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A lower initial pack weight also helps with longer food carries or that first day of a week-long backpacking trip when those seven days' worth of food is heavy no matter what the rest of your gear weighs. The innovative FreeFloat A3 carrying system from Gregory adapts to your individual body shape and ensures that the load is distributed evenly.
Because of their lightweight and great weight-carrying capacity, these packs are popular among long-distance trail and section hikers. The Arc'teryx Bora AR 65 takes torso length adjustment a step further by allowing you to move the shoulder straps side to side as well as up and down.With its Fit on the Fly velcro adjustment system and quick sliding shoulder straps, it's easy to dial in your ideal fit while out on the trail.
We awarded extra points for features that can be removed or customized for a more personalized user experience. To maximise comfort, the back, shoulder straps and hip belt are padded with comfortable EVA foam and a breathable mesh fabric. While this rigid padding is marginally less comfy, you need it when you're lugging a heavy load because it won't compress.What we like: Excellent mix of carrying comfort, ventilation, and build quality at a reasonable weight. The main compartment has a zipped internal divider that can be used to create a separate space at the bottom of the pack for your sleeping bag. Top brands like Osprey, Gregory and The North Face offer expert technologies in a wide range of sizes and capacity. Sam is joined by Ian Nicholson, a professional internationally licensed IFMGA/UIAGM mountain guide with over 3,000 days guiding in the Pacific Northwest, European Alps, and beyond.
These advantages include a supportive suspension, foam stiffness, and well-designed shoulder straps and waist belts. But the Southwest is still one of the most uncompromised options available, and there’s no denying the trail style you get with that premium Dyneema white. We loaded them up with various gear and took to the trail on a series of adventures ranging from volcano mountaineering trips to alpine rock approaches and long thru-hikes. Finance is provided by PayPal Credit (a trading name of PayPal UK Ltd, Whittaker House, Whittaker Avenue, Richmond-Upon-Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom, TW9 1EH).The REI Traverse 60 and Flash 55 are available in a unique extra size: a large torso with a small waistbelt, which is useful for those tall, skinny folks out there. And while Gregory specifies a 45-pound load limit, our tester found that the Katmai deftly distributed the weight of 50 pounds of gear. Second, we found the Crown to be almost too featured—we removed a pile of straps (including front water bottle holders and a second sternum strap) before taking it into the field. And the Paragon doesn’t skimp on useful extras either, with features like a rain cover, large mesh front pocket, and a bear canister-friendly wide shape. What sets the Southwest apart is its fully Dyneema construction, which offers incredible strength and water resistance at a very low weight.
In particular, the floating lid is one of our favorites with its two massive pockets and easy conversion into a functional daypack. Weighing at least half a pound less than the next lightest pack on our list, the Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra takes the ultralight crown. Keep in mind that Osprey also makes the beefed-up Aether Plus and stripped-down Aether Pro, which could be great alternatives depending on your needs. If the rain is falling for days at a time, unless you've lined your pack with a trash bag or packed your gear in dry bags, your stuff will get wet.It also has a forward-angled side water bottle pocket on the right side of the pack, but not the left. Over the last decade, many hikers have made a concerted effort to carry less weight than their predecessors. Breathability is one of Dyneema’s shortcomings, so this is a helpful design for warm weather and those who work up a sweat.
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