Comments about Lafuma Xenon 23 Pack:

The LaFuma Xeon 25 (NOTE: Sunny has listed the product name incorrectly) is one of these products that make you thank the heavens there are brilliant people in the world dedicated to designing specialty hiking products (as opposed to the people who designed the American tax code, for example).

All components of the pack are super lightweight, except for the suspension and internal frame perhaps - but the suspension is my favorite part, being among the top 10 most comfortable of all daypack suspensions I have ever tried (though maybe a little overkill for a small pack like this).

The design is handsome, evoking a good amount of pride of ownership, and the brown version for sale on Sunny is very attractive, including the nicely tucked raincover.

Unfortunately, I did not realize that this is a pack with a curved internal frame. While this contributes immensely to the comfort of the suspension system (did I mention the well-padded and well-placed hip belt?) it robs this pack of precious volume.

As a result, the 25-liter capacity really shrinks to 23 liters or less (ironic, considering Sunny's mislabeling of this product ends up being a more accurate descriptor of its function). I still enthusiastically recommend this pack for a good day hike. However, my primary use is for bicycle commuting, and the decreased usable volume came at the critical point that would have allowed me to carry my lunch, all my extra work clothes, towel, and the extra pair of dress shoes that I use for the office. (Also, there is a shortage of organization for pens, wallets, or other small items - the Xeon is clearly not a professional or school pack at all.) It's a shame, because the suspension and design were perfect for my occassional day hikes and more regular bicycling, and as I said there is a tremendous sense of pride of ownership with the backpack. But with all the things I need to carry to work, especially my laptop once in a while, the LaFuma was short a couple liters of the volume, and a couple small pockets short of the precise organization, that I really needed to make the pack work for me.

If money were not an issue for me, I would have kept the LaFuma and bought another, bigger pack suited for bicycle commuting to work; as life is, alas, I had to exchange for a bigger pack. I'll be jealous of whomever ends up with the Xeon.

Note: Ignore most of what you find on the web on the Xeon 25 and just see Shoebacca's site for pictures(much more expensive than on Sunny, but the pictures show the version that Sunny has for sale).