Teton Sports Explorer 4000 Review
A top quality and reasonable priced backpacking pack that has lots of convenient extra pockets and great support.
TETON Sports Explorer 4000 Info
| Capacity: | 65 Litre |
| Weight: | 5 lbs |
| Dimensions: | 32″ x 18″ x 12″ |
| Torso Size: | Adjustable from 19″ to 23″ |
The Explorer 4000 by TETON Sports is a very popular choice for backpackers and hikers.
There are many great features on this backpack such as the adjustable torso sizing, great back and hip padding, integrated rain cover, and ample pockets and pouches.
Alternate Colors Available
Weight
The TETON Sports Explorer 4000 weighs 5 pounds. Although there are lighter backpacks available, with the value this pack provides for the money, it is very hard to beat.
Comfort/Fit
The many adjustable straps make this pack very customizable to your size. It’s very comfortable even on long trips and has excellent padding and features.
The torso length adjustment system lets you fit the pack to anywhere between a 19″ – 23″ torso length.
It is reccommended for supporting a large range of heights from 5′ to 6’4″.
Air Ventilation Capabilities:
This pack is designed with an effective airflow system, which does a great job reducing heat, even after hours of hiking.
Padded Waist Belt:
The waist belt is very comfortable, with thick padding, as well as excellent lumbar support padding.
Hip and Shoulder Straps:
The hip and shoulder straps are nicely padded, wide, and the locks keep everything in place nicely. We didn’t have to worry about things slipping and having to readjust once out on the trail.
The shoulder straps are adjustable to make it easy to get the right and most comfortable fit.
Storage
The total storage of the Explorer 4000 is a 4,000 cubic inch capacity. The separate compartments are easily accessed and organized, and it seems like a lot of thought was put in to including the right features.
Main Compartment:
The main pack is large and roomy, and can be accessed from the top, bottom, or the middle of the pack. There is also a zipper at the floor of the main compartment to allow easy access to the separate bottom compartment.
Bottom Compartment:
The roomy 15L bottom compartment is commonly used to store your sleeping bag. It can be conveniently accessed from the main compartment by unzipping the floor of the main compartment, and it has its own zipper at the bottom of the bag too. Compared to a lot of other packs on the market, the sleeping bag compartment is larger and accomodates warmer weather bags easily.
Detachable Hood/Hip Pouch:
The detachable hood allows you to fill it up to get and extra 12 inches of storage on top of the main compartment. It has a separate zipper, and once detached you can use it as a hip pouch.
Mesh Water Bottle Side Pockets:
There is a water bottle pocket on each side, and they securely fit 32oz water bottles.
Water Bladder Storage:
There is a padded water bladder pocket, nicely integrated into the pack.
Bungee Cord System:
There are eyelets and a nice bungee cord to secure and carry more extra gear on the outside of the pack.
Front and Side Compression Straps:
The straps on the front and sides can be used to hang additional gear, or to compress the bag when carrying smaller loads.
Durability
TETON Sports does provide a lifetime warranty for the original owner, against defects in materials or workmanship. The warrany does not include normal wear and tear, but the backpack is very durable and will last for many trips.
The shell is made out of 600D Diamond Ripstop. It is very rugged and durable.
Rain Protection:
Included with the pack is a bright yellow attached rainfly that is neatly stowed in the bottom of the bag.
Fasteners and Zippers:
The adjustment fasteners are very sturdy. Once you get the sizing set up, it is very rare for things to budge.
The zippers are good quality, and the stiching around the zippers is very well-done. We had no problems with any zippers sticking or fabric ripping.
Price
We found the average price for the TETON Sports Explorer 4000 backpack online to be $75.
Overall Value
The TETON Sports Explorer 4000 Backpack is easy to adjust, very comfortable, and has a lot of room. It’s also very affordable and easy to see why so many backpackers have chosen it.
