- Notes from the Field
Luke December 2019
Size seems good. I have yet to put the full kit in it of what i would use for multiday but it seems close.
Front pocket layout seems very good.
It is a little short for our current 500ml flask, they stick out the top and will likely flop over. It may work better with a shorter wider flask than I am currently using.
The zipper pocket is good, it works well with a flask in the pocket,
-Fit overall is good, the does pack ride high the shoulders and I think that will work very well with a full load. I am curious how it will perform without adjustments of the shoulder harness other than the sternum.
When fully loaded, or overstuffed the top of the pack does hit mean the back of the head. This might not be an issue or it might get annoying. Use will tell.
I need an explanation for the two straps tucked in on the back of the pack, ice axe? poles?
Helmet carry is a good idea. I wonder about sewing it in on the bottom, but keep four attachment points (two on the sides and two on the top) so that it could double as a jacket stuff pocket? They may be overkill, but something worth considering.
I love that the back panel comes out to use as a pad. So awesome.
Luke January 2020
Initial thoughts for the updated pack. I have gotten a ton of usage out of the prior Proto including a climbing/run linkup in the city of rocks. The updates to this version seem to be positive for the most part. I have about 40 miles of running in the pack so far. I am not a fan of the looped bungees on the front for holding poles. I lost one on the first run and get quite annoyed with them constantly bouncing. They work fine when poles are in place, but the rest of the time I find them irritating. I think we need to find a better way to attach or store them. The shoulder load lifter bungees have a similar problem. If the pack is not completely full and I pull them a bit tighter there is a lot of bouncing. Again, I would like to find a solution to keep them from bouncing or to tuck them away.
I like the addition of the zipper pockets on the back for additional snacks/food. They are a little tricky to open and close on the run but with a little practice it is manageable. The new longer stuff pockets work well with poles, but they way they are sewn on they kind of make the bonus pockets just beneath them (that @eric_noll explained was a result of the pattern) are not that useful. They stitching makes them quite shallow and I can’t get poles in them. I am not sure how I will use those at this point. I still like the upper zip pocket that is within those bonus pockets.
I think the sternum straps need a little tweaking. The non adjustable side is pretty long, and I have the pack pretty close to bottomed out both on the sides and the sternum straps. The fit of the shoulder straps is really good, and the height of the pack is much improved over the previous version. The front pockets are good, but a little tight. I do struggle to get a 500 ml flask back in them with the pack on.
I am very confident that this is going to be an extremely solid adventure pack, but still needs a few tweaks. The size is good, the fit is good and the tweaks seem minor at this point. I’ll follow up with more feedback in a few weeks.
Felipe Cancino April 2021
Cool, I'm really psyched about the development of this running pack and the different options that this will allow for future and longer adventure runs.
I've spent a fair amount of time wearing it already. My longest run was a 2-day self-sufficient running mission in the alpine with temps right above freezing overnight, I think the pack was at its limit in terms of weight and space, with a total weight of 14,6 lbs.
With that being said, I'm going to provide most of my comments based on that experience since I think is what is being built for; but also keeping in mind there's some contrast when the pack has less stuff in it, especially the pole carrying system in the front.
Here are some comments and feedback...
Comfort/Performance:
The shape of the pack feels comfortable in my back. I'm small size and the pack fits really well.
The pack seems pretty balance fully packed.
I like there isn't much bouncing even going downhill with the full pack.
I like the two higher lateral sleeves pocket in the back. They are great to get stuff in and out on the go, without having to unzip and open the pack. One thing I'd like about these pockets is having a more stretchy fabric to have a little more extra room for a bigger jacket for example.
There's some room for improvement with the lateral back zipper pockets. It was hard to reach them without having to take it off. As noted above, this also changes when the pack is less stuffed.
The pole carrying system in the front I think is the biggest room for improvement here. It works fine with the pack more empty, but as you increase the amount of weight and volume, it gets considerably less comfortable and annoying. I tried different placements and positions aiming for more comfort. One issue with the full pack is the poles being attached too far out, creating friction with the arms.
There's a considerable amount of moisture transfer to the inside in the back.
After a full 12hrs day with the full pack (14+ lbs) the adjustment piece of the shoulder strap created a hot spot on my shoulder, I think mostly because the weight was pulling the backpack down and back.
One addition I'd make is to have an extra elastic cording in the back panel of the backpack with one or more attachments in between the top and lower ones. Potentially also a reservoir pocket for carrying a hydration pack if needed.
*According to the tag, the pack I have is the 5th proto, but I'm pretty sure looking at Walker's previous post, this is the 6th prototype.
I'm stoked about the overall performance of the pack, this could be a great step into the more technical and longer running traverses
Cool, I'm really psyched about the development of this running pack and the different options that this will allow for future and longer adventure runs.
I've spent a fair amount of time wearing it already. My longest run was a 2-day self-sufficient running mission in the alpine with temps right above freezing overnight, I think the pack was at its limit in terms of weight and space, with a total weight of 14,6 lbs.
With that being said, I'm going to provide most of my comments based on that experience since I think is what is being built for; but also keeping in mind there's some contrast when the pack has less stuff in it, especially the pole carrying system in the front.
Here are some comments and feedback...
Comfort/Performance:
The shape of the pack feels comfortable in my back. I'm small size and the pack fits really well.
The pack seems pretty balance fully packed.
I like there isn't much bouncing even going downhill with the full pack.
I like the two higher lateral sleeves pocket in the back. They are great to get stuff in and out on the go, without having to unzip and open the pack. One thing I'd like about these pockets is having a more stretchy fabric to have a little more extra room for a bigger jacket for example.
There's some room for improvement with the lateral back zipper pockets. It was hard to reach them without having to take it off. As noted above, this also changes when the pack is less stuffed.
The pole carrying system in the front I think is the biggest room for improvement here. It works fine with the pack more empty, but as you increase the amount of weight and volume, it gets considerably less comfortable and annoying. I tried different placements and positions aiming for more comfort. One issue with the full pack is the poles being attached too far out, creating friction with the arms.
There's a considerable amount of moisture transfer to the inside in the back.
After a full 12hrs day with the full pack (14+ lbs) the adjustment piece of the shoulder strap created a hot spot on my shoulder, I think mostly because the weight was pulling the backpack down and back.
One addition I'd make is to have an extra elastic cording in the back panel of the backpack with one or more attachments in between the top and lower ones. Potentially also a reservoir pocket for carrying a hydration pack if needed.
*According to the tag, the pack I have is the 5th proto, but I'm pretty sure looking at Walker's previous post, this is the 6th prototype.
I'm stoked about the overall performance of the pack, this could be a great step into the more technical and longer running traverses