The Mountain Hardwear Enterprise Backpack is a long time best seller that will cover your basic day hiking needs as well as day-to-day organizational use. It’s received a lot of positive feedback from a lot of happy customers so as a basic day pack for the trail, I thought it was worth a closer look
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Summary
Our Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Available Colors: Black Cherry, Pine Tree
Price: Check price on Amazon
Review
The tag line I saw in the promo marketing for the Enterprise backpack said ‘Organized for the office and ready for the trail’. On seeing that my first thoughts are that we have a middle of the road day pack that will do alright on the trail and well for day-to-day use.
Let’s start at the suspension. The Enterprise has ‘coolwave’ suspension which basically means that the pack is kept a bit off your back leaving a space for a channel of air to flow through and prevent your back from sweating profusely.
This is a good thing to have on any pack and while I would expect this one to be basic, it should be adequate and functional for a day hike.
The shoulder straps are also made of mesh which let’s air flow through them. Again, anything that goes to helping with ventilation on a pack is a good thing. The pack is durable with tough HexRip nylon body panels and 840 denier nylon bottom with fully bound seams so it should comfortably carry most of your day hiking bits and pieces.
The Enterprise can be adjusted to fit your body size by utilizing a sternum strap and compression straps to adjust pack volume. It also has a removable webbing waist belt. The pack is suitable for both men and women and is made to fit torso’s of 14 – 22″ and has reflective accents on several parts of the pack.
Storage wise, there are two main compartments, one of which is padded to enable you to carry a laptop. The second compartment has lot’s of little storage pockets and slots which, to be honest, are probably more suited for the office than the trail. However, there’s no harm in having something that can double up.
There are two Front-access vertical zip pockets which I like the look of, always good to be able to access some essentials from the front in a handy and easy way.
Some features in the pockets are a Microfiber-lined interior touch-fasten pockets for eye wear, touchscreen devices and other scratch-prone items, a Microfleece interior pouch as a soft spot for sunglasses, etc. and a mesh interior zip pocket with a key tether. Outside the pack, there are two large, side mesh bottle pockets.
The sleeve in the Enterprise is compatible with a hydration pack and is equipped with a drinking-tube port. There are a few attachment features such as a daisy chain with grab handle which offers quick, clip/lash-on attachment points and there is a trekking pole/ice ax loop.
I think this is a simple and functional day pack that will meet most of your day hiking needs. It looks pretty good and it won’t look out of place on a mountain trail or on a college campus. One minor thing of note with this pack would be it’s waterproof capabilities or lack of. There is no accompanying or built in rain cover but that can easily be covered by buying one separately.
This is not a big deal as dry bags are the best way to keep your kit dry inside your day pack, however, some people do like a built in rain cover so it’s worth noting.
Pros:
- Lightweight and comfortable adjustable fit
- Perfect for multi-purpose use e.g. day hiking, short travel, city day break, etc.
- Lots of functional pockets and space for hiking as well as office essentials
- Internal quilted and padded sleeve can Hold most 17″ laptops and also doubles as an hydration bladder holder
- Stylish and sleek look
Cons:
- Some user comments that bottle pockets could be better, bit short and their elastic rims are a bit weak
- Zipper will likely not protect laptop if it’s raining hard
- No rain cover included
Specs (at a glance):
- Pack material: 420 denier Cordura® nylon dobby and 630 ballistic Cordura® nylon
- Frame type: Internal
- Frame material: Molded foam
- Pack loading: Top
- Laptop compatible: Yes
- Laptop compartment fits up to: 17″
- Ice tool/trekking pole loops: Yes
- Recommended use: Backpacking Day or Overnight,Climbing,Daypack
- Pack volume: 25-34 L
- Pack style: Daypacks
- Pack Gender: Men,Women
- Fits torsos: 14 – 22″
- Dimensions: 19x13x10″
- Pack Capacity: 1850 cu.in.
- Weight: 2 lb. 4 oz.
Conclusion
I think the Mountain Hardwear Enterprise pack is fine as a day pack for the average day hiker and is purpose built to be versatile enough to be used for other practical uses.
While I like the look of it, think it is functionally good and it’s good value at the price I don’ think it would be top of my list for a hiking day pack. Don’t get me wrong, you could do a lot worse and it is in the top ten for sure.
However, I think it’s a bit heavy on the laptop and pen holders, for my liking, as a fully functional hiking day pack. In saying that, that could also be just the ticket if multi-purpose use is what you’re looking for.
If you’re new to buying a day pack and want to get informed before you part with your cash, check out the day pack buying guide. It will walk you through everything you need to consider before purchasing a day pack that’s right for your needs. Also you can check out some other top day pack recommendations here.
Do you have the Mountain Hardwear Enterprise Backpack? How has it performed out on the trail? Let me know in the comments below.