Click to view our Accessibility Statement or contact us with accessibility-related questions
Showing 1 of 241 conversations about:
Tctower12
106
Nov 26, 2019
bookmark_border
Some questions for Dan or anyone out there who has reviewed the bag: 1) will the shoulder pockets hold an iPhone 8+ size phone? 2) will the shoulder pockets hold a 500ml bottle 3) are the hip belt pockets large enough to hold the same iPhone? 4) will the tall side pocket fit a standard single wall solo tent comfortably? And a 700 ml pot? 5) what sort of depth does the front zip pocket have? Ie. is it made primarily for flat items like maps/ passports or would it fit slightly bulkier items like fleece gloves/ wool beanie that might fall out of the shock cord pocket. Does that pocket become less functional as larger items are stuffed behind it? 6) was there any consideration for mesh venting In the back area of the pack ? The packs main material might be sweaty ( and slippery) in warm climes 7) some similar packs use a double ( v shape ) overstrap to better secure items to the top of the pack,Any consideration For this on the next production run? 8) any areas for shock cord loops for poles/ or ice axe besides the side compression/ shock cords? Thats it. I’m looking for a fast pack for my quiver
Nov 26, 2019
Tctower12
106
Nov 26, 2019
bookmark_border
Tctower12PS. Didn’t see Dans reply/ update on thread below on increased pocket size. Still wondering whether it will fit a LARGE phone
Nov 26, 2019
dandurston
5116
Dan Durston
Nov 27, 2019
bookmark_border
Tctower121 & 2) I can't give you a good answer at this point on the shoulder strap pockets because I wasn't happy with them so we ended up re-designing them and they're not quite done yet (I'm expecting a new sample shortly). Previously the shoulder strap pockets were a bit too small, and I also found the top access a bit awkward to retrieve a phone. So the redesigned pockets are a different shape and no longer have top access. Instead, both shoulder strap pockets have a side zipper access which is more secure for a phone and nicer/easier to use I think. I'm optimistic it'll accommodate the iPhone 8+ but can't say for certain at this point without trying it when this is finalized. Previously it would barely hold a regular iPhone 8 but the new pocket should be meaningfully larger. Obviously with side access only, these pockets won't work for water bottles. I went back and forth on this, but ended up finding that I like the side zippers better for pretty much everything else (phones, snacks, sunglasses etc) and making these pockets big enough for decent water bottles makes them too big for almost everything else. 3) You can fit an iPhone 8+ in the hipbelt pockets but I don't recommend it because it's a bit too tight to be nice to use and the phone might be strained by the curve of your hips since it barely fits. The pocket is tall enough but only barely longer than the phone so it's a bit tedious to work in there. A better spot is the vertical zipper in the tall side pocket (or hopefully the shoulder strap pockets). This is a unique feature so it's hard to envision how easy it is to use, but this pocket will easily swallow the iPhone 8+ (it would probably swallow an iPad mini) and you can easily operate it one-handed and pretty much just as quick as a hipbelt pocket. Once you get used to finding where the zipper is, it's just as quick to open as a hipbelt pocket and very quick to grab stuff out as long as you haven't jammed the pocket very full from the top. The side pocket is hard to explain but the entire side pocket is double layered (side and bottom), so when you reach in between the layers via the zipper, the inner layer basically inverts to give you just as much space via the zipper as there is via the top. Obviously these two access points compete for the same space, but if you just have the top semi-full (e.g. a 1L bottle) there's still ample space for a phone and more. I stuff hats, mitts, ski goggles, maps, big cameras etc in here. It provides on-the-go access to larger stuff than ever possible with hipbelt pockets. 4) Yeah it can easily fit a 1P single wall tent. I can fit an X-Mid 1P comfortably into the tall side pocket and that tent is double wall and quite a short/stubby package (12" tall). With the X-Mid in there, it's still pretty easy to get a phone in/out of the side zipper. A single wall tent would slip in very easy - I guess DCF can be more bulky than woven fabrics, but even then I can't see it being hard unless the tent was a really short and wide package. A 700ml pot would also fit easy. You can fit 2 x 1L bottles in each side pocket. Both side pockets are the same girth but one is taller. You probably can't fit a solo tent AND a 700ml pot. In that case, the solo tent could fit pretty easily behind the front pocket. 5) The front zip pocket is just envelope construction so it doesn't work well for thick stuff, especially if there is gear jammed behind it. Mitts and beanies fit fine, although I recommend the vertical side zip pocket for those because you can grab them on the go. I think the best use for it is small items that you want sorta handy but not important to enough to store in the shoulder strap/hipbelt/side zippered pockets. So maybe an inReach sat tracker, maps, extra snacks. I don't actually use it much because I usually have enough storage in the more handy pockets. I do stuff small tents, puffy jackets etc and other large clothes items behind this pocket. Usually you'll have enough external storage for small stuff, but if you have too much then you could put mitts, hats, socks etc in a clothing stuff sack and put that behind the front pocket. I wouldn't trust mitts on their own not to fall out of the bungee. 6) Sweatiness is a valid concern/critique but I don't like any of the solutions. To really make a difference here you need a trampoline back (e.g. Zpacks ArcBlast) but then you're moving the load substantially further back which requires the wearer to lead forward more to compensate for that shift in the center of gravity. I think that is a big contributor to lower back soreness, and the added forward lean amplifies the feeling of staring more at your feet as you hike. I think that trampoline backs sell because customers notice the benefits (reduced sweatiness) but don't make the connection with the downsides (e.g. they don't connect increased lower back soreness to the forward lean it causes). Maybe for really light loads those downsides are not meaningful, but moving the load backwards is counterproductive to the goal of carrying weight well. The other type of solution is 3D mesh here or something similar. I agree this feels a bit nicer but I don't find it makes enough of a difference to be worth it. I find I still get about as sweaty, and mesh has added weight and tends to have issues like spruce needles and debris getting caught in it. So I don't expect everyone to agree on this, but my philosophy is that the sweaty back is the lesser evil. Quite a few light packs do the same thing (HMG, SWD, Waymark etc). 7) Yeah the Y strap is nice for bear canisters. You can make it work with just a single strap but the Y is nice. This doesn't have one because (1) I couldn't say yes to every handy feature or the weight would get out of hand, (2) it is possible for users to rig this up, and (3) if you don't need it these can sometimes in the way. There are a few ways to rig it up yourself, such as running a strap from the top of one daisy chain, over to the haul loop and back to the other daisy chain with a buckle to cinch it up as needed. This preserves the single top strap too, so you could get something really secure with that V strap plus the single strap. Alternatively there are ways to connect to the load lifters, and extra loops at the top of the side compression, so quite a few ways to do it. For softer/less slipper items like tents I think the single strap is fine. 8) You can do a lot based on the daisy chains. Quite a few spots along those to add shockcord loops.
(Edited)
Nov 27, 2019
Tctower12
106
Nov 27, 2019
bookmark_border
dandurstonThanks for the prompt and fulsome reply Dan. All of your points make sense. I think this pack will work for me for my chosen applications. I’m finding that many people are going with a variety of equipment to use on various sections of thru hikes because of the demands of seasonal weather etc. For example people may switch to a fairly structured and larger pack through Colorado on the CDT in the spring because they need more layers, warmer bag etc. There is no one pack to “ rule them all” but this one is very well thought out and well featured at an unbeatable price point
Nov 27, 2019
DeputySean
46
Nov 28, 2019
bookmark_border
dandurstonI was rather excited to have a small top loading shoulder strap pocket. I've been collecting small water bottles/pouches that I was hoping would fit in them (in the 400ml range, per your recommendation). Other than the backpacks low price, it was my favorite feature. Kinda disappointing to see that change.
Nov 28, 2019
dandurston
5116
Dan Durston
Nov 28, 2019
bookmark_border
DeputySeanSorry to hear that. The previous shoulder strap design could fit a 300 - 400 mL bottle but only if it was very tall/slim because the max diameter was 1.75 - 2". I've been looking at these pockets a lot and I think that for almost everything else the side access is better because it is more secure (no chance of a phone falling out) and lets you use the pockets for smaller stuff that would be very hard to dig out from the top (chapstick, sunscreen, car keys etc). So I find the side access useful for a lot of things, whereas the only thing the top access did better was hold really tall objects. The previous design did have it both ways, but having the top access limited how good the side access could be, because to make the side access optimal it needs a more complicated shape (e.g pleating). So I decided to omit the top access in exchange for improved side access, and added this side access to both shoulder straps. You may still be able to put a water bottle in there because now the side accessed pocket is pleated and larger (e.g. greater girth) compared to what was possible when the top access existed. Instead of putting a tall/skinny bottle in the top, you may be able to put a more normal shaped 300 - 400 ml bottle in the side zipper. Either way though it's going to be limited to quite small bottles where I expect most people will prefer the side pockets. If you want to drink from water bottles with a straw (as some runners do) then the side access obviously won't work, but it is more secure whereas top access bottles can fly out when someone stumbles. To be clear, I haven't tried the newer design with water bottles yet so I'm not sure to what extent they will fit, but overall the side access pockets are much improved and more useful in the newer design.
Nov 28, 2019
View Full Discussion