Reddit reviews TETON Sports Escape 4300 Ultralight Internal Frame Backpack – Not Your Basic Backpack; High-Performance Backpack for Hiking, Camping, Travel, and Outdoor Activities; Sewn-in Rain Cover

I have the escape 4300 that I have been alternating to when I'm not packing my REI Flash 45, and I have no bad feelings about it. Budget pack that I got for less than $60, one main compartment with side mesh is nice, plus the lid compartments are plenty big for stuff I need quickly (snacks, tp, first aid, etc). Adjustable shoulder harness is easy to fit, and has plenty of ventilation. Other than maybe being a little heavier than some of the other big named brands... I haven't seen a reason to change to another pack (other than when I downsize to my Flash 45 when hammock camping)

[This is the pack I just got from amazon recently] (http://www.amazon.com/Sports-Escape-Ultralight-Internal-Backpack/dp/B006JYHI24/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1345071118&sr=8-2&keywords=Teton+ultralight). Its made by Teton sports, which I had never heard of but has good reviews. Honestly the material is the same as a $200 plus pack just without the frills. Zippers are nice and strong and the stitching looks quality.

I packed about 45lbs into it to test when I got it. I'm heading out for a week in the mountains on Friday. Its fully adjustable and has removable aluminum stays that you can shape to your back to get the best comfort and weight distribution which is awesome. It takes a bit of trial and error with the shoulder straps to get the distribution right but I got it to where it felt really nice and did a mile out and back with no pain.

Its just over $100 bucks so its in your range and qualifies for free shipping from amazon. But honestly if its just one day I think you could get something smaller and cheaper.

[Maybe this one] (http://www.amazon.com/Sports-Summit-Ultralight-Internal-Backpack/dp/B006JYHH34/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1345072392&sr=8-4&keywords=Teton+ultralight) which is half the size and considerably cheaper

EDIT: Also in the past I have found really nice packs for cheap on craigslist. You can almost always find a nice REI or north face pack in good shape around your price range. Another option at least

As many of the other commenters have stated - buy your pack to fit your gear. If you buy your pack first you will find all sorts of things to fill it with.

That said - I have the Deuter pack a size larger than this - the Deuter ACT Lite 65 + 10 Pack. and it works great for my needs. I have used it on many weekend trips and one 10 day trek. All my trips are Boy Scout trips, so we tend to carry more gear than non-Scouts. The 10 day trek was to Philmont last summer. Philmont required us to carry several days worth of bulky food at a time. My gear took up about 2/3 of the pack and then I had plenty of room left for food or large water dromedaries when needed. The +10 expansion worked great for this as I could fill to the brim and then shrink it down as we used up the food and water.

A couple critiques I have about this line of packs.

• There are almost no accessory pockets. Externally the only zip pockets are 1 on the lid and the 2 belt pockets. Everything else goes into the large compartments. I made this work with multiple small bags to keep clothes, cooking gear, rain gear, and other things organized. This worked well for me, but would not work as well for a more disorganized person who really needs the separate pockets to put stuff in.
  
  
• The hip belt pad only comes about 2/3 of the way around my 34" waist. Around the front is adjustable strap. This was different than some of the other packs that wrap almost all the way around. I was ok with this and it carried the load well. It may not work for everyone.
  
  
• Buy a rain cover that is large enough. The +10 will make this equal to a 60L, so if you buy a 50L cover it won't be big enough. Also know if you will strap anything to the outside, because your cover will need to be large enough. I bought the Deuter cover which fits 40-70L.
  
  If you are a beginner and want to try something cheaper to get started - we
  have had luck with Teton brand backpacks for our Scouts. My son took the
  [Teton Escape 4300](
  https://www.amazon.com/Sports-Ultralight-Internal-Backpacking-Mountaineering
  /dp/B006JYHI24/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481035907&sr=8-1&keywords=teton+4300)
  to Philmont and it worked well for him. The Teton Hiker
  3700 might be more the
  size you are looking for.
  

IDK What sort of weather you'll be camping/hiking in, but this is a pretty basic list of gear that I would take if I were on a budget:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006JYHI24/?tag=ultrastuff-20

http://www.amazon.com/Suisse-Sport-Adventurer-Ultra-Compactable-Sleeping/dp/B001TR7QZA/ref=sr_1_3?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1408072994&sr=1-3&keywords=ultralight

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FB7XYXM/?tag=ultrastuff-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002COCF3M/?tag=ultrastuff-20

That's a bag, tarp, hammock and sleeping bag. They all have great ratings and should get you through just about anything.

Me, personally, I carry my hammock, a wool blanket and my tarp from http://www.bushcraftoutfitters.com/ ( http://www.bushcraftoutfitters.com/Coyote-Tarp-10x10-tarp-10x10-coyote.htm ) in my army surplus bag. I also carry my stainless steel pot and cup, cordage, zip ties, leather gloves, folding saw, axe and knife with me when I'm out in the woods. I have a "space blanket" too.

My pack could be lighter for sure, but everything I have serves a purpose.

Whenever you decided you want to get into campinp/hiking/bushcraft/whatever, decided what you really need/want to have with you. Don't just jam random "camping" supplies in your bag. Take your time, research and pack carefully. Your back will thank you.