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Chris Zimmer creation “The Eugeneius Pack”
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Home › Forums › Gear Forums › Gear (General) › Chris Zimmer creation “The Eugeneius Pack”
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Aug 27, 2011 at 11:00 am #1278593
I'm still processing how killer this pack came out, I haven't even received it yet but no have no doubts about it's quality upon arrival. Chris Zimmer is a fabric wizard.
A few months back I contacted Chris with my desire for him to build a "do-it-all" tank of a pack, one capable of carrying more gear than typical UL solo stuff, things such as: 2 quilts, larger shelter, pad(s), extra insulation, larger volume pot and stove kit, and camera gear for myself and my two kids. I figure if I'm going to be sherpa on kiddo oriented trips or toting bulkier camera gear I may as well do it comfortably. The main goals of this pack were long term durability and comfort, as well as flexibility in purpose and ease of access. I shifted my thinking some in the design and sketch phase and went with a panel loading concept roughly inspired by the Arcteryx Miura, which is a unique crag pack that has fillets open allowing uninhibited access to pack contents with an innovative drawbridge enclosure, it's a hybrid between a top loading roll top and a panel loader. Confusing? Pics below show the pack opened up fully. This is the most unique aspect of the pack I think.
Overall weight was far in the back of my head when choosing fabrics, durability resounded loudly. I went with a 500 Denier coated Cordura™ Nylon fabric with Dyneema Reinforcement for the high wear/stress areas (pack bottom, side pockets, backpanel, hipbelt) and XPAC for the main pack body and roll top closure (available from Rockywoods). These obviously aren't the lightest fabric options for a pack, but do provide bomber durability at a relatively low weight.
*Details:
– Removable hipbelt (better serve as a travel pack off trail in the future)
– Removable internal stays (load transfer and support)
– Significant compression (control pack load, bulk, and contents)
– Large easily accesible side pockets for additional storage, water tanking, holding tripod, larger shelter, etc.
– Wide contoured shoulder straps (comfort, I find wide cushioned straps are more than enough up to about 20lbs.)
– Overflow storage (rear kangaroo pocket w/ lid and external compression for storing windshell and wet gear)
– Hipbelts (snacks, necessities)
– Fully opening pack body w/ interior compression for ease of access to all contentsChris took my sketches, quacky ideas, and specifications and created a monster, the guy is good. Enough talk, photos below.
Aug 27, 2011 at 11:54 am #1773464Awesome looking pack. I like the fabric choice. I had Chris make me a pack and the shoulder straps are the most comfortable ones I have ever used.
Aug 27, 2011 at 12:15 pm #1773468Very cool pack design Eugene! Chris's craftsmanship and sewing packs is second to none. His finished custom packs are better than the manufactures can offer right now.
TerryAug 27, 2011 at 4:45 pm #1773523Definitely, I have a small day pack made by Chris, the construction is spot on. He's really good at what he does.
Chris sent me renderings of the shoulder straps, that is probably the part of the pack I'm most excited about, nice wide and cushioned.
Aug 27, 2011 at 5:38 pm #1773533Really nice pack. Like how you have it planned out to be a family gear hauler plus a travel pack. From the above it sounds like UL-ness wasn't a primary goal but what are the specs?
Aug 27, 2011 at 6:10 pm #1773535Looks like an Arcteryx RT35. Nice pack.
Aug 27, 2011 at 6:29 pm #1773536@ HK,
Forgot about those details.
Pack came in at 2lb. 9oz. with hipbelt pockets and frame, should be able to bring that down a wee bit after trimming the excess compression length, volume is roughly 3400 ci.
Aug 27, 2011 at 6:34 pm #1773540The Eugeneius Pack by the Pack Genius Chris Zimmer.
Eugene, great ideas and design with, as always, great work from Chris.
Very nice indeed.
Party On,
Newton
Aug 27, 2011 at 7:25 pm #1773550Slick pack man, I like em in black.
Aug 27, 2011 at 9:58 pm #1773572Love the pack, some really cool and clever ideas and some slick construction. A fantastic collaboration.
Aug 27, 2011 at 10:10 pm #1773573What a pack! This looks better than any pack I think I've ever seen before. What did this set you back?
Aug 28, 2011 at 12:45 pm #1773698Incredible craftsmanship and innovative ideas. I really like this pack!
It makes me think of my Mountainsmith Ghost, as interpreted by ULA or some other cottage UL company.
Aug 28, 2011 at 12:56 pm #1773700Except that the Ghost returns in 2012 from Mountainsmith…..
Aug 28, 2011 at 1:31 pm #1773704except the new ghosts and phantom weigh the same two of the old ones…
Aug 28, 2011 at 2:24 pm #1773715Well of course they do.
Aug 28, 2011 at 2:26 pm #1773716Fantastic.
Aug 28, 2011 at 4:48 pm #1773748More kudos to Chris for another great pack, and to Eugene for handing over to Chris some fantastic ideas for a pack. A wonderful collaboration!
Aug 28, 2011 at 5:28 pm #1773755Eugene- nice pack, and you didn't even have to dye it! :)
might of missed it, what's the weight? also what are you looking at for max loads?
Mike
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:22 pm #1773812@ Mike,
Weight according to Chris came in about 2lb. 9oz. w/ both hipbelts, internal stay, full length cording/compression straps. Max loads? Approx. 25-40lbs. (bulky contents, camera stuff, gear for two, etc.)
Aug 29, 2011 at 7:03 am #1773845not bad at all :D
Aug 29, 2011 at 10:59 am #1773930Really beautiful pack!
Sep 8, 2011 at 9:07 pm #1777616All I can say is wow. Awesome pack.
Oct 6, 2011 at 7:11 pm #1787551AnonymousInactive"Except that the Ghost returns in 2012 from Mountainsmith….."
Seriously?? How cool. Will it be the old gray Ghost or the newer bronze one?
Oct 6, 2011 at 9:17 pm #1787589>> What a pack! This looks better than any pack I think I've ever seen before. What did this set you back?
+1 on all of this. Especially the price. Attainable (on par with non-McHale cottage manufacturers)?
Oct 8, 2011 at 4:42 pm #1788150This is the sexiest backpack I've ever seen!
Rugged yet stylish. The features are also fantastic!
Especially in the UL category where the packs are light, functional but really ugly IMO.
I love how the entire bag opens up!
Can you please tell me how much it cost?
Would you mind letting others make the same/ similar design? -
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