack. My only complaint is I had a Miniworks filter in the bottom of the pack and set it down on the concrete before I left and it almost poked a hole through the bottom of the pack. I realized that I had packed it too tight but I think that just a little tougher material in the bottom would make this an absolutely flawless pack. Of course with their warranty (unconditional) they will fix this without one single question so I can't complain too much.
One other Pro about the pack is that the divider between the upper and lower compartment isn't divided by a zipper so you can have it partially open/closed to fit just your pad and or tent through the bottom and still keep everything else seperate. Someone else made a comment about the pack swaying back and forth and it did the same to me until I adjusted the chest strap and had no problems at all after that (with a 70lb pack)
I would reccommend this pack to anyone."