Welcome back to another gear review!
If you’ve been following me on Instagram this summer you should’ve seen my trust Kelty Redwing 50 a few times by now. It’s been my go-to hiking bag for the year. I still have a few things i’d like to do with it, but I feel comfortable enough to go ahead and give my review on it. Especially considering my experience with other Kelty Bags (Redwing 32, RedCloud 110, and the older Redwing 50 model). Let’s dig in and see what I thought of this bag…
Kelty Redwing 50 Review
Kelty Redwing 50 Review
Size & Organization:
Size:
The Kelty Redwing 50 is a 50 Liter pack, as it’s name suggests. This is my favorite size range for hiking and adventure backpacks. It’s no overly cumbersome that you feel weighted down or pulled back. But, just the same you don’t feel underwhelmed in size/capabilities either. It is quite simply the perfect size for me. (5’10” / thin build)
Best purpose for this size of pack?
The Kelty Redwing 50 can easily be packed down for day hiking, or packed up for overnight/3 day trips. I could also see this pack serving well as a “bug-out” bag, or as I call them…Stayin’ Alive bags. The Redwing has a discreet/non-suspicious look and great functionality – Which could be very beneficial in the myriad of scenarios that people prepare for.
Organization:
Kelty hit a grand slam here! They provided the perfect amount of organization on the Redwing series of packs. I’ll detail some of my thoughts below:
- Front Admin Pocket:
The front admin pocket is organized ideally for slender items and a quick first aid grab bag. This area of the pack is great when hiking with a buddy as well. They can grab quick items out for you, so you don’t have to take your entire pack off. Which is something to keep in mind while packing your content. (I would recommend keeping this area fairly light in weight) - Side Pockets:
The side pockets are ideal for knives, tools or other commonly used/slightly heavier items. I also like to keep my fire kit, paracord and tinder in these pockets for quick accessibility. - Pass through side pockets:
This is a really nice feature on the Kelty Redwing’s. Behind the large side pockets you can pass items behind them and they fall into the 2 bottom mesh water bottle holders. This area of the pack is ideal for tent polls in my experience. But other tall and slender items would fit perfectly here. - Top Pocket:
I love this pocket on the pack. I often times keep my lighter items up here. And if i’m honest it serves as my “catch-all” or “junk drawer” for frequently used items. Here are some examples that you’ll commonly find in my top pocket: A small bit of tissue/toilet paper, personal hygiene items (sanitizer, toothbrush/paste, etc), some lightweight snacks, my compass, a few folded up bags for packing my trash out, my keys, lights, spare batteries, etc. This pocket is really large/deep. For reference you could fit a DSLR camera. - Front Shove-It Pocket:
This is a feature that I honestly kind of looked at on the 2016 Redwing and thought…”Ugh, really Kelty?!”. But let me finish. My experiences with shove-it pockets have left a bit to be desired from other packs. They’re typically bulky and flap around way too much, resulting in the ergonomics of the pack being thrown off. But Kelty really did a nice job on their shove-it pocket. Or as they refer to it, the “front stash pocket with closure hook”. I always carry a button-down shirt or light jacket with me, even in warmer months. This pocket accommodates these light clothing items very well. And when i’m not using the pocket, it tightens back up to the point where you don’t even know it’s there. (Thanks Kelty – You’ve given me faith in shove-it pockets!) - Large internal pocket:
I’m extremely impressed by this bags internal compartment. I have a ton of stuff inside it, and the pack handles it with ease. For instance, here are some of the more noteworthy items: Small Bivy Tent, REI Helio 55 Sleeping Bag, Camp Pillow, Full Med Kit, Optimus Crux and Fuel Canister, Esbit Cooking Pots, Tons of backpacking food (mostly mountain house), extra clothes, means of water purification and Klean Kanteen bottle(s), 2L water bladder and lots of other littler doo-dads. I may do a full load out review in the future, but trust me – There are a lot of items shoved in this pack. And the fact that Kelty designed this pack with a U-Shaped zipper so the bag folds open flat makes it even better!One thing to keep in mind if you’re new to these style of packs is you will need some dry bags, or diddy bags to maintain organization of your gear. Hiking/Backpacking types of packs are very open in the large internal pockets. So, if you don’t have some kind of organizers, your gear will be scattered everywhere.
Comfort of the Kelty Redwing 50
Overall it is a pretty comfortable pack. The main thing you have to do is dial in your adjustments to match your body type. Between adjusting the hip belt, sternum strap, shoulder straps, load lifters and back panel you’re able to create a highly personalized fit.
Some other features that I really like pertaining to comfort are the internal frame and the air flow mesh. This really adds a lot to the comfort of this pack. The internal frame adds a lot of stability and weight handling ability to the pack. And the air flow mesh is welcomed like an old friend on hot summer days!
Materials Used in the Kelty Redwing 50:
I have quite a few people who follow me on Instagram and within my personal circle of friends that are familiar with and use the 5.11 or Maxpedition style of packs. Those types of bags are all made from super heavy, “war-proof” 1000D Cordura Nylon. They’re very rigid, rough and tough. Well…That’s the big difference you’ll first notice on Kelty Bags, or bags that are within this genre. You will likely feel the material they’ve used and think, “oh man – that is super thin…there’s no way that can be tough”. Well, I thought the same thing – And boy was I WRONG. Yes, they’re thin. Yes they’re lightweight. But don’t let that confuse you with them being weak or incapable of some serious work.
I have a Kelty Redwing 32 that I used as my EDC bag for a long while. It was constantly on hikes, adventures with the family and being thrown in and out of the car….Simply put, I beat it to death. Not once have I experienced a single problem with the quality of this pack. It’s still going strong and I don’t have any reservations about this Redwing 50 being the same in quality.
Another thing to consider when looking at heavy packs like the ones I have mentioned vs Kelty is this:
You’re going to have a lot better moisture control with a Kelty. In rain or any bit of moisture heavy nylon is going to collect/retain a lot more moisture. Whereas with the Poly 420D material that Kelty uses, it will bead up and fall off a lot easier. Pairing the body material with YKK Zippers – You’ll have a lot better moisture control with a Kelty pack, which could be a lifesaver for the gear inside of your pack. And you won’t be lugging unnecessary water weight around. (A pack cover is also a good thing to have in cases of rain too)
My thoughts on the Kelty Redwing 50:
Well, i’ve used it all summer and I’ve put in a lot of miles with it. I’ve packed and unpacked this bag more times than I could count, in order to create the perfect load-out. And with all of that said, I would highly recommend this pack.
It is perfectly organized, lightweight, tough and packs better in terms of comfort than other options on the market. To make matters even better for the Kelty lineup, they are priced extremely reasonably compared to their competitors. And in my humble opinion – They’re just as good, if not better than anything else out there.
I will absolutely continue to use this pack over the years for my hiking, camping and families “stayin’ alive” bag. Two Thumbs way up for this fine pack!
