The Evening Star. Normally it’s out there in the darkening sky – cool, beautiful, and out of reach. Fortunately for women, lilypond has put out its own sparkling, Evening Star backpack. This womens specific pack is easy on the eyes, durable, and fits like a glove.
While hiking through the Wasatch Mountains, on a roadtrip through Oregon (i.e. a brewery tour of the great state), and mountain biking in Park City, the Evening Star has been my constant companion these past few months. What first caught my fancy was the extensive storage compartments inside the second of two large exterior zippered compartments. I was able to fit anything a day hiker or girl about town would want in the bag: cell phone, unmentionables, first aid, wallet.
Attached to the under part of the bag is a rain fly that could be removed and placed over the bag to ensure the lightweight waterproof nylon fabric would stay dry. Inside the large zippered compartment, I was able to hold my 100 ounce hydration reservoir (or a laptop could go in its place), separated by a ¾ wall, rain jacket, hat, food, and a change of shoes.
As for the exterior of the bag, the padded contoured shoulder straps were the most comfortable I’ve used. The straps for the sternum, waist, and shoulder were all adjustable. But what bothered me here is the sternum straps kept getting twisted and the strap wouldn’t stay in place where I felt it was most comfortable. On each side of the bag there were large mesh pockets, perfect for putting a roll of duct tape (the perfect solution for broken bike parts, blisters, and many other afflictions) on one side, and bottles of sunscreen in the other.
The back panel of the Evening Star fit perfectly against my back as it was padded and breathable. I didn’t get that damp, swampy feel that happens with less breathable materials. However, I do wish the buckles on the waist straps would fit through belt loops on womens pants because it’s another way to keep the pack in place. Also, I kept running into problems with both zippers getting caught in the exterior fabric of the pack. Fortunately, I was able to tug out the fabric with out it ripping or breaking the zipper.
If you’re looking to buy an all around backpack this season I strongly recommend the Evening Star by lilypond. It comes in two colors, the mountain thistle/stone and cottonwood/reef blue. The pack is dressy enough to take it out on the town or the mountains above town. Despite being a womens specific pack, in a pinch, it even looked great on my husband.
Here are the technical specs:
-Two exterior zippered compartments
-Main compartment roomy enough for 15″ laptop and other daily essentials
-Second compartment contains pocket organizer for cell phone, iPod®, or other accessories
-Fleece-lined splash-proof zippered top compartment to protect valuables
-Two large side mesh pockets
-Lightweight, waterproof nylon fabric with contrasting ballistic nylon accents
-Padded, contoured shoulder straps for carrying comfort
-Adjustable, sternum, waist, and shoulder straps
-Elastic tie-down attachment cords
-Daisy-chain webbing for attachment points
-lilypond jacquard webbing handle
-Zip-out, waterproof nylon rain cover
-Holds up to 100 oz. hydration reservoir
To purchase the lilypond Evening Star backpack, visit lilypond online.