Quality and Construction
When you think about the weight you may be carrying inside the M-Rock Zion 525 backpack you would hope that the shoulder straps would be securely attached and padded. It seems M-Rock thought about this too and with care and consideration they fashioned some pretty good looking straps. The straps are well stitched for your gear’s safety while being padding for your comfort. The same mesh padding is also found on the back support which would help improve comfort as well as air flow while lugging the backpack around.
They did include a well secured chest strap to help balance the load better, though I found that where they positioned this chest strap is far too close to my neck. There was no way to lower it into the proper position. They also placed clips on each strap which can be used to hold the water tube of their optional hydration bladder.
There is an area for the optional Modular Belt which attaches behind the M-Rock Zion backpack and secures itself by Velcro. I am not sure why this was not included with this particular backpack. I would have thought it would have been included and I felt a little disappointed when I found out it is an optional accessory to be purchased. It would help steady the load on your back when you are hiking or even going for a simple walk.
One of the items that did stand out to me when I first looked at the M-Rock Zion 525 backpack was the construction of the zippers. They are just not ordinary zippers; they have a water resistant material on the outside which helps keep water out and your stuff dry.
The exterior material of the M-Rock 525 backpack is rugged and water resistant. The interior is an ultra soft lining that is non abrasive. The interior pockets are of a soft mesh fabric which helps protect the contents against scuffs and scratches.
Protection from the Outside Elements
For more extreme weather conditions there is the included Weather Jacket which helps ensure water does not get in. When I did put the backpack into the Weather Jacket there was no option to use the shoulder straps. You can cinch up the Weather Jacket up to the handle, but that is the only way of carrying the backpack around. If I am hiking outside in the rain, I tend to like my hands to be completely free. The Weather Jacket does not allow for this as I have to hold on to the backpack by at least one hand. If my gear is fairly heavy it would get uncomfortable after a while having to switch back and forth between which hand is holding onto the backpack.