The REI Traverse 35 is a versatile daypack with an adjustable torso length that is designed for extended day hikes and short overnights, with features that lend themselves to four-season use. It is a top loader with a floating lid, a front stretch pocket, a side zipper the provides access to the main compartment, and two tiers of side compression straps that can be used to strap a foam pad or snowshoes to the outside of your pack. In addition, the pack features side pockets that anyone can get water bottles in and out of, a capability shared by many of REI’s other backpacks, including the REI Flash Air 50. The Traverse 35 replaces the REI Traverse 32, which was quite similar, with two major exceptions: the Traverse 35 now has an adjustable length torso and the hip belt is available in extended sizes. There are a few other minor changes I note below.

• Gender: Men’s (Women’s also available)
• Weight: 3 lbs 4 oz
• Torso length: 18″-20″
• Access: top, side
• Floating lid: Yes
• Adjustable torso length: Yes
• Frame: Internal, 360-degree wire frame
• Pockets: 7
• Floating top lid: Yes
• Load lifters: Yes
• Hip belt pockets: Yes
• Hydration Compatibility: Yes
• Rain Cover: Yes
• Materials: 200 and 400-denier ripstop nylon
• Pros: Adjustable torso length, easy-to-reach water bottle pockets, side zipper access,
• Cons: Weighs over 3lbs, not available for torso lengths less than 16″ or greater than 20″

Backpack Frame and Suspension

The Traverse 35 has a wishbone-shaped perimeter frame made of steel that provides fantastic load transfer to the hips in conjunction with the pre-curved and padded hip belt. I am not exaggerating.  You can really load this pack up and it will ride comfortably on your hips. The shoulder straps and hip belt are padded with a porous foam that’s comfortable and plush. The sternum strap runs up and down a rail, so it’s easy to adjust and doesn’t pop off the rails, so to speak, which was an annoying problem on the Traverse 32 last year, but now appears to be fixed.

The Traverse 35 has an adjustable torso length which is very simple to adjust.

The Traverse 35 also has an adjustable torso length, which is a great feature for dialing in a proper fit and ensuring that the pack weight rests on your hips, where it belongs, and not on your shoulders. The torso adjustment is very simple. You literally open a buckle between the shoulder straps and pull the shoulder strap yoke up to lengthen the torso or down to shorten it. The torso lengths (18″, 19″ 20″) are printed on the side of the pack, so you can dial in the exact length if you’ve measured your torso with a tape measure beforehand.

Unfortunately, the Traverse 35 is only available in one torso range for men (18″-20″)  and women (16″-18″) although those sizes do cover a large number of hikers. If you’re a guy with a short torso length under 18″, I’d recommend trying on the women’s pack and if you’re a woman with a long torso over, try the men’s pack. The men’s and women’s models are otherwise virtually identical.

The sides of the front pocket are made with stretch mesh, allowing it to expand.

The Traverse 38 is also available in a larger number of hip belt sizes, which is unusual on daypacks, or even higher capacity backpacks for that matter, including 30″-40″, 36″-48″, and 44″-58″. The women’s model is also available in multiple hip belt lengths, which is a good thing that other brands would do well to emulate.

Backpack Storage and Organization

The Traverse 38 is a top-loading backpack with seven pockets: a stretch front pocket, two water bottle pockets, two hipbelt pockets, and two pockets in the floating lid, giving you lots of open and closed storage to organize your gear.

The water bottle pockets are exceptionally easy to reach because they’re positioned behind the hipbelt and not higher up on the sides of the backpack.

• The front stretch pocket is mainly made of solid fabric for increased durability. It has stretch side panels to enable expansion while still providing drainage, and a top webbing strap secures its contents.
• The side water bottle pockets are reachable because they’re positioned much lower and more forward behind the hipbelt instead of up along the sides of the pack bag. This is a signature feature on many of REI’s packs, and I can’t understand why other manufacturers haven’t copied it. It’s that good!
• The hip belt pockets are large and have beefy YKK zippers. One pocket has a mesh front and the other is made with solid fabric.
• The top lid has two pockets: one on top with a key fob and one underneath for a rain cover. The top lid is floating, meaning that it can be raised or lowered with four webbing straps. This allows you to secure gear to the pack underneath it, which is a great overload capability for carrying bulky items like rope, a foam pad, or a bear canister.

There’s a zipper that runs down the right and across the bottom of the main compartment.

The main compartment also has a zipper that runs down one side of the pack and along the bottom, making it very easy to extract gear buried deeply in the pack without taking everything out through the top. Side zippers like this are often found on winter packs and higher-volume backpacks, including hunting packs, and they’re a great convenience.

.External Attachments and Compression

The Traverse 35 has two tiers of side compression straps that can be used to lash bulky objects, like snowshoes to the side of the pack. These compression straps close with buckles and are easy to use. There are also gear loops on the top lid and around the perimeter of the front pocket that you can run cord through to attach and haul other gear. In the previous version of the pack, the Traverse 32, REI included pack mods…additional straps you could use to attach items to these loops. Those are no longer included on the Traverse 35.

The side compression straps are long enough to lash snowshoes to the sides of the pack.

Recommendation

The REI Traverse 35 is a well-designed backpack for longer hikes, quick overnights, or winter hiking and snowshoeing. I has a steel perimeter frame that does a great job transferring load to the pre-curved body-hugging hip belt, while having an adjustable torso length helps guarantee a good fit. Numerous pockets and dual access methods, a rain cover, and floating lid round out the features of this impressive backpack. Priced at $159, I think it’s an incredible value, and a pack that you’ll want to use year round. Highly recommended.

Disclosure: REI donated a backpack for review.

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