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JanSport Sinder 15 Review
September 10, 2014The Good
- Super-light
- Inexpensive
- Hydration-ready
The Bad
- Terrible draw-cord at main opening
- Mediocre initial quality
It doesn’t get much more basic than the JanSport Sinder 15. JanSport distilled their daypack designs down to the barest of bones to create the Sinder. Unfortunately, the resulting pack skips the pleasurable refinements and delivers only rough functionality, admittedly in a remarkable lightweight package.
Comfort/Adjustability
With ventilated shoulder straps and a thinly padded back panel, the Sinder carried a bit more comfortably than I expected. Still, dense or angular objects required some additional padding on longer outings.
Weight
At a nearly unmatched 6.5 ounces, this bag’s weight was its best feature. Nearly all other packs in its class weigh nearly twice that figure, though most offer considerably improved organization and detailing.
Capacity
As a climbing leader’s pack, a simple hydration pack for day hikes, or an around-town bag while traveling, 15 liters felt slightly small but sufficient. The minimal exterior attachment points on the Sinder offered very little potential for external carry-capacity.
Organization/Access
While I didn’t expect multiple access points on a pack of this size, an additional pocket or two would have been enthusiastically welcomed. The internal sleeve for a hydration reservoir was a smart addition that definitely boosted performance.
Features
Cheap-feeling materials and finicky adjustment at this bag’s opening kept us feeling consistently underwhelmed with its details.
Value
Even though I wasn’t psyched about the build-quality of the Sinder, I felt pretty great about the price. For everything but highly specialized uses, this pack is an excellent value at $30.