While the Atmos is more of a fast-movers' pack however, the AirBac
is an allround walking and trekking sac, closer in function to the
Osprey Stratos, which doesn't carry quite as well as the Atmos in our
experience. If the AirBac carries as well as the Atmos, then it
should be a fantastic walking pack. Note too that it shares the
elasticated, non-slip hip-belt of the Ace.
Price is £40 for the 20-litre version and
£50 for the 30-litre AirBac.
Less Is More
The new Less Is More (LIM) pack is aimed squarely at lightweight
backpackers. It's not super-minimalist, in that it uses an internal
frame for added support, and is available in three sizes: 25, 35 and
45 litres priced at £65, £70 and £75 respectively.
A lot of thought seems to have gone into the packs with features
like a contoured, shaped hip-belt with a cut-away for the hip-bone
and a central pivot for easy movement of the hips plus a Hypalon
patch to stop movement at the base of the spine.
Materials are lightweight - overall weights are 925g, 1180g and
1220g for the three sizes - but high quality. The fabrics, for
example, have a hard-wearing polyamide face with a double coating of
waterproofing treatment. One applied cold for toughness, the other
hot, for penetration into the fabric.
The frame is the same as the AirBac one, but it's housed
internally without mesh, so you don't see it. Interesting too how the
shoulder straps are fixed so they pull up the base of the pack and
directly support the load by pulling it upwards - above. Looks like
an interesting lightpacking option.
Big Pack...
Lightweight may be the current trend, but if you're after a big
sac, check out the Haglöfs Topo. It's a seriously
industrial looking bit of kit, but what makes it stand out is the
range of adjustment in the WIB - Weight In Balance - back system. As
you move the shoulder straps upwards, they also move further apart to
accommodate wider shoulders, which is neat. The whole thing is done
with bombproof metal hooks too.
You won't be surprised to learn that the rest of the pack is also
seriously thought through with a very formed ergonomic hip-belt,
bellow pockets and a very neat sleeping bag compartment which
features its own compression system and big zip access. The buckles
are top quality for durability over a wider range of temperatures and
the lid detaches, a la Macpac and Osprey, to form a handy bumbag.
More information on the current Haglöfs range at www.haglofs.se
| 
We
have a new Tight Evo on test and we'll tell you about it in
due course. The same's true of the company's very net Ace
hydration pack. The latter's a neat design with a non-slip
wrap-around elasticated hip-belt with stow pockets and a sliding
shoulder harness that really does let your arms move more freely.
