A hunting buddy in our group had an Alps "Big Bear" last year, it was a classic example of a dual purpose pack that tried to do "everything" and ended up doing nothing really well.
We didn't rip anything on it, but the day pack bag has no compression straps, so it slops/flops around when its up out of the fanny pack lid. The fanny pack was so-so, but you had the extra bulk and weight of the collapsed day pack that you weren't using. From what I recall, we couldn't reach anything in the fanny pack without taking it off, like water bottles, calls, etc.
I say "we" because we ended trading out the Alps with the guy for our day packs so that the guy could hunt, carry his gear, and have some ability get his hunt in.
My impression of Alps, YMMV, is that they are a lower end bargain hunter type of outdoor gear company. Their products will last you at least one season, but they can be improved upon quite a bit in durability, better materials, and more functional designs. I support the NWTF, they have a number of Alps products in their branded line, I just haven't been that impressed with the quality or the return for investment.
