Two person single wall tent.
The MSR Fling is a single wall tent with room for two. It can be used with the optional top pole to make it a freestanding shelter. Remove the top pole to save approximately 6 oz.
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Lightweight three-season shelter for two.
Hilleberg is known for their four season tents. The Rajd (pronounced "raid") is a departure from that model, but takes its roots from their oldest design – it’s the inner tent from Hilleberg’s first double wall tent design from 1973. It is what lightweight backpackers would call a tent or a floored tarp tent. Hilleberg is very keen on it not being called a "Hilleberg tent" since that conjures up the image of a sturdy four-season shelter for those familiar with Hilleberg, and the Rajd is intended for three-season use.
Rolf and Bo Hilleberg side by side in the Rajd; Bo has plenty of head room. |
The Rajd weighs 2 lb 2 oz including Hilleberg supplied stakes and guylines. Weight does not include the two required trekking poles (tent poles are available as an option). Weight does include incredible head room for two people and lots of length. I sat and reclined in the Rajd with the 6’3" Rolf Hilleberg. Both of us had plenty of room length wise and above our heads. The zipped doors on both sides made it easy for two people to enter/exit the Rajd.
There are large triangular vents above both doors. |
The Rajd displays Hilleberg’s usual attention to details with some nice touches. The small awnings on both sides can be zipped in two to make entry/exit easier. The guyline comes off from both sides of the awning for even tension. Hilleberg worked with a US company to develop 2 mm guylines that have some nice features. The Spectra core and polyester outer are interwoven to prevent some of the problems associated with Spectra core guylines.
Both sides of the zip apart vestibule can be secured together with a loop and toggle to ensure even guyline tension. |
Insulated blow-up sleeping pad.
Pacific Outdoor Equipment makes the insulated blow-up pad shorter and lighter. The Max Thermo 3/4 is insulated with a sheeted combination of Polar Guard and Holofill insulation for three-plus season warmth.
A sub-10 ounce trail shoe with excellent ventilation and drainage
Teva X-1 Trail Running Shoes
Weight: 9.8 oz (280 g)
The Teva X-1 is another very light trail running shoe in the mode of not interfering with the foot’s natural biomechanics. It is suitable for adventure racing, ultra running, and other hardcore outdoor endeavors. One of its strengths is that it absorbs little water and its open mesh upper drains water quickly. It’s a Tech Amphib with a real heel counter. You can run through a river and the shoes drain immediately. The ventilated mesh helps your socks dry quickly.
We believe that the Teva X-1 would work well as an ultralight backpacking shoe, especially in wet environments with lots of wading. It would also make a good paddling or canoeing shoe where you need to do hiking or portages. But realistically they should work equally well in dry environments.
More energy efficient than the single 1 watt LED of the EOS.
New at this show is the Quad. This unit is a 3 AAA, multiple LED headlamp similar in concept to the Petzl Tikka line but with more sophisticated electronics – current regulation, higher output LED’s and a low battery indicator. The four super bright Nichia 5 mm LED’s are more energy efficient than the single 1 watt LED of the EOS. They also cast a broader light more suitable for area lighting and camp chores than the pencil beam of the Eos. The Quad also costs less than the Eos.
Available Early spring 2006
It’s art sculpted in down. It’s an incredibly warm jacket that weighs only a few ounces more than a summer down jacket but could find its way into a winter gear list with little afterthought.
*Editor’s Note: ValandrĂ© has finalized the name of this jacket and vest as Split-S for the jacket and Looping for the vest.
Valandré Lupine* Down Jacket (men’s large)
Weight: 13.5 oz (375 g)
Fill Weight: 5.7 oz (161 g)
Outer fabric 15 D high tenacity nylon
Inner fabric: 20 D polyester
Price: Approx $300.00
Availablity late fall to early winter
The Lupine comes as a jacket and vest in both men’s and women’s styles. See below spec’s and photos of the vest.
*Name and spelling of name not finalized.
Niels-Henrik Friisbøl is an artist sculpting in down. No hyperbole. He cuts each baffle individually to get just the right shape for his jackets and sleeping bags. This is more than aesthetics. The precise baffling makes for a warm and non-binding fit and provides excellent down control. For instance, he specially baffles the side of the jacket and jacket arms in the area where the arm swings by the side of the jacket. This prevents down from being forced away from the sides of the jacket, avoiding a common cold spot found in other jackets.
For 3 oz more weight, the plump baffles of the Lupine makes the Western Mountaineering Flight jacket look a bit deflated. This is a very warm jacket. We’re excited about the almost endless number of possibilities to use this warm and light garment.
 Back view showing the loft and fit of the Lupine: Notice the jacket curve in to follow the contour of my sides. The jacket exudes style but in a subtle and non-ostentatious manner. |
Valandré Lupine* Down Vest (women’s medium)
Weight: 7.6 oz (217 g)
Fill Weight: 2.3 oz (65 g)
Outer fabric 15 D high tenacity nylon
Inner fabric: 20 D polyester
Price: ?
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A lightweight integrated Esbit fuel cooking system.
Click here to view the Beercan stove in action (946 kb)
(note: Apple Quicktime is required to view this movie, to download please vist Apple)
It’s a stove, pot stand, windscreen, cook pot and insulted drinking cup in one integrated unit. Think of this integrated cooking system as a Jetboil with anorexia. You get much of the function of the Jetboil for 20% of the weight and 15% of the cost. Possibly the coolest and most inexpensive gizmo of the show. Every backpacker should have one.
The Ultralight “Beercan” Cook Pot & Stove (ULBCPS) uses Esbit fuel tabs. One tab boils 20 oz of water and weighs ½ oz. The whole system weighs 3.8 oz, less than many canister stoves alone.
| Weight | manufacturer’s specification 3.8 oz (108 g) BPL verified weight 3.9 oz (does not include Lexan spoon that comes with kit) |
| Model Year | 2005 |
| Elements | Esbit stove, pot stand, 25.4 oz aluminum pot (Fosters Beer Can), windscreen (doubles as insulated pot holder), also includes a Lexan spoon |
Ultralight Outfitters – Ultralight “Beercan” Cook Pot & Stove Setup in cooking mode: Pot (a Foster’s beer can) sits on wire support that serves double duty to hold an Esbit tablet at the correct height below the pot. An aluminum windscreen keeps the tablet burning at top efficiency. |
The Esbit stove and stainless steel potstand. It holds an Esbit tablet at the correct height below the pot and when stowed serves as a protector for the dirty pot bottom. |
Windscreen wraps around pot as an insulated mug holder for a hot drink. Potstand holds the windscreen in place. |
Microweight gets fashionable.
Smartwool adds more eye appeal to their microweight lines with new Versawear colors and styles. Microweight tops are significantly lighter than lightweight tops in corresponding styles.
Gardner Flanigan of Smartwool models a Versawear top. |
Smartwool microweight crew. |
Alan Dixon in Versawear. |
Innovative waterproof/breathable technology.
Keela, a Scottish outdoor company, claims a significant innovation in waterproof breathable technology, “System Dual Protection” (SDP). While this technology is much heavier than current 2.5 layer PTFE and Polyurethane based WP/B fabrics, Keela claims it will keep the wearer drier than current WP/B fabrics by reducing condensation on the inner surface of rainwear.
Keela believes the real test of a rain jacket is how dry it stays on the inside. They claim their new technology reduces condensation on the inner surface of their rain gear significantly compared to other WP/B fabrics. To prove this they’ve done extensive testing of rainwear in cold, rainy environments. They also developed an apparatus to simulate these conditions and test the performance of WP/B fabrics. Keela claims that their SDP measurably outperforms current WP/B fabrics in cold and rainy conditions when worn for an extended period of time with an exercising user.
The Keela Cumulus at 24 oz is currently the lightest rendition of the System Dual Protection technology. Lighter fabrics might bring SDP garments into the 12 to 16 oz range. |
Keela claims that current moisture transport tests of WP/B fabrics do not simulate real world cold and rainy conditions – the conditions one is most likely to encounter when wearing a rain jacket. That is, a warm humid environment inside the jacket created by an exercising hiker and a cold damp and rainy environment outside. Under these conditions, the inside of a rain jacket condenses in the same way your car windshield fogs up on a cold damp day. The warm moist air from your body hits the cold inside surface of the rain jacket (chilled by contact with cold rain and the outside air) and condenses into liquid water.
Keela apparatus to test garments in “real world conditions” – cool, wet and rainy. Standard PTFE and PU laminates come up with a wet inner surface. Keela System Dual Protection garments have a much drier inner surface. |
Since the outside of the shell is just as wet as the inside there is no force to move water from the wet inside of the jacket to the wet outside of the jacket. That is, there needs to be a moisture differential (wetter inside and drier outside) to create a motive force to move the condensing water to the outside of the shell. So as long as you exercise in these conditions, water continues to accumulate on the inside of the shell and soak your baselayer and whatever other clothing you have on inside of the shell.
To solve the condensation problem Keela uses an approach similar to a double paned window. They use two hydrophilic WP/B membranes separated by an air gap. This is their “System Dual Protection” (SDP). These are not bonded but are two free hanging fabric layers.
How does it work? First, the air gap between outer and inner fabric layers creates an insulating barrier between the inner and outer surfaces of the rain jacket fabric keeping the inner surface warmer and less prone to condensation. Keela claims that it also keeps the wearer a bit warmer and reduces the number of layers. Note the focus on cold, damp, and horrid conditions as encountered in Keela’s homebase – Scotland.
Second, the inner hydrophilic membrane has a high wicking star yarn polyester liner (which acts similarly to a sponge in absorbing the moisture). Inner moisture is absorbed through the jacket lining and passed though the inner hydrophilic membrane to the air gap between fabric layers. Once here, it cannot wick back through the inner hydrophilic membrane liner as the waterproof laminate will not allow it. The moisture in the air gap between the two fabrics escapes through the outer fabric at its own rate, or it can literally drain down between the two fabric layers and exit via the bottom hem of the jacket. A bellows effect between the two fabric layers as you move also helps to transport water from the inner layer.
What’s the catch? Well for one thing, the lightest rendition of this technology uses two layers of 70 g/m2 fabric. That equates to a jacket (albeit sturdily built and with lots of features) that weighs 20 to 24 oz. Also in warm environments the added insulation of the dual layers may keep you hotter than you want.
For the US market, we could see a jacket with two 30 g/m2 fabric layers coming in between 12 and 16 oz. If the technology is as good as Keela claims, its performance may be worth the weight for hiking in climates like the Pacific Northwest and Scotland.
Thru-hike inspired 3 pound pack, built for comfort, durability, and convenience.
Mountainsmith’s MountainLite line has been completely eliminated. This includes the loss of two favorite packs among many lightweighters: the Wraith and Ghost.
This does not mark a departure away from making great lightweight packs. Mountainsmith introduced a new line at Outdoor Retailer in 2005. Their new TrekLite series has been designed to better accommodate the needs of long distance hikers. We favored the PCT 45 (or CDT 45 women’s version). With an extended volume of 4222 ci (standard volume is 2624 ci) and weight of just under 3 pounds in size regular, these packs may well mark an improvement to Mountainsmith’s line of lightweight packs.
The new packs feature twin corrugated T6 6061 aluminum stays, two water bottle pockets, a large back pocket, hip belt pockets, convertible top lid, and a full-featured harness.
A sample of Mountain Hardwear’s pack debut, 3400 ci and 3 lb 14 oz with excellent durability.
Mountain Hardwear enters the backpack market with a strong pack line coming out in 2006. The 3400 ci Foray pack from their Aspiration series hits a hefty 3 lbs 14 oz by our standards; but uses very durable 420d Cordura and 630d Ballistic Cordura, has a sophisticated harness and suspension, and is competitively priced at $179.
A fixed length all carbon fiber trekking pole.
The New Life-Link A.T. Superlight answers the call of the hikers who want a strong, light and durable trekking pole but don’t need adjustably or to shorten the poles for storage. The A.T. Superlights used fixed-length carbon fiber shafts and come in 44", 46", 48", 50", 52" (112, 117, 122, 127, 132 cm) lengths. The carbon shafts are joined with a light grip, and the standard Life Link snag proof trekking basket and carbide tips.
The Life-Line poles face stiff competition from other carbon fiber trekking poles. At 12 ounces a pair, they are about the same weigh as Komperdell Duolock multi-section adjustable poles. Fixed-length Poles from other ultra-light manufactures like Gossamer Gear weigh 4 to 5 oz.
If A.T. Superlights have an advantage it will be in strength and durability. The carbon shafts have a thick walled construction with years of proven field durability. It is the same constant diameter shafts used in the lower section of their hybrid aluminum and carbon fiber poles like the Guide Ultralight trekking poles.
A woman specific Vapor Trail.
To compliment their already popular lightweight pack line, Granite Gear announced the addition of their Vapor Ki, a women’s specific version of their very comfortable Vapor Trail pack. The only real difference to their other Vapor Trail, aside from a new chic color and women’s specific fit, are a pair of zippered pockets at the top of each side panel. Neither the fit nor the color was a favorite of mine, but you get the idea. This is an excellent addition to gear made specifically for women.
19 ounce water-proof 750 fill down sleeping bag.
MacPac’s Epic 150 SF sleeping bag makes an excellent addition to an adventure racer’s or ultra-lighter’s gear quiver. It allows the use of a very small tarp, or perhaps no tarp at all, without the need for a bivy. MacPac uses stitch-free welded seam construction to create the baffles and seal in the 750 FP European Goose down. This also creates a totally waterproof bag using Reflex LoftPro waterproof-breathable fabric. Reflex LoftPro is a PU coated 2-layer fabric with a claimed breathability better than PacLite.
Features are fairly sparse; and we like that. MacPac omitted a zipper and made the fit trim, so it might be a challenge to shimmy into it. The stuff sack is oddly sewn into an inside seam, but could be easily removed with scissors. There is no need for a draft tube and the collar has been omitted.
At 19 ounces and a claimed temperature rating of 35 F, the Epic 150 can easily beat the combined weight of a similarly rated down bag and lightweight bivy. Loft will likely diminish as moisture condenses on the inside of the PU coating, making this bag more suited to shorter trips and/or drier climes. We hope to receive a review sample after the show for a thorough review.
Monitor the UV Index and predict when you need extra protection
As technology changes, making things smaller and cheaper, new market niches open. One such niche can be found in environmental monitoring technology that lets people track the ultraviolet (UV) index on a moment-by-moment basis. APA Enterprises is one company that is filling this niche with products that go beyond simple UV monitors. Their products, of which the wristwatch shown here is one in the Sport Series, not only monitor UV radiation but are meant to help you determine when your skin needs more complete protection.
The wristwatch weighs 1.3 ounces (37 grams). The watch provides basic time-keeping functions. Its main purpose though is to monitor UV radiation and help you determine when you need to add protection (this means adding clothing that blocks UV radiation). The watch, and the other products APA sells, achieves this by analyzing data you provide about your skin and the amount of sun protection you are currently using with the readings it takes of current, and past UV output over time.
While there is no doubt that skin cancer is a serious concern and that backpackers, such as ourselves, spend a great deal in the sun it is hard to say whether this product, or others like it, will help reduce those concerns. Perhaps the most important feature of the APA Enterprises products is their stand-out ability to help remind us to get out of the sun when the need arises. Through that gentle reminder perhaps the wearer can change his or her behavior to further reduce the odds of seriouasly damaging their largest organ.
A Sub-10 Ounce Trail Running and Hiking Shoe
Inov-8 Mudroc 280 Fell Running Shoes: Weight 280 g (9.9 oz)
Remember when the controversial topic was switching from leather hiking boots to trail runners? Now there is a trend to go even lighter. This time from “heavier” padded trail runners to lighter and more flexible shoes – some weighing as little as 9.5 oz (270 g). The claim is that the lighter and more flexible shoe is less fatiguing by allowing the foot’s normal biomechanical action. These shoes are the logical progression from a trend to go to lighter packs, faster hiking speeds and longer distances. Going under ten pounds for a base pack weight used to be a big deal. Now, a number of people are using sub-5 pound packs for cold trips on challenging terrain.
This August, Andrew “Trail Dog” Thompson broke the speed record on the 2,174 mile Appalachian Trail. He shaved almost a day off the old record by completing the AT in 48 days 10 hours 11 minutes. He did it using Inov-8 Flyroc 310 and Terroc 330 shoes weighing 10.9 oz and 11.6 oz respectively.
Inov-8, founded in 2003, is a British manufacturer of extremely light trail running (fell running in the UK) shoes. They’ve taken competitive trail running, ultra-running, adventure racing, and orienteering by storm. They have a number of prestigious race wins.
The Mudroc 280 was the 2004 Fell Race British & English Championship winning shoe. This shoe is stripped down to its essential elements. Inov-8 calls it a “Lightweight Mountain/Fell racing [shoe] with a minimal upper construction, precise fit, and more sensitive underfoot. The 280 has a new softer sticky sole compound exclusively developed by the Inov-8 team using climbing rubber technology.”
“Minimal upper construction… more sensitive underfoot” are the key phrases here. When you put on a pair of Inov-8 shoes you notice an immediate difference. They are lighter and significantly more flexible than even light conventional trail runners. They feel more like slippers than shoes. The soles are so flexible you feel ground imperfections under your feet.
One would think that shoes like this would lead to foot soreness but they don’t (as long as you give your body time to adapt). The shoes work for ultra-runners and Trail Dog who subject their feet to more punishment than you and I ever will. Maybe it works for an average hiker. The basic premise of these shoes, according to Inov-8 founder Wayne Edy, is to allow the foot and ankle their natural biomechanical motion without interference from the shoe – “The foot controls the shoe. The shoe does not control the foot.” Inov-8 shoes provide some protection and a sole for traction but do not interfere with the foot’s natural motion. That is, the closer you get to running barefoot the better your efficiency and stability, and the less your risk of injury.
Using a shoe like this does take some time to adapt. It’s critical that you take the time to incrementally condition and strengthen your body to running or hiking in the new shoes. Sore calves are a common symptom of adapting to more flexible shoes. Strange but true.
I started off running around 3 to 4 miles in my Inov-8 (less than my usual mileage) and slowly worked up to 12 to 14 mile hilly trail runs over a few months. Initially a number of muscles in my calves, ankles and feet were sore. This was my body adapting to my normal stride and strengthening muscles. Three months later I am running farther and with less fatigue than with the old padded and controlling trail shoes I thought necessary for shock absorption and foot protection – even on rocky trails. My eyes and feet are better coordinated, another skill needed to step in the right places and miss the wrong places on the trail.
Readers, I am not a gifted runner. I’m by far a light runner. But I don’t think I’m going back to my old shoes anytime soon. In fact, I’m graduating myself from 310 gram Flyrocs to lighter 280 gram Mudrocs. I haven’t enjoyed trail running this much in years!
Inov-8 Flyroc 310 shoes: Trail Dog used them on the AT and I first adapted to lighter shoes with the Flyroc 310s. I used them for 14 mile trail runs and long training hikes for the last three months. I’m graduating myself to the lighter Mudroc 280s in preparation for some very long distance hiking this Fall. |
Water purification through ultraviolet irradiation – a new approach to cleaning our water
Backcountry travellers have always had to take special care of their water. In the past we had three ways to make our water safe: filter it, treat the water with chemicals, or boil the water. Recently, a fourth method for removing harmful organisms – bombard the water with ultraviolet radiation. The unit weighs 3.7 ounces (104 grams) and consists of the UV-C light emitting bulb and a screw-on plastic cap that contains the circuitry and two lithuim CR123 batteries.
The AquaStar is designed to work best with 1-quart Nalgene Lexan bottles. While it can mate to other widemouth Nalgene bottles, care needs to be taken to ensure the seal is strong and it may be necessary to agitate the water some to ensure complete exposure. AquaStar claims it only takes about 80 seconds to effectively treat a Nalgene bottle’s worth of water.
The Aquastar Plus is their latest entry into this market and it appears to be well built and as sturdy as any product in this particular class can be. Time will tell if this type of water treatment technology is really a viable option for the ultralight backpacker.
A watch that reminds you when and how much to drink
Note: while this article discusses water loss calculations, Hydra-Alert is considering adding calorie loss calculations to the watch in the future. More about this possible feature at the very end of this article.
The Hydra-Alert™ (HA) is a sport watch that adds a new feature to training aids, it estimates your fluid loss and tells you when and how much to drink. The Hydra-Alert™ sports watch monitors air temperature, ambient humidity, and your heart rate to estimate fluid loss during physical activity. No, it doesn’t directly monitor water loss, it estimates it. The HA does this by plugging monitored values (air temp and humidity) and exertion level (heart rate vs. resting heart rate) into internal formulas for fluid loss. There is a one-time programming of the unit for the user’s weight, sex, age, resting heart rate and maximum MET (VO2 MAX) The unit will run a simple self administered test to calculate resting heart rate and maximum MET if you don’t know them.
The HA has been in development with the Military to keep soldiers hydrated in difficult environmental conditions, like the Iraq war. For instance it helps soldiers on guard duty (they wear hydration bladders) to hydrate at proper levels.
One big advantage I can see to the HA is to conserve water. With an accurate estimation of you water loss, you drink only what you need. This allows you to carry only the water you need and minimizes drinking stops to those that are needed. No more conservatively guessing at water you need, carrying and drinking large amounts, and peeing it out in short order. I can also see applications for the HA in ultra-endeavors. I wished I had the HA for long hot dry days canyoneering in Southern Utah.
The Hydra-Alert™ can tell you, at user determined intervals, how much water you need to drink (fluid lost during the interval). For example, you could set the unit to beep every 20 minutes with the amount of water you need to drink. If you can’t drink then (like you’re in the middle of a climbing pitch) the unit will keep track of you water loss and give you an updated amount 20 minutes later that includes the water you didn’t drink. The HA keeps track of the total amount of water lost during the entire exercise period. This is very useful information for predicting water consumption for future trips or training sessions.
Obviously the HA designers had the medial risks from dehydration in mind, not conserving water! Maintaining proper hydration is essential for healthy cardiovascular and metabolic function. Possible consequences from dehydration include:
The Hydra-Alert™ also calculates a four zone Heat Index based on temperature and humidity: Caution, Extreme Caution, Danger, and Extreme Danger. These give the user an indication of risk of dehydration before they start to exercise. Oh, and the Hydra-Alert is accurate even when you’re not exercising.
Features Included in Hydra-Alert watches:
Now about calorie loss: How cool would it be if you not only knew water loss but also how many calories you were burning? Using the same information of monitored heart rate the HA could (in a future version) figure out how many calories you burn. So at the reminder intervals it would not only tell you how much water to drink but also how many calories to eat. Not only that, the unit, knowing your exertion level, would figure out the amount of fat and carbohydrate your body burns. It could even tell you when you start to enter critical glycogen depletion and start metabolizing body muscle into energy (not good).
If you took some good training hikes with the HA monitoring calorie consumption you’d get a good idea of how much energy you expend hiking or running. With this information you could better calculate the food you need on a trip – that is, you could figure out the minimum amount of food for a trip saving a lot of weight. Also, with the HA you could hike in your most efficient “fat burning” zone.
Again, I stress that the calorie monitoring function is not in any current Hydra-Alert units and not even announced for future units. It is simply based on discussions with HA’s physiologist about possible future enhancements using their technology.
A three-person single-wall tent in the Superlight tent family (Firstlight and Lighthouse).
The new Black Diamond Skylight is a three-person single-wall tent in the Superlight tent family (Firstlight and Lighthouse). The Skylight has a hybrid single/double walled construction. The rear two-thirds of the tent uses a single wall of Epic fabric for good breathability and high water-resistance (see our review of the Firstlight). The front of the tent is a mesh inner wall and an Epic outer canopy/fly and can be rolled-up in nice weather or rolled down in inclement conditions for protection and a spacious vestibule.
Weights: Package: 4.97 Lbs Tent: 2.84 Lbs Poles: 1.26 Lbs
Area: 36.667 sq feet
Dimensions: 88″ (length) x 69″ (shoulder width) x 42″ (center height)
Packed Size: 7″ x 12″
 The front of the tent is a mesh inner wall and an Epic outer canopy/fly and can be rolled-up in nice weather or rolled down in inclement conditions for protection and a spacious vestibule. |
Redesigned Aether 60 with an innovative heat moldable harness.
Osprey’s Aether 60 has long been regarded as a standard in lightweight pack lines. In our tests of previous versions, we found the hip belt limits the upper carrying capacity of this pack. Osprey announced some significant improvements to the Aether series at this Outdoor Retailer; most notably an innovative redesign of their hip belt and suspension.
Heat moldable foam in not new to the outdoor industry. It’s best use has been where a perfect fit improves performance, such as in ski and telemark boots. Osprey has pioneered heat moldable harnesses in their backpacks, and the Osprey Aether series uses a lighter version of their BioForm CM foam used in their heavier packs over the past year. Dealers who carry the Osprey line will be equipped with a specially designed oven to heat the belt for approximately 10 minutes. The hiker wears the hip belt while it’s warm, and the belt conforms perfectly to the wearer’s shape.
The backpanel has also been improved with better ventilation. Osprey uses a nubbed foam covered in mesh to improve air flow across the entire back.
The cost of this innovation is increased weight. The new Aether 60 adds an additional 6.4 ounces over their previous version. The fit seemed improved over older versions, even without heat molding the hip belt, which may compensate for the increased weight.
The other features the Aether 60 is known for remain the same or similiar. It will still carry ice axes, snow shoes, snowboards, skis, and accept their line of accessory pockets.
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