I just got back from a 9 day solo camping trip to Utah (well, by solo, I mean only me and my kitty) and I just have to rave about how well this backpack worked out. I didn't have a choice about bringing along my cat, Spider and though she's fine in a car and on a leash, she's never camped or hiked before so I took all the precautions I could think of. In the end, I never needed the RF tracker or the pre-made Lost Cat posters, thankfully.I got this backpack about a week before my trip so she could get used to it and honestly, I think that was the key. The back section does indeed open up to create double the space so I left it on the floor like that for a couple days, playing with her while she was in it. Her sharp nails didn't do any damage to the mesh, by the way! Putting a towel over it at times made it a fun tunnel for her to hide and play in while she got used to it.Then I took her for some trial walks around quiet parts of the neighborhood. I have a bad lower back so was nervous about carrying my cat's extra 13 pounds on long hikes but even when she moved around in it, the backpack felt balanced. It comes with two sets of adjustable support straps across the waist and chest for added stability which I really appreciated but were barely necessary.There are also two side pockets large enough to put a retractable leash in plus a roll of poop bags, and other small items I normally have on hand for a wilderness hike.In the car, I would open up the lower front panel and again cover the whole backpack with a towel so it became a safe little cave for her to sleep in. On hikes, I would open up the top panel and Spider would have her back feet inside the backpack while standing with her front paws on my shoulders and she would enjoy the hike from this safe spot. If something startled her, she would scramble back into the safety of the backpack (super cute!). She was wearing a harness and had a retractable leash attached the whole time so if she wanted to jump down she could. A couple of times we passed other hikers with dogs but I always faced them and the canines never noticed she was behind me. We hiked every day and were both extremely grateful to be able to feel safe while enjoying the wilderness together. It was a great bonding experience.If you and your cat are new to hiking together, my advise would be to take into consideration that every cat has their own tolerance for traveling. Some will do great and others will never be able to do it. But slow exposure to short trips where your cat is made to feel safe (try the towel trick!), especially when the backpack becomes the safe place to hide, will hopefully train them into a whole new and rewarding experience for both of you.