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Teton Sports 55L Scout Review

This inexpensive model is good for your first backpacking trip to see if you like the activity, but it's not as comfortable as other packs
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Teton Sports 55L Scout Review
Credit: Sam Schild
Price:  $90 List
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Manufacturer:   Teton Sports
By Sam Schild ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  May 29, 2024
58
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#6 of 9
  • Comfort - 40% 5.0
  • Ease of Use - 25% 8.0
  • Weight-to-Volume Ratio - 20% 3.5
  • Adjustability - 15% 7.0

Our Verdict

The Teton Sports 55L Scout is one of the most budget-friendly backpacking packs that we would actually take backpacking. This isn't the most comfortable pack, nor is it the most lightweight. But it costs less than half as much as many other backpacking packs and performs well enough to get you out onto the trail. If you're looking for functionality at the lowest possible price, this is a great option. It has a frame, easy-to-adjust torso length, and all kinds of exterior zipper pockets to keep your gear organized on the trail. If you're just looking to get into backpacking and you're not even sure if you'll like it, this pack is worth considering. If you like the activity, you'll probably end up upgrading from this model to one of our other favorite budget backpacking packs, but then you can pass it along to another friend who's just starting their backpacking journey.
REASONS TO BUY
Very inexpensive
Durable materials
Lots of pockets
REASONS TO AVOID
Not as comfortable
Not lightweight
Bulky straps
Editor's Note: This review was added on May 29, 2024 to reflect the most current testing on this model, which is new to the testing lineup.

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards Best Buy Award
Best Bang for the Buck
Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Men's Budget Backpacking Pack
   
Price $90 List
$79.99 at Amazon
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Bottom Line While not the lightest or most comfortable, this model is a super affordable option for someone just dipping their toes into backpackingAs comfortable and feature-packed as packs twice its price, this pack is great for your back and your walletThis is a very affordable pack that punches high for its price bracketThis very inexspensive option is better suited for day hikes or use as a carry-on when traveling by planeA low-cost pack that will get you from A to B but is lacking in comfort and accessibility
Rating Categories Teton Sports 55L Scout Decathlon Forclaz M... High Sierra Pathway... Loowoko 50L Waterproof Nevo Rhino 60+5L
Comfort (40%)
5.0
8.0
5.0
2.0
3.0
Ease of Use (25%)
8.0
8.0
7.0
5.0
5.0
Weight-to-Volume Ratio (20%)
3.5
6.0
5.0
10.0
7.0
Adjustability (15%)
7.0
8.0
6.0
4.0
4.0
Specs Teton Sports 55L Scout Decathlon Forclaz M... High Sierra Pathway... Loowoko 50L Waterproof Nevo Rhino 60+5L
Measured Weight 4.5 lbs 3.7 lbs 4.1 lbs 2.1 lbs 3.7 lbs
Weight per Liter (Full Pack) 1.30 oz/L 0.99 oz/L 1.09 oz/L 0.67 oz/L 0.91 oz/L
Advertised Volume 55 L 50 L + 10 L 60 L 50 L 65 L
Measured Volume (Main Compartment) 50 L 35 L Not measured 35 L Not measured
Access Top, bottom Top, side, bottom Top, side, bottom Top, bottom Top
Hydration Compatible Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Materials 600D Polyester Diamond Ripstop 100% Polyamide Polyester Polyester Nylon
Sleeping Bag Compartment Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Teton Sports 55L Scout is one of the most affordable backpacking backpacks that we would recommend taking on the trail for an overnight trip. It has wide shoulder straps and a large cushioned hip belt, tons of exterior pockets, and will fit a variety of people. It's also made of durable materials and costs a lot less than competing models.

Performance Comparison


teton sports 55l scout - the scout is for budget-minded people to get out on the trail and...
The Scout is for budget-minded people to get out on the trail and see if they like backpacking.
Credit: Sam Schild

Comfort


The Scout isn't the most comfortable backpack, but it's comfortable enough to get started on your backpacking journey. We found this pack was more comfortable if we kept our pack weight below 20 pounds. If you keep your pack weight to a minimum, then this is comfortable enough for short overnight trips.


This pack has very wide shoulder straps. At over 3.5 inches wide, these are some of the largest shoulder straps we've tested. Some people like the feel of extremely wide shoulder straps, and they do disperse the weight across your shoulders more, but we'd prefer it if they weren't quite as wide. The shoulder straps have a relatively thick amount of padding as well. They also have 3-D spacer mesh inside the straps for comfort and breathability. We wish the shoulder straps were slightly thicker, but we found they were just thick enough to be tolerable.

teton sports 55l scout - the scout has some of the widest shoulder straps we've ever seen.
The Scout has some of the widest shoulder straps we've ever seen.
Credit: Sam Schild

The Scout's hip belt is also extremely wide. The well-padded hip belt is 6 inches wide, again one of the widest we've seen on a backpacking pack. It also has a very well-padded lumbar support cushion at the bottom of the back panel. The wide hip belt and lumbar support feel like they should be more comfortable than they are. Unfortunately, the result is less like a hug and more like wearing an ill-fitting corset.

teton sports 55l scout - the scout has an extremely wide hip belt and lumbar pad, which we...
The Scout has an extremely wide hip belt and lumbar pad, which we thought could have been more comfortable.
Credit: Sam Schild

The Scout has a cushioned back panel with air channels to allow your back to breathe while wearing it. It also has a full-length frame that consists of two aluminum struts. This frame does an okay job of transferring the load onto your hips. This isn't the most comfortable pack overall, but the frame does a little bit to help disperse the load across your back.

Ease of Use


The Scout is relatively easy to use overall. It has more pockets than most packs and even has a sleeping bag compartment with a zipper opening.


The Scout has a lot of pockets. It has large zippered mesh hip belt pockets, a floating lid with external and internal zipper pockets, and three side zipper pockets. Two of the side zipper pockets are on the right side of the pack, and the left side has one larger zipper pocket. These pockets are useful for storing small items that you want to access without unpacking the main compartment.

teton sports 55l scout - the scout has a sleeping bag compartment so you store and access it...
The Scout has a sleeping bag compartment so you store and access it separately.
Credit: Sam Schild

The sleeping bag compartment makes it easy to access your sleeping bag on chilly afternoons without unpacking. It also has a floating lid with an external zipper pocket. When you open the lid, there's another zipper pocket on the inside as well.

The Scout has a small water bottle pocket on both sides of the bag. These pockets aren't the biggest, but they're just large enough to each hold one Nalgene bottle. You'll likely have to ask a friend to grab them if you don't want to take the pack off since they're in a hard-to-reach spot.

teton sports 55l scout - the scout has zippered pockets above the water bottle pockets on...
The Scout has zippered pockets above the water bottle pockets on both sides of the pack.
Credit: Sam Schild

Weight-to-Volume Ratio


The Scout is one of the heaviest packs we tested. It is also about average in volume, so it has one of the highest weight-to-volume ratios. All those extra pockets and zippers add up, making for a very heavy pack.


When empty, this model feels like you may have left a piece of gear or two inside. The external fabric is heavy, and there is a lot of it because of all the pockets. We continuously think we've left something inside this bag, but after rooting around, we remember it's simply that heavy.

The Scout has a 50-liter main compartment, according to our volume testing.
Credit: Sam Schild

If you're just getting started backpacking, then weight might not be a huge concern for you. But, we did find the Scout was more comfortable with less weight, and the actual weight of the pack when empty means that you have to be more vigilant with packing light.

Adjustability


The Scout has an adjustable shoulder harness, so you can fit this pack to various torso lengths. This is ideal for growing children or for sharing the pack with people of different sizes.


The torso length adjusts with velcro and webbing sewn into the shoulder harness and back panel. This system is relatively easy to use and allows you to fit the pack to people with 15 to 20-inch torsos. To adjust the torso length, simply slide the velcro strap through the webbing on the back panel to the length where the hip belt sits over your hip bones.

You can adjust the Scout's torso length from 15 to 20 inches.
Credit: Sam Schild

The hip belt fits a girth range from about 30 inches to over 60 inches. The padded section doesn't extend, so if you have a wider waist and hips, you're only extending the webbing of the hip belt, but this is still a very wide range of hip girths.

teton sports 55l scout - the scout will fit a waist from 30 inches to over 60 inches if you...
The Scout will fit a waist from 30 inches to over 60 inches if you fully extend the webbing.
Credit: Sam Schild

Should You Buy the Teton Sports 55L Scout?


The Scout is very affordable, but it makes some sacrifices in comfort and weight to be as cheap as it is. There are definitely better options available if you plan to go backpacking more than once a year. But, if you're just starting out with backpacking and not sure if you'll even like the activity or you only get out very infrequently, then this pack is worth considering. It costs less than most backpacking packs and will get the job done in a pinch.

The Scout is very affordable so you can test the backpacking waters without breaking the bank.
Credit: Sam Schild

What Other Budget Backpacking Packs Should You Consider?


If you're looking for a great pack to get started with backpacking and want awesome comfort and ease of use for not much more money, check out the Decathlon Forclaz MT500 Air 50+10. If you want a lighter option for backpacking, check out the Mountainsmith Scream 55.

teton sports 55l scout - testing the scout on a backpacking trip in southern colorado.
Testing the Scout on a backpacking trip in Southern Colorado.
Credit: Sam Schild

Sam Schild