Articles (2020)

Overview

At 2.7 ounces (75.6 g) and wrist wearable the Suunto X9 may be the lightest, most compact and most easily carried GPS receiver on the market. In the hands of an experienced navigator who is comfortable operating complex electronics, the Suunto X9 will handle backcountry navigation at half the weight of handheld units like the Garmin eTrex series. Compared to a handheld, the wrist mounted X9 provides continuously readable navigation functions such as a magnetic compass, barometric altimeter, and GPS functions.

Despite its 2.0 x 2.5 inch (5.1 x 6.4 cm) size, the Suunto X9 is a full featured, 12 parallel channel GPS with an integrated loop antenna, waypoint storage and management features for backcountry applications including: following routes, marking waypoints, calculating speed and distance traveled as well as recording elevation profiles. However, the Suunto X9’s functions are generally more basic and difficult to use than those on a handheld GPS. In addition to the GPS functions, the Suunto X9 has the magnetic compass, barometric altimeter (which can be auto corrected by the GPS), temperature, barometer, and time/stopwatch functions of the Suunto X6, which has already achieved status as the standard of excellence in backcountry navigation watches.

With good sky view and good satellite configuration, the X9’s GPS receiver locates position as accurately as larger and heavier handheld units. The X9 will accurately navigate a route or to an individual waypoint, normally acquiring GPS positions within a reasonable amount of time. The X9 has more difficulty acquiring GPS positions and is not as reliable as the Geko 301 in less than optimal GPS reception conditions.

The X9 has good battery life for its size and weight. A proficient navigator using the GPS function sparingly in Manual Fix mode will probably have enough battery life for a week-long trip. However, the X9 has a much shorter battery life than the Geko 301 and batteries are not field replaceable.

A highlight of the X9 is its ‘Position’ screen. It succinctly presents essential satellite status and GPS position information on a single screen – an accomplishment in 74 x 84 pixels. It takes two screens and working through the menus to get the same information on the Geko 301. The X9 also has a tri-axial compass that will operate at up to a 30° angle, eliminating the difficult task of holding a wrist mounted unit level. The X9 even has sophisticated functions like a cross track error alarm.

The main performance differences between the X9 and a handheld GPS are:

1. Compared to a handheld GPS, the X9 takes longer to acquire GPS positions and sometimes has difficulty acquiring GPS positions with limited sky view and/or poor satellite configurations.
2. The X9 has limited GPS battery life and the batteries can’t be replaced or recharged in the field. When its batteries run down, you are without a GPS.
3. The X9’s operation is not intuitive and due to its small screen, is deeply menued. Even with practice, it is more difficult and time consuming to operate than handheld units with larger screens.

When compared to the Geko 301, a lightweight handheld GPS with comparable functions:

• The X9 took consistently longer to get a GPS fix. This was more pronounced in difficult situations such as limited sky view, poor satellite configurations, long time between fixes, significant position changes between fixes, etc. In favorable GPS reception conditions, and used exactly per Suunto’s instructions (more below), the X9 acquired most GPS fixes in reasonable time.
• The X9 had less reliable GPS fix acquisition in difficult situations than the Geko 301. In extreme circumstances, the X9 failed to acquire a GPS fix (we stopped trying after 7 minutes) while the Geko 301 acquired in a minute with an accuracy of 15 meters. In even moderately limited sky view the X9 would often timeout before acquiring a manual GPS fix. Many times the X9 found fewer satellites it could use for positioning than the Geko 301.
• The X9 did not acquire well when in motion. Many times we had to stop moving to get a GPS fix. On some trips it seemed as if getting a good GPS fix with the X9 was dictating our stops and schedule. Sometime we’d have to leave the X9 on a rock or log and wait two to five minutes to get a GPS fix. In comparison, the Geko 301 seemed to work well whether we were moving or not, and did not impede the schedule or progress of our trips. We would pull it out of a pocket while walking and get a good fix in 15 seconds or so.
• The X9 had limited battery life (between 4.4 and 10.0 hours of GPS operation depending on mode) and the batteries are not field replaceable. This is significantly less than the Geko 301’s 10.8 to 25.8 hours of operation. In addition, the X9’s more difficult and time consuming operation with slower fix times increased the time to retrieve the same information over a handheld GPS. If you need to leave a bread crumb trail to track back on, or if there is a possibility of whiteout, night navigation, or difficult situation where you may need to navigate with your GPS receiver continually on, the X9 may not have enough battery power.
• The X9 had a long initial setup period when first entering the backcountry. It could take 15 minutes or longer until the X9’s GPS receiver was ready to reliably operate. During that initial setup period, the X9 needed to be stationary. The Geko 301 was good to operate in just a few minutes and could usually set itself up while we walked.
• The X9 erroneously reports your position 0.14 miles (220 m) too far north for almost all USGS topographic maps when you use UTM coordinates. If you are willing to use a degree based coordinate system the X9 will honor your NAD 27 datum selection and accurately report your position. The Geko 301 accurately reported both UTM and degree based positions for USGS topographic maps.
• The X9 has a complex, hard to use interface. Its sometimes deeply nested menus are time consuming and confusing to navigate. For example, with the Geko 301, marking a waypoint is a two button press operation from any screen. On the X9 marking the same waypoint is five menus down, takes 19 button presses and can only be accessed from the Navigation screen. The buttons on the X9 are very hard to push – an inconvenience as you work your way through the menus. The X9’s operation is not intuitive and you can’t hack you way into functions. You’ll spend a lot of time with your nose in the X9’s 97-page manual.
• The X9’s complicated interface increases GPS use and increases the likelihood that you’ll accidentally leave the GPS receiver on and unintentionally drain the batteries. Be careful to operate the X9 in Manual Fix GPS mode and activate the GPS receiver sparingly.
• The X9 has limited software and map support. The only software that exchanges data with the X9 is Suunto’s Trek Manager, a Windows PC only product. As of our testing, there are no maps to easily use with the Trek Manager. The only way to get a map into the Trek Manager is to import bitmapped (or scanned) maps and manually calibrate them (a huge pain). Currently, there is no data exchange interface between the X9 unit and mapping software with good North American maps like National Geographic’s Topo!
• There are still some bugs in the X9’s firmware. One of the most annoying of these is highly erratic readings on its battery life indicator bar. These can jump up or down by 50% in the space of a few minutes. The X9 lists the wrong distances to waypoints in some screens.
• The X9 lists for $769 which is $523 more than the Geko 301 which has more functionality and weighs only 0.7 ounce (20 g) more.
• While our reviewer didn’t find it a problem, some users complain that the X9 is a bit too bulky and heavy to wear comfortably on the wrist.

All this is not to say that the X9 doesn’t work. It does. In skilled hands, with careful operation, reasonable sky view and some patience to wait for it to acquire a GPS fix, the X9 will handle the navigation for a week-long trip into the backcountry. In keeping with the philosophy of using the lightest equipment that will do the job, the Suunto X9 may be a good choice for some backcountry trips. We consider it a significant feat of engineering that Suunto managed to get a functional GPS with this level of performance and battery life into a wrist mounted unit. We know of more than a few minimalist trekkers who rushed out to buy an X9 as soon as it went on the market.

Specifications

MSRP	$769
Weight	2.7 oz (75.6 g) – weighed on a Backpacking Light scale
Size (H x W x D)	approximately 2.0 x 2.5 x 0.6 in (5.1 x 6.4 x 1.6 cm), excluding band
Battery Life	4.5 hour 1-sec updates (4.4 hour tested), 12 hour 1-min updates (10.0 hour tested), up to 400 hours (2 weeks) with manual GPS fixes, up to 2 months using time and altimeter/barometer only
Battery Type	Lithium Ion, non-replaceable, rechargeable
Barometric Altimeter	Yes
Electronic Compass	Yes, tri-axial, can operate at up to 30° angle
WAAS Enabled	No
Screen Resolution (H x W)	74 x 84 pixels
Screen Size	0.81 x 1.07 in (2.1 x 2.7 cm)
Display Type	Black & white LCD
Auto Locate GPS Fix*	Not available
Cold GPS Fix*	3 min 6 sec – average from Backpacking Light field tests
Warm GPS Fix*	31 sec – average from Backpacking Light field tests
Waypoint/Route Memory	500 waypoints/50 routes up to 50 waypoints each
Trackpoints	8,000 (25 tracks)
Additional Memory	No
Additional Memory Type	N/A
Computer Interface	Yes, Windows PC (limited mapping software available)
Basemaps	No
Additional Maps	No
Water Resistance	330 ft (100 m)
Celestial Info	Yes, sunrise and sunset only
Included equipment	GPS cradle with charger, computer interface cable (serial), Trek Manager Software, extension wrist strap which enables you to wear the X9 with a heavy jacket.
Optional equipment	USB computer adapter, 12 V cigarette lighter charger
* Auto Locate Fix = GPS movement over 500 miles since last fix and/or more than 30 days since last fix. Cold Fix = More than four hours since last GPS fix and/or significant movement since last fix (you’d need to use a car or something faster to get far enough). Warm Fix = Less than four hours since last fix without significant movement (you can’t walk or run far enough in four hours to screw up a warm fix).

GPS Field Performance

With good sky view and good satellite configuration, the X9’s GPS receiver was as accurate in locating GPS position as larger and heavier handheld units. The X9 will accurately navigate a route or to a waypoint.

In all situations, the X9 was slower to get a GPS fix than the Geko 301. From our field testing, the X9’s loop antenna does not appear to be as sensitive as the patch antennas used in handheld units like the Geko 301.

GPS Fix Time Performance

	Geko 301	Geko 301	Suunto X9	Suunto X9
	Cold start	Warm start**	Cold start*	Warm start*
average	0 min 40 sec	0 min 14 sec	3 min 39 sec	0 min 31 sec
maximum	1 min 39 sec	0 min 40 sec	7 min 42 sec	2 min 0 sec
minimum	0 min 12 sec	0 min 08 sec	0 min 42 sec	0 min 13 sec
*The longest cold start fix for the X9 was a ‘failed to acquire’ after 7minutes in limited sky view. The Geko 301 acquired in 1 minute 7 seconds with an accuracy of 15 meters in the same location. The ‘failed to acquire’ value was not included in the Cold Start average for the X9. **As distance and time increased from the previous fix, the X9 fix times increased proportionally more than the Geko 301’s fix times.

The X9’s slower GPS fix acquisition was the least pronounced with 1) good sky view, 2) good satellite configuration, 3) a position change of less than 3.1 miles (5 km), and 4) a GPS fix within the last hour. It was most pronounced with 1) limited sky view, 2) poor satellite configuration, 3) a position change as little as 3.7 miles (6 km), or 4) over an hour since the last GPS fix.

In extreme cases with limited sky view, the Geko 301 acquired a fix with 15 meter accuracy in 67 seconds while the X9 failed to acquire a GPS fix after 7 minutes. (The X9 started losing visible satellites so we ended the test.)

In another field condition, this time with poor satellite configuration (but with reasonably clear sky view), the Geko 301 acquired a 5 satellite 3D fix in 32 seconds while the X9 acquired only a 3 satellite fix in 7 minutes 42 seconds. The X9 was also the first unit to lose a GPS fix when entering a limited sky view area and the last to regain a GPS fix when coming back into an open area. In heavily forested areas, tight canyons and other limited sky view areas, the Geko 301 had a clear performance advantage.

The X9 tended to find fewer satellites for positioning than the Geko 301. For example, when the Geko 301 had 6 satellites visible and could use 5 of those for position calculations, the X9 had 5 satellites visible and could only use 3 of those for position calculations.

The X9 erroneously reports your position 0.14 miles (220 m) too far north for almost all USGS topographic maps when you use UTM coordinates. If you are willing to use a degree based coordinate system, the X9 will honor your NAD 27 datum selection and accurately report your position. The Geko 301 accurately reported both UTM and degree based positions for USGS topographic maps.

Why is this? Almost all USGS topographic maps use a North American Datum 27 (NAD 27). For some inexplicable reason the X9 is designed to ignore your datum selection when you select UTM coordinates. In this case the X9 ignores your ‘Datum 99’ selection (the X9 datum that most closely corresponds to NAD 27) and reverts to another datum, WGS 84. The difference between the NAD 27 and WGS 84 is the 220 meters northing error.

Suunto claims that the X9’s loop antenna is less directionally sensitive than patch antennas (which are designed to be pointing up) and therefore it is suited to wrist mounting. From our testing, the added sensitivity of the Geko 301’s patch antenna seems to outperform the X9’s loop antenna even when the Geko 301 was operated upside down. The Geko 301 acquired more satellites and got a position fix sooner, 48 seconds, than the X9, 1 minute 30 seconds, when both were operated upside down. (Measurements were made just a few minutes after acquiring a good position fix with both units upright.) The Geko 301’s patch antenna had no performance degradation pointing to the side and at a large wall (90 degrees from vertical) and acquired a fix in 8 seconds while the X9 required 38 seconds when held in the same position.

The X9 has a long initial setup period when first entering the backcountry. It can take 15 minutes or longer until the X9’s GPS receiver is ready to reliably operate. The Geko 301 was generally ready to operate in 3 to 5 minutes and had little trouble quickly acquiring subsequent GPS fixes.

We missed having a ‘satellite view’ screen on the X9. Knowing the position of the satellites in the sky, which satellites are visible to the GPS, and which it can use for positioning (available on the Geko 301) allows one to maximize satellite reception in difficult locations such as Utah canyons or a forest clearing. We’ve used this information to intelligently reposition the GPS unit for best reception with good success – e.g. upgrading a couple of visible satellites to positioning status. With the X9, you are left to guess where to relocate to improve satellite reception.

The X9 does not use WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System). We do not consider WAAS accuracy necessary or even desirable for backcountry use. WAAS drains more power from GPS units, and its increased accuracy does virtually nothing to improve backcountry navigation. We always turn WAAS off for backcountry trips.

GPS Operation

For multi-day trips, the trick to operating the X9 is to use it in Manual Fix mode as much as possible. This conserves battery power while still acquiring good GPS information when needed. At times, this is complicated by the X9 timing out in Manual Fix mode before acquiring a GPS position.

We would add one more step: Immediately set GPS Fix to Manual mode to preserve battery power.

Suunto recommends you set up the X9’s GPS in a specific way when entering the backcountry. This is so important that Suunto stuffs in each X9 box a separate 8 x 11 inch sheet of paper titled, “Attention Critical Reading Before You Start,” which explains this procedure. This setup will always take over 12 minutes and can easily take longer than 15 minutes. The X9’s initial setup does not work while the unit is in motion. If you want to move around during this period, you’ll need to put the X9 on a rock, log or fencepost during the setup.

A nice shortcut for Manual GPS Fix: In most screens, you can update your position manually by holding down the Stop-Back button for 2 seconds. The X9 will acquire and mark your position in the ‘hidden’ track log and then turn GPS reception off to conserve battery life. Unfortunately, these manually updated positions become part of a track log which can only be viewed via a computer (although the individual positions can be viewed in the position screen until you get another GPS fix). If you want to edit or navigate to this position in the field, or view it after taking another manual fix in the field, you’ll need to menu down further and use the Mark Waypoint function.

To quickly get a screen viewable GPS location: We found the X9’s Position screen one of the most useful screens when used in conjunction with the Manual Fix mode. In the Position screen, we used the Stop-Back button to activate the GPS so that at anytime we could acquire (into the ‘hidden’ track log) and view a GPS position. This strategy of using the Stop-Back button to acquire a position worked equally well in the Route or Waypoint Navigation screens. Again, you can only view your GPS position in the Position screen until the next time you get a GPS fix. You’ll need to menu down further and use the Mark Waypoint function to name and save this position in a field retrievable format.

An alternative to manual fix mode (if you think you have enough battery life) is to put the GPS fix in 1 minute mode. The X9 will automatically update your position and store it every minute.

While the X9 has all the standard functions of a small GPS receiver, the functions often have fewer options and are more difficult to use than similar functions in handheld units. The X9’s small display forces information to be displayed in small chunks on many screens. Because of this, essential functions are sometimes deeply nested down in the X9’s menus. If you thought it was difficult to master your Suunto Vector or X6, this is a whole other league of complexity. The X9’s hard to push buttons make this information all the more difficult to retrieve. The interface is far from intuitive. You won’t hack your way into the X9. Instead, you’ll spend a long time with your nose in the X9’s 97-page manual.

We found it time consuming to perform many basic GPS functions. Marking a waypoint on the X9 is difficult and deeply nested in menus compared to the ease of marking a waypoint with the Geko 301. With the Geko 301, it takes two button presses to mark a waypoint from any screen. On the X9 marking the same waypoint takes you five menu levels down and takes a minimum of 19 button presses. The mark waypoint function can only be accessed from the Navigation screen.

Another example is selecting waypoints. On the Geko 301, you can quickly find waypoints by listing those nearest to your current location (five per screen with direction and distance) or listing them grouped in alphanumeric order (eight entries per screen with locator tabs). On the X9, you are limited to scrolling through waypoints one at a time with only three visible on the screen at any time. There is no information other than the waypoint name which is limited to a format of number, date and time or using one of 19 preset names like “hill,” “coast,” “forest,” and “rock.” It’s difficult to associate these ‘names’ with a specific place in the field. The Geko 301 allows you to choose names for waypoints (via the computer or in the field) that have personal relevance to their position, like “jc-mcr,” which you’ll at least have some chance of recognizing as the junction to Miller Creek. The X9’s field created waypoints, “3.24.6/16:40” or “hill,” don’t provide enough information to remind you of the specific place. You can add your own 19 preset waypoint names to the X9 via the computer. But there is no way to change them or add custom alphanumeric names to waypoints once you’re in the field. Many times we’ve added waypoints from scaled map positions at night for the next day’s hiking. The X9’s limited waypoint creation and naming are considerably less useful than the Geko 301’s.

Some important functions in the X9 are interconnected to other functions and won’t operate unless those functions are set properly. For instance, you can’t run/start an Activity Log until you activate the GPS unit and get an accurate position fix (even if you aren’t planning on using the GPS functions). This can be irritating if you’re late to the trail head and have to wait 15 or more minutes there for the X9 to get a GPS fix. In addition there are X9 functions like Mark Memory Point that won’t operate without an Activity Log running.

In summary, be prepared for a steep learning curve before you can reliably and efficiently operate the X9. Even then, the X9 will have more limited functions and take longer to operate than a handheld unit such as the Geko 301. However, with some patience and ingenuity one can manage most backcountry navigational chores.

Battery Life and Power Management

The X9 has remarkable battery life given its size and weight. We estimate that the Suunto X9 can handle about a week in the backcountry navigating primarily with the GPS in Manual Fix mode. With sparing use of Manual only GPS fixes, a skilled navigator who needs minimal GPS updates might extend this up to two weeks. We do not think that the X9 will achieve its 500 waypoint acquisition in a two week period.

Battery Life

	Suunto X9	Geko 301
Normal Mode	04 hr 23 min	10 hr 48 min
Battery save mode*	10 hr 01 min	25 hr 48 min
*Geko 301 = GPS in Battery Save mode (5-sec fix) and compass turned off. X9 = GPS in 1-min fix mode

For multi-day trips in the backcountry, the X9’s short battery life and non-field replaceable batteries are a serious challenge to the navigator. The X9’s slower fix times and complicated time consuming operation increase GPS use over a handheld GPS. In addition, the complexity of operations increases the likelihood that you’ll unintentionally leave the GPS on without realizing it. We did this on more than one occasion.

We are confused as to why the X9, with its limited battery life, has no capacity for installing new batteries in the field. If you make a power management mistake with a handheld unit and it goes dead, you have the option of putting fresh batteries in it and completing your trip with a GPS. With the X9, if you unintentionally leave the GPS on or just use it more than you planned, you risk having no GPS in the backcountry. To complicate this, the X9’s battery level indicator does not accurately report battery life. It can jump 50% up or down in just a few minutes. Fortunately, when the X9’s batteries get critically low it automatically shuts off the GPS receiver to reserve enough power to operate time, altimeter/barometer, and compass functions. The X9 won’t let you reactivate the GPS again until the battery is charged so you will be without a GPS for the duration of the trip.

You can use a cigarette lighter adapter or put a 9-volt battery in the charging cradle to charge the X9 just prior to going into the field. This at least gives you the maximum charge before venturing forth. You might even want to top off the battery after completing its initial setup at the trail head.

Finally, if you absolutely need to leave a bread crumb trail to track back on, or if there is a possibility of whiteout, night navigation, or similar difficult situation where you may need to navigate with your unit continually on, the X9 may not be a good choice for your trip.

Compass and Altimeter/Barometer Performance

No surprises here. Suunto has been producing top quality wrist mounted compass and altimeter units for years. They are standard issue equipment for adventure racers. The X9 improves on this level of performance with a new tri-axial compass. You calibrate the compass in two planes, horizontal and vertical. When done, the tri-axial compass will operate at up to a 30° angle, eliminating the task of holding older wrist mounted units exactly level to get an accurate compass reading.

Computer Interface and Software

Stand-alone data manipulation on the X9 is time consuming and difficult. Most data manipulation of the unit is best done via computer. For the time being, data transfer to and from the X9 is limited to Suunto’s proprietary Trek Manager Software. The Trek Manager Software will allow you to download and view field data (altitude, time, distance, etc.) stored in the X9 and therefore would be a good training aid to adventure racers or others who want detailed outdoor performance data for a day’s outing.

In our estimation, Suunto’s Trek Manager is not a serious piece of backcountry mapping software. The Trek Manager Software does not have good North American maps, or any sort of easily loaded maps for that matter. The only way you can import maps is as a scanned file (e.g. Bit Map, JPEG, or GIF files) that you manually calibrate. This is a time consuming pain. To date, major mapping software like National Geographic’s Topo! does not support data exchange with the X9. According to Suunto, the only solution is to create routes and waypoints in third party mapping software (e.g. Topo!), export this as an intermediate text file, and import the text file into Sunnto’s Trek Manager software before finally downloading route and waypoint data to the X9. We called National Geographic and they estimate a beta Topo! to X9 data interface sometime late summer to early fall 2004.

Display

The X9 has a black and white, 74 x 84 pixel, LCD display. The pixel based display is much more flexible for presenting varied types of information, large characters, small characters and even graphics, than the fixed bar displays used on most watches and wrist navigation units like the Suunto Vector. The X9 displays much of its information in large, easily read characters. We found the contrast and viewing angles were reasonable to read the display from full daylight to dusk. The backlight is very bright and can be viewed even in the shade.

The X9’s LCD has more contrast and is sharper than Suunto Vector’s bar character display. This and the large characters make the X9’s display more pleasant to view and easier to read than the Vector’s. Compared to the Vector, the X9’s pixel based display presents more information in a more easily read format. As mentioned before, the X9’s display is smaller than handheld GPS units and shows less information per screen.

Value

The X9 can hardly be considered a bargain. It is an elite piece of gear for the committed minimalist who is an expert navigator and can spare $700 dollars for a GPS. The X9 is lighter than handhelds, and being wrist mounted it provides continuously readable navigation information. The X9 lists for $523 more than Garmin’s Geko 301 which is easier to use, has more functionality, and weights only 0.7 oz (20 g) more. One could even argue that if you want many of your features wrist mounted, the combination of a Geko 201 along with a wrist mounted navigation unit like a Suunto Vector provides more functionality for a lot less money. This combination while a bit heavier provides more function, battery life, and usability.

Recommendations for Improvement:

We think the X9 is a remarkable step forward in outdoor navigation. It took some superb engineering to get a functional GPS down to this size. Nonetheless, we’d like to see some improvements.

• The most important step is to improve battery life for extended backcountry trips where you can’t recharge the batteries. The most obvious solution is to allow for in-field battery replacement. In our estimation, the X9 does not have enough battery power for situations like whiteout or emergency night navigation, one of the primary reasons you’d bring a GPS.
• We’d also like to see acquisition times improved on the X9. We don’t know how Suunto would go about improving this – antenna performance, receiver performance and/or firmware improvements? But for the time being, the X9 is slower than handheld units especially in poor reception areas or when it has been off for a while.
• Any improvements to GPS acquisition in difficult reception areas would be useful too. Hikers in dense woods or those of us addicted to the canyons of the Southwest would be grateful.
• Suunto should upgrade their firmware to recognize the user selected datum when in UTM mode and not revert to WGS 84 datum as the unit currently does. Not supporting both UTM coordinates and the NAS 27 datum is a significant problem with almost all USGS topographic maps. For the time being you’re stuck using a less useful degree based coordinate system or making the mental 0.14 miles (220 m) adjustment in you head. Or you could just scale your UTM grid marks 0.14 miles (220 m) to the north.
• Unlink the Activity Log from needing to get a GPS fix. Right now it is irritating to wait 15+ minutes to get an initial GPS fix so you can start an Activity Log, especially when you aren’t planning on using the GPS functions of the X9.
• Anything Suunto can do to make the X9’s menus more intuitive and easier to navigate would be a huge boon to users. It would be nice to mark a waypoint without having to menu down five levels and press 19 buttons. Managing and editing waypoints could be a lot easier.
• The X9’s buttons are hard to push. While you’re certainly not going to activate a button by accident, buttons which depress with 1/3 to 1/2 half the effort would be appreciated.

Introduction

The Katahdin and its smaller but otherwise identical counterpart, the Pamola (not tested), have a shoulder strap, hipbelt combination that are more highly padded, with a greater range of adjustability, than found in most ultralight frameless packs.This suspension system combined with top, middle, and bottom compression straps create a pack capable of comfortably carrying 20 pounds (9.1 kg) for the average user. The three compression straps are the keys to the pack’s versatility and to creating a virtual frame. Unlike the side panel only compression straps on most packs, the Katahdin’s compression straps wrap all the way around the back of the pack giving them a much greater range of compression. The Katahdin is one of a few ultralight packs to use a bottom compression strap, giving it an advantage in creating a virtual frame with very low volume loads. As load weight and volume shrink during a trip, or when the pack is used for a day hike from camp, the compression straps collapse pack volume into a small solid unit retaining both fit and carry comfort. The pack has a number of harness adjustments including an adjustable hipbelt height to fine-tune it for torso length.

The Katahdin could use more outside pocket storage space. Its two wing pockets are small and usable for only small items, and the lower mesh pockets are normally occupied by water bottles. Users may find themselves delving into the main pack bag during the day for commonly used items.

While the Katahdin is durable enough for typical trail hiking, it is not suitable for abusive off-trail travel or climbing. It lacks axe loops, durable fabric, and a top compression strap to stow a rope.

Specifications

• Backpack Style – frameless, top loading, drawstring closure, no top compression strap
• Fabric Description – body is 1.3 oz/yd² (44 g/m²) silicone impregnated ripstop nylon; bottom and wings are 200 denier PU coated ripstop nylon; back panel is stiff nylon mesh; water bottle pockets are nylon mesh.
• Sizes – size large (tested) is the Katahdin, and fits torsos 19-22 inches (48-56 cm); size medium is the Pamola, and fits torsos 15-19 inches (38-48 cm).
• Volume – Katahdin 3350 ci (55 L); Pamola 2475 ci (40.6 L).
• Weight – 26.1 oz (740 g) as measured for the Katahdin (manufacturer claims weight is 26 oz (737 g) for the Katahdin and 24 oz (680 g) for the Pamola)
• Volume to Weight Ratio – 128 ci/oz (based on 3350 ci Katahdin and a measured weight of 26.1 oz)
• Load Carrying Capacity – 20 lb (9.1 kg) maximum comfortable load carrying capacity with 25 lb (11.4 kg) maximum tolerable. Equinox claims maximum load for the Katahdin is 35 lb (15.9 kg), and comfortable load is 25-30 lb (11.4-13.6 kg).
• Carry Load to Pack Weight Performance Ratio – 12.3 (based on 20 lbs and a measured weight of 26.1 oz)
• MSRP – $110 US

Features

Frame and Suspension – 3.0

The Katahdin’s three full-wrap compression straps and padded, adjustable harness extend its load carrying capabilities without the use of stays. The top, bottom, and middle compression straps are the keys to the pack’s versatility and to creating a virtual frame. Unlike the side panel only compression straps on most packs, the Katahdin’s compression straps wrap all the way around the back of the pack giving them a much greater range of compression. The Katahdin is one of a few ultralight packs to use a bottom compression strap, giving it an advantage in creating a virtual frame with very low volume loads. The “framesheet” is no more than a piece of stiff nylon mesh that is also the back of the pack’s main compartment and adds little if anything to the pack’s rigidity and virtual frame. The wearer creates a “virtual frame” with a ground pad rolled into a cylinder inside the pack, and by tightening the three prominent compression straps to compress and stiffen the pack’s contents. Alternatively, you can place a folded ground pad inside the pack against the back panel to increase the stiffness of the pack.

The Katahdin’s shoulder straps and hipbelt have more padding than is typically found on frameless ultralight packs. The shoulder harness consists of 0.5 inch (13 mm) EVA foam contoured shoulder straps with load lifter straps at the top, an adjustable sternum strap, and length adjuster straps at the bottom. Without a top compression strap on the pack, we found it difficult to get enough compression in the top of the pack to effectively use the load lifter straps.

The hipbelt is wide and well padded (4 in/10 cm wide by 0.75 in/19 mm thick EVA foam with a softer padding on the outer surface). The hipbelt has a hook and loop attachment to the pack, making it adjustable for torso length (a nice feature not seem in many ultralight packs). It’s also removable. Removing the hipbelt reduces pack weight by 7 ounces (198 g) bringing the total weight of the pack to 19.1 oz (541 g). Since we received our pack for review, Equinox has upgraded the hipbelt and lower back panel on the Katahdin and Pamola to CoolMax fabric. Equinox claims that this reduces hipbelt slip and improves moisture management.

Usable Features and Ease of Use – 2.5

This pack has a limited amount of outside pocket space for frequently used items. There are a total of four pockets: two upper zippered pockets on the compression strap wings, and two mesh pockets on the lower side panels. The wing pockets are small, oddly-shaped, and useful only for small items. They are not easily accessed when under tension by the compression straps and not accessible while wearing the pack. The water bottle pockets are large enough to accommodate a 2-liter round bottle. It’s difficult to insert a flexible bottle like a Platypus because the corners catch on the mesh (trimming the sharp edges of the bladder at a light angle fixes this). With the pack on, our long-armed tester could barely remove and replace a 1-liter bottle from the side pockets. The Katahdin lacks a large rear mesh pocket for drying gear and/or miscellaneous items. It’s possible to store wet gear under the compression straps, but there is still no place to put miscellaneous items to which you need ready access.

The compression straps have fast-snap connectors in the middle for easy release. The dangling strap ends look untidy, but are very functional for securely tightening the compression straps from two directions. The Katahdin’s flat bottom creates a more stable base than is normally found with frameless packs helping it to remain upright when placed on the ground. There is no top pocket. Access to the pack’s contents is through a top drawstring opening. There is no compression strap going over the top of the pack. This both makes compressing the upper pack impossible, and eliminates the ability to store additional items on top of the pack. There is no hydration sleeve or tube port. The pack has a haul loop, but no ice axe loop or daisy chain. Our tester found that back perspiration was quickly transmitted through the stiff nylon mesh to the interior of the pack. For this reason, the gear selected to go against this mesh back panel should be either packed in a water resistant stuff sack or capable of tolerating moisture from sweat.

The Katahdin is suited for on-trail hiking, but is less suitable for peak bagging and climbing. It does not have ice axe/tool loops; there are minimal attachment points on the outside to attach climbing hardware or ropes; and the 1.3 oz/yd² (44g/m²) silicone impregnated ripstop nylon used in much of the pack is not up to abusive off-trail travel and climbing.

Load Volume Flexibility – 4.5

The Katahdin’s three compression straps wrap all the way around the pack, giving it a much greater range of compression than most ultralight backpacks. Furthermore, the Katahdin is one of only a few ultralight packs to use a bottom compression strap, giving it an advantage over most packs to control very low volume loads. The compression system effectively keeps the pack collapsed and solid as load volume decreases during a trip. It also maintains the pack’s virtual frame, allowing it to transfer weight to the hips even with very low volume loads. The Katahdin also works well as a “day hike from camp” pack because of the compression system’s ability to keep the pack solid (we placed a sleeping pad inside to provide some stiffness). Our only complaint is the pack’s lack of a top compression strap.

Field Performance

Pack Load Carrying – 3.0

We tested the Katahdin with loads ranging from 40 pounds (18.1 kg) down to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) in 5-pound (2.3 kg) increments. We used both a Therm-a-Rest Prolite ¾ inflatable (folded into four layers) and a ¾ Ridge Rest (folded into five layers). In both cases the sleeping pad was placed inside the main pack bag, against the back panel. The folded Ridge Rest pad gave the pack more rigidity and better weight transfer than the folded Therm-a-Rest.

Equinox claims that this pack will carry a maximum load of 35 pounds (15.9 kg). In our estimation, 20 pounds (9.1 kg) is the maximum comfortable load and 25 pounds (11.4 kg) is the maximum tolerable load for the Katahdin.

With the Therm-a-Rest pad, torso collapse occurred around 20 to 25 pounds (9.1 to 11.3 kg). With a folded ¾ Ridge Rest pad against the back panel our reviewer found 25 pounds (11.3 kg) was a reasonable load if he carefully packed the Katahdin. In this mode the pack transferred about 75% of the weight to his hips and about 25% of the weight to his shoulders and chest. The Katahdin showed similar performance in our “Frameless Backpacks: Engineering Analysis of the Load Carrying Performance of Selected Lightweight Packs” article.

Overall, we found that for the average user, a 20 pound (9.1 kg) load is an honest comfortable load rating for the Katahdin when properly packed with a rolled or folded foam ground pad inside the pack. Going beyond the 20 pound (9 kg) maximum load capacity depends on: 1) packing the pack properly by using a very rigid ground pad like a Ridge Rest, and sufficiently compressing the pack; and 2) how much weight you can comfortably tolerate on your shoulders. Those who tolerate some weight on their shoulders may find our 20-pound rating conservative, as the well-padded shoulder straps on the Katahdin ameliorate some discomfort of increased shoulder weight.

Durability – 3.0

In our testing the Katahdin withstood the normal scrapes and dings of trail backpacking although we did get some minor abrasions on the silnylon. While the main compartment is 1.3 ounce silnylon and is vulnerable to abrasion and punctures, it is protected on the bottom and sides by 200 denier ripstop nylon. Still, the bottom sides, and the entire rear and top of the pack are unprotected silnylon. As such, the Katahdin is probably not up to aggressive off-trail use, peak bagging or climbing. All seams are double stitched with a webbing seam binding, and all stress points are bar-tacked. The side pockets are made of a heavy nylon mesh that should survive moderate bushwhacking.

Value – 3.0

At $110, the Katahdin is a slightly better than average value for a lightweight frameless backpack. Its greatest strength is its versatility of handling different volume loads from daypack size to maximum capacity for long distance trips and cold weather trips. It has a large number of adjustments to properly fit the user and above average padded shoulder straps and hipbelt. If the pack had adequate outside pocket space for convenient access to frequently used gear, and if it were a bit more durable, it would earn a higher rating.

Recommendations for Improvement

A feature we really missed when testing this pack is a large outside mesh pocket to dry gear or to keep maps, rainwear, and other routinely accessed items handy. Overall the pack needs more outside pocket space. A full height mesh pocket on one side would help. Also, the compression strap wings could double as stay pockets, where tent poles or trekking poles could be inserted to create a rigid suspension. This would involve removing the somewhat unusable top zippered pockets, and adding an entry point at the top of the compression strap wings to accept the longer items. We’d also like to see a compression strap over the top of the pack for a more secure top closure, to improve the load lifter strap performance, to allow storage of bulky items, and of course to facilitate better compression at the top of the pack.