Review: Thule Stir 20 Hiking Pack
The Swedish-born company perhaps best known for their automobile racks rolled out a line of hiking packs this year, and they’re pretty dang cool. The “Stir” line can be purchased in 15, 20, and 35 liter capacities. I got my hands on the 20L version and have been romping around with it all summer. Because it replaced my REI Flash 18 (which quite honestly needed to be replaced anyway), I was able to compare/contrast the two packs and my findings are as follows.
The Stir 20 is a versatile little beast. Though I primarily hike with it, I could see using it for anything from mountain biking to trail running. Even an everyday use rucksack for clothing and books and things. The most immediately noticeable aspect of the pack in my opinion is the durability of the material (210-denier elastin coated Robic nylon). It’s thick and maintains its rigidity as a result. Normal wear and tear from mountain ridge runs has barely phased the Stir 20 after a few months of use. Keep reading…