We check out the Swedish answer to the daypack dilemma in the form of Haglöfs' new Tight Evo sac, complete with Turtle Shield Technology, you what?
Haglöfs Tight Evo Medium - Tested
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Price:
£40
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Weight: 1100 grammes
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Features:
Panel-loading 25-litre day-pack with Turtleshield technology
back system, tear-drop shaped front and side panels,
contoured shoulder straps, detachable elasticated waist
belt, sternum strap with integrated whistle in buckle,
outside pocket, detachable ice axe loops, hydration sleeve,
reflective printing. Combination of polyester and polyamide
fabrics with Ballistic fabric on base.
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Nicely made, interesting and effective back system.
Tight hydration sleeve, hard to overload.
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What's It For? The Tight range is Swedish brand Haglöfs'
classic daypack. Unlike traditional British packs, it's panel-loading
making it easy to access the contents without messing around with
floppy lids and multiple buckles.
The new Evo version has been designed specifically to cater for
the demands of ski tourers, mainly through the addition of locking
ski straps at the sides of the pack, but there's absolutely nothing
to stop you using this as a general day pack, as we did, or picking
and choosing from the rest of the extensive Tight
range.
The Techy Bits The one feature at the heart of the Tigh Evo is
Haglöfs' unusual 'Turtle Shield' back system which uses an
anatomically-curved , 3D pressed frame sheet - see pic - to support
the load and fit it to your back.
With the Evo, that's echoed on the front of the pack where a
stiffened sheet with a cunning, multi-adjustable shock-corded
accessory attachement system allows easy, stable stowage of spare
clothing and equipment, against the rigid back.
If you're a skier, you'll also appreciate the easily adjustable
compression straps come ski slots with their neat lock-off feature
which should make ski carriage quick and secure - not much call for
those in the Peak in August, though they'll also take a set of poles
at a pinch.
How It Works There's something distinctly continental about
the Tight's design and look - the teardrop shape and panel-opening
are both distinctly un-British, though not in a bad way. Get over
thinking it's an urban crossover pack though and you'll discover the
Evo has a lot going for it.
The Turtle Shield back system, a curved plate that sits high on
your back and contours around your body feels odd at first - the pack
sits slightly higher than you're used to - and initially a little
more intrusive than, say, an Osprey Atmos with its stealth fit, but
optimise the tension and you soon appreciate it's combination of
support and stability and forget it's there.
OM's route editor, Dave Mycroft has been using a Haglöfs
climbing pack with the same system for a couple of years now and
swears by it. Body movement is unrestricted yet there's no swinging
or bouncing about and the elasticated waist strap is more for
security than support. The combination of well designed shoulder
straps and the Turtle Shield gubbins do the job pretty well on their
own.
It's simply a very good carry. It's also beautifully made and
detailed, with a lot of neat features, in particular the ingenious
shock-corded accessory patch which can be used in any number of ways
to accommodate different items thanks to a mix of hooks, tensioners
and buckles. Nice.
We also like the panel-opening design which allows easy access to
the contents. It's worth bearing in mind though that the two plates -
there's one on the back of the pack to support accessories - make a
rigid sandwich construction meaning there's not much scope to
overload the body of the pack -once it's full, it's full and there
ain't nothing else going in there...
We were also quite disappointed with the hydration sleeve. It's a
tight fit for a two-litre bladder and the curve of the Turtle Shield
plate makes it a struggle to fit a full one in there at the start of
the day. We'd like a more generous sleeve please. The bladder , when
full, also obstructs the top pocket bag.
We'd also have liked some external stretch mesh side-pockets for
stashing bottles and other small items.
The Tight Evo stands out from other Tight packs in its use of
the effective Turtle Shield back system, which makes it great for
active use where mobility and support are at a premium, scrambling
and climbing as well as skiing, we like it a lot.
We were also impressed with the normal high Haglöfs build
quality and loved the easy access of the panel-opening, erm, opening.
We did have a couple of quibbles, notably the tight - sorry -
hydration system pocket and despite the excellent accessory patch
gubbins, the lack of easy stash external mesh pockets. There is an
external pocket on the back of the sac, but it's best suited to
flatter items.
Overall though, the Tight is a neat, well-made pack that's a great
carry. It takes a little getting used to if you're accustomed to a
traditional, top-opening UK day sac with a floppy foam back and we
wouldn't suggest it to habitual overloaders, but it's a definite
contender. If you're not sure about the back system, go for one of
the other Tights, or try before buying. We think it's one of the
Evo's main strengths though.
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Performance
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Value
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