Karrimor's New Back System

The big news from the resurgent Karrimor brand for spring summer 2006 is a new, heavily modified back system for their big load haulers.

The SA2 II Back System will be appearing on three new packs - the Independence expedition pack, the revised Jaguar - pictured with optional Frisbee hat below - and the new Endurance. There's also a women's specific Jaguar using the same system.

The SA II, like the SA, is an adjustable length back system, but it's a lot more sophisticated and is claimed to provide better stability and security thanks to a design which, in the modern idiom, is designed to channel as much weight as possible directly into the hip-belt.

Length adjustment is still down to sliding pads on aluminium staves, but a cunning new X-Frame - think crossed Delrin poles - channels load directly onto both sides of the hip-belt from the top compression straps downwards.

The hip-belt too has been majorly re-deisgned using what Karrimor calls iliac fins to feed load into the inner hip-belt. They sit outside the normal hip-belt design, but are connected to it.

Finally, at the front of the pack, the top tensioner straps have been redesigned to prevent 'squaring-off' of the shoulder straps when the tensioners are tightened to pull the pack in towards the wearer's back.

It's hard to say how well it will function in practice, but there's obviously a fair amount of thought gone into the new system and we look forward to trying it.

The Rest

The rest of the range is still familiar with classics like the Hots and Alpinistes still in there along with the funky hypalon Boma, though you'll find some minor revisions and restyles as well.