OWNER REVIEW- Outdoor products Mist backpack

My initial impression of the Outdoor products "Mist" backpack was that it was pleasing aesthetically and had an attractive price tag. I was somewhat concerned when I purchased it (from Wal-Mart) that a product from an off brand manufacturer could wear out quickly or not perform well. While I have used it for fewer than a dozen hikes, so it has not had to endure much abuse, I have been pleasantly surprised with its quality.  My primary experience with this pack has been two day hikes up Mt. Katahdin. We were not camping, so a small capacity pack like this was fine for the job. Each time, I filled the included water bladder (2L capacity), put a pair of Gatorade bottles into the side pockets and took up the rest of the space in the pack with my camera, some additional Gatorade, and energy bars and snacks. That was all I could fit since the water took up most of the space, so I ended up with less carrying capacity than I initially expected. However, I think that the bag strikes a convenient balance between the minimalist designs with no carrying capacity and a full size backpack. The inherent rounded shape of the bag of water pushed the middle panel out slightly so it was resting on my back rather than the padded edges of the bag. If you need to clean it, or if you don’t need to carry fluids, the water bladder is removable. The manufacturer suggests using baking soda to clean it, and I have not had any complaints using that method; the water has always tasted clean. I also took the bladder out and put it in a larger hiking pack. That was a pretty good benefit since the cost of a bladder alone is normally about what I paid for the backpack and bladder combined.  My only complaint with the product is that the bite tip of the hose does not seal perfectly. I never actually noticed it leaking, but after a while a wet spot would show up on my shirt where the bite tip rested against my chest. That was mildly annoying, but since the bite tip is removable and replaceable, I expect the problem could be easily solved. I have not checked to see if the threading is compatible with Camelback branded products. The pack itself is a fairly standard affair. It rides comfortably between my shoulder blades. The shoulder straps are comfortable on my relatively narrow frame and are quite sufficient for the small loads the pack was designed to carry. There is a chest and a waist strap (which on me rides across my stomach, which may be uncomfortable for some people) made of fairly narrow material. I didn’t notice the waist strap until an hour or two into my first hike with it since it was tightly folded. When I started using it, I did notice a distinct improvement in the pack staying tight and not shifting as I climbed over rocks. I found it most convenient to run the drinking hose through the handy loops in the shoulder strap and in the chest strap to keep it from flopping around as I moved.  The only wear I have noticed is some chafing on the back of the pack where it was rubbing against some rocks as I was sliding feet first down them. The scuffing appears to be only surface though rather than damaging the fabric. It is not designed to be waterproof, but it did shed the water well enough to keep my camera from being damaged when we were descending the mountain in a torrential cold downpour. In all, I am quite pleased with the purchase of this bag. I would recommend it for day hikers who are looking for a good starter product to carry snacks and small necessities.