If you haven’t been following my blog for a bit, you might not know that a little over a year, I officially moved from the U.S. to Australia after going back and forth the past couple of years. One of the main reasons I wanted to move to Australia is to travel. Whether it’s day trips to the mountains or weekend getaways to Uluru, traveling is definitely something I love doing and hope to continue doing while I’m here living in Australia.
When it comes to traveling, I’ve always been a backpack type of person. They’re just so practical for holding your items, but also extremely versatile- from being a carry-on bag, to essential when it comes to hiking and carrying your gear. When I got the opportunity to work with High Sierra and InfluenceHer Collective to review the High Sierra Pathway 40L Pack backpack, I could not pass it up. This post is sponsored by High Sierra and InfluenceHer Collective, but as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
This backpack is designed to be the perfect bag for a weekend of backpacking and I couldn’t agree more. Although I didn’t get to spend a weekend away, I got to test out the Pathway 40L Pack with a hike through the Royal National Park in Bundeena, NSW.
With the 40L that this bag offers and all the storage and compartments, I could easily store and organize everything for my hiking trip away. I was able to pack our lunches, 4 water bottles, utilising the two water bottle holders on the side of the bag and two in the main compartment, a picnic blanket, my huge camera case, and still have plenty of room to spare. With all the items that I was able to keep in my bag, I definitely know that it’ll be my go-to backpack when it comes to weekend getaways or even week-long getaways with the amount of room that’s in this bag.
The Pathway 40L has some great features included like the padded airmesh shoulder straps that add a lot of comfort and helps evenly distribute the weight on your back, which is incredibly nice. As mentioned, we packed 4 water bottles, but the Pathway 40 L also has a specific spot for a 3 L hydration pack, along with pole loops and a compression strap for a sleeping pad attachment, all which are essential for long hikes.
Not only did I fall in love with the quality and features of this backpack, but I also love the versatility of it as well. My Pathway 40 L was in the colors Mineral/Slade/Glacier which I absolutely love. It’s a pop of color, but it’s something that’s still pretty neutral and is definitely a color that my partner doesn’t mind wearing, which is great because then we can both use the bag. High Sierra also has a few other color options in the Pathway 40 L pack as well, so you’d be sure to find something that you like.
Along with the color and style being versatile, the size of the bag is absolutely perfect for day trips like we took to Royal National Park, longer backpacking trips, and I can definitely see me using it as a carry-on bag while flying, which is what I look for when it comes to backpacks-something that I can use for multiple occasions.
With it being nearly Summer in Australia, we were obviously both sweating on this hike while carrying the backpack, it was down in the dirt and overall just went through a lot during this hike with all the different conditions. However, because of the airmesh straps and the quality of this bag, it still came out looking brand new after our day adventure.
With the comfort and accessibility of this backpack, it’ll definitely be my new go-to bags when it comes to my travels. If you’re looking for a mid-size backpacking pack or something with a little bit more room for hiking, definitely check out the High Sierra Pathway 40L Pack. You can also browse the other High Sierra bags and products from High Sierra on their Instagram and on their website.
Have you tried out a High Sierra backpack? Let me know in the comments down below!
