Airflo Outlander Rucksack and Chestpack

Many years ago as a young sprog I was taught how to assemble 58 pattern. Two ammunition pouches, one left, one right. Water bottle pouch, kidney pouches, respirator pouch (which apparently held six cans of beer and a half bottle in the inside pocket), and a poncho roll. Topped off with a large pack there was a place for all of the soldiers’ kit. Items which were needed first, such as water and ammunition were at hand, where you needed them. Well, that was the idea. In reality it wasn’t that good. The material wasn’t waterproof, and shrank when it got wet. Fastenings were ineffective and you could put your back out trying to get a water-bottle back in its pouch without taking the whole thing off.

Over the years I picked up my own webbing, modifying it to make it better. Then as new webbing was introduced I acquired that, modified it, forever tweaking at it, until at last I had what I considered the perfect set up. Pouches on the belt held what I needed, with closures which could be operated one handed and wouldn’t open by accident. Moving on down the years and I’ve applied the same principles to my hillwalking gear. I don’t want to stop to take off a rucksack to get out a camera or a water bottle. I want my map and compass at hand whether I’m wearing shorts and t-shirt, waterproofs or a fleece. I don’t want to have to empty my pockets of compass and the like if I take off my waterproof jacket. In short, I want all my gear in one place, securely, all the time. I’ve tried various combinations of rucksacks and pouches. While they work there is no co-ordination. Pouches dangle where you can find an attachment, floppy, with the danger that they may come off. What I would love to see for the hillwalker is a serious attempt by one of the big names to provide such a product. The nearest thing I could find which in any way approaches what I am after would be the South African Army Assault Vest.

It’s let down only by it’s small back-pack compartment, and the fact I’d look like John Rambo wearing it on the hills. Some years ago some friends and I went camping on The Cobbler, and much of our gear was army DPM (camouflage- Disruptive Patterned Material) clothing. We were camping in civilian tents and one our group heard a noise and went out to see what it was. He was wearing DPM and on exiting the tent he remarked that we were surrounded by soldiers. Within minutes we were being pushed to the ground, and I was knocked on the back of the head with an LMG (Light Machine Gun- an updated 7.62mm version of the WW2 Bren gun- not ‘light’ at all!). We had been mistaken for participants in an escape and evasion exercise, and it took a while to convince our captors that we were in fact on holiday. From then I’ve had an aversion to wearing DPM while hillwalking...

A visit to the Glasgow Angling Centre threw up a different solution- a fishing vest. Not the waistcoat type with pockets, but a combination of daysack and front pouch. The front pouch is designed to take flies, reels and other items one would want to hand. The one I thought most suitable was the Airflo Outlander Chest Pack and Backpack.

This consists of, surprisingly a large-ish three section chest pack, which attaches by four fastex clips to a daysack, making the whole thing quite secure. It can be strapped in fairly tightly, so there is no bounce or give. It’s made out of tough, abrasion resistant, water resistant material which should last for years.

The Chest pack is split into three compartments, each zipped. The largest has an expansion zip, allowing it to take larger cameras. I can fit a Nikon P100 camera and a folded OS map in this one. It also has a small internal mesh pocket where items such as lens brushes and wipes can be stored. The next pocket, slightly smaller, has two mesh pockets. The first is split into two, with an elasticated top. This is suitable for small folding binoculars, mobile phone, etc. The other pocket is zipped and I use this to hold a Silva compass. These pockets are secure, and hold each item in place, but there is still room to hold other small items as well. The final section is on the front. It is designed to hold fishing flies and has a removable insert which would hold these. It’s made of a stiffened material, providing a rigid case, ideal in size for a GPS.

All the zips have a flap over them to help stop rain getting in. The sack itself is not waterproof, hence the rain cover, but is water resistant. There is a zipped pocket on the top of the main compartment, but the pocket is made of fairly thick material and is bulky. It would have been better made of a thinner material or mesh. As it is a few items create a bulky ‘lump’ which reduces space in the main compartment. A DIY solution may be the removal of this pocket entirely, leaving it as an access pocket only.

The pack was able to take pretty much all the stuff I would need for a day on the hills. I carry a stove however, so this plus food takes a lot of the available space, meaning my waterproof, when not in use, was strapped outside the bag. I don’t like stuff strapped outside the bag, but it worked and stayed secure that way. Had I ditched the stove for a flask and sandwiches everything would have been contained inside.

Overall I’m quite pleased with the whole pack. As a summer daysack combination it’s very effective. As it’s all designed to work together it’s sleek and everything is secure, with nothing flapping where it can snag or get lost. It’s not the most conventional of gear, but as a practical solution to carrying equipment so that you have quick access to photographic and navigational equipment, it’s very, very effective.

The Airdrie Rambler

Ummm. I think you left your baby somewhere

By coincidence I have looked at this system. I'm even more interested now I've read your thoughts on it. What's the back length of the pack? How much does it weigh when empty with both sections attached? Thanks in advance.

I can see the appeal of such a set up, but a couple of things would concern me...

1. Having used an OMM chest pouch, and having tried the Aarn Balance pockets (love the pack, hate the pockets), I've found that front-mounted pouches/pockets make it a real faff to get the pack on in the first place and then discourage you from taking it off at all during the day.Do you think the integrated fastenings on this pack make it easier to deal with in that respect?

2. I'd be concerned for summer use about having such a large pack strapped closely across my chest, restricting ventilation and potentially causing overheating. I could see it working better in colder months. I imagine angling is overall less energetic than hillwalking, so not such an issue. Any thoughts on that one?

A nice detailed report btw

Neil1 wrote (see)

By coincidence I have looked at this system. I'm even more interested now I've read your thoughts on it. What's the back length of the pack? How much does it weigh when empty with both sections attached? Thanks in advance.

Everything, including spare straps, raincover and attachment for fishing flies in the front pouch weighs 1500g. Take off the spare straps, raincover and fly holder and it drops down to 1300g.

Matt C wrote (see)

I can see the appeal of such a set up, but a couple of things would concern me...

1. Having used an OMM chest pouch, and having tried the Aarn Balance pockets (love the pack, hate the pockets), I've found that front-mounted pouches/pockets make it a real faff to get the pack on in the first place and then discourage you from taking it off at all during the day.Do you think the integrated fastenings on this pack make it easier to deal with in that respect?

2. I'd be concerned for summer use about having such a large pack strapped closely across my chest, restricting ventilation and potentially causing overheating. I could see it working better in colder months. I imagine angling is overall less energetic than hillwalking, so not such an issue. Any thoughts on that one?

A nice detailed report btw

Up until now I have been using the OMM chest pack with either an OMM 32l or OMM Villain. The chest pouch is good, but is 'footery' and has no padding whatsoever, meaning no protection for my camera. The Airflo one, being integrated is really simple to use. Two clicks and it's off, two clicks and it's back on. It's secure enough that it's not going to fall off by accident and has sufficient padding to give a reasonable degree of protection to a camera. I have found no problems regarding overheating with it at all. It's tight enough in to the chest that I can tuck the map case in between it and my chest securely. I did notice on one winter trip that the camera lens was fogged up, due probably to condensation from body heat/sweat, but this was easily solved by lining thecase with a poly bag. Not a great problem really.

I've carried a gas mask bag across my chest and found it to work pretty well for me in terms of accessibility to drinks, snacks, glasses etc.

It becomes an issue on steepish descents when it can be difficult to see down past in terms of foot placement, i find I'm swinging my chest from side to side to get a view.

Looking at the pictures above I'd guess this chest pack sticks out further than the gas bag and would, for me, prove more of a hindrance.

The gas bag has a strap that goes over my head and one shoulder and I've attached a carabiner to a handy cord loop at the bottom which I hook onto the bottom of the rucsac shoulder strap. I find this undoes easily enough.

I have also acquired an OMM chest pouch which is half the capacity (I'd guess) of the gas bag so easier to see down past but the fixing looks very fiddly and this, so far, has put me off trying it.

Although it does protrude quite a bit I've never had any problems with being unable to see my feet, even when scrambling. Unlike a respirator haversack it's quite secure and wont swing about either.

True, it does look more solidly fixed than the gas bag but I've not been aware of the gas bag swinging about - that was the point of the carabina.

Maybe I'm a funny shape or my feet are too small?

...or mine are too big?