We spent yesterday afternoon driving helplessly round Leeds until
we found Andy Williams of Haglöfs and a huge bag full of the
latest kit from the Scandinavian gear company.
Most
of it's new for early 2004 and we'll show you some pics next week,
but they also have a very interesting new rucksac design that'll be
in the shops next month and uses a fitting principle that's quite
different from most existing packs.
The company claim that the new Rand is 'the ultimate alpine pack'.
It's got that top quality Haglöfs feel, but what really marks it
out is what Haglöfs is calling Turtleshield technology. Turtle
what? Okay, it's a back system which uses a 3D pressed framesheet and
internal Delrin rod.
It gives the back system a very pronounced curve. That might not
sound very different, but the way it fits is. Rather than hip loading
like most modern sacs, the Rand is designed to snug into the small of
your back and sit high. When you put it on you cinch up the shoulder
straps - nice and tight until the back system almost sucks into the
small of your back then you do up the hip belt which sits much higher
than normal and is for stability rather than load transfer.
Haglöfs say that it makes for a more stable carry than
conventional packs, plus the higher belt gives better access to a
harness and the shape of the pack means you can ski without your
hands catching the base of the pack on the back swing.
A brief indoor try out suggests that while the Rand feels a little
odd compared to a normal sac, it also has an interesting and stable
'glued to your back' thing going on that suggests it will be nice and
stable in use.
Like we said build quality feels impeccable with Cordura fabric
and contoured, pre-bent shoulderstraps and detachable hip-belt. Loads
of other nice touches too, like an easy open main compartment with
two pull-apart tabs to minimise messing with cord-grips, ski carrying
loops, an external expandable pocket for board or shovel, ice axe
loops and a hydration system pocket.
The Climber version, aimed at, erm, climbers is tweaked for
cragging and has a Berghaus-style ocipetal cavity in the lid section
to make looking up easier.
Price of the Rand 38 is a cool £120 - there are also 28 and
48 litre versions - so it's not a cheap pack, but it looks very
interesting. It's also a pointer to where Haglöfs is going with
its packs next year when even the acclaimed 'Tight' day sac will get
Turtleshield technology.
More next week, for more information on Haglöfs, see their
web site.
