Vargo Ti-Arc pack with Cuben Fiber

Thanks, I was waiting for that.

— Minimum waist size 30" — is a novel constraint.

It's actually 1lb, 15oz and not 18.4 oz.

The volume is small and the maximum load is only 30 pounds.

I'm not impressed.

–B.G.–

The enclosed volume is small because the bottom 1/3 of the pack is open. Overall this looks equivalent to about a 50L pack.
The main attraction for me was the idea of strapping a large bear canister externally across the bottom there. Easier packing & access. It seems a much better solution than having your canister sitting on your sleeping bag with stuff arranged around it.

The 30lb weight constraint is a worry. I wonder if that reflects a concern about the strength of the Ti frame?

I don't think it is the strength of the Ti frame, but maybe when the load weight makes the suspension becomes uncomfortable. It would be cool to see the frame in carbon fiber, that should shed a more ounces. Too bad they left off the zipper side pockets that are on their non-cuben pack.

i like this pack and see a place for it but not crazy about the mesh side pockets, i can foresee repairing them often, from snags and such

I wonder what the weight of the frame and straps are alone, minus the bag? How much might the frame cost if they sold it separately? Imagine the kinds of bags Chris Zimmer could build for it? I am sure Chris could get a bag well over 3000 cu in on that frame. It would be interesting to see how much the weight limit could be pushed and how comfortable it rides at 30lbs. It just might carry 30lbs. well. I am doubtful a truly external frame in carbon fiber would last.

The frame looks cool. It's tough to judge over the web, but this frame design could have promise. The bag is a mismatch though. Not durable enough compared to the frame. The only real use for cuben that light in the context of packs is for a short lifespan SUL pack.

Forgive me for not wanting to re-type everything here at BPL and upload all the photos to BPL… but I thought some of you might be interested in my *initial* thoughts on this pack, after having used it a bit.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.296526060471224.1073741852.180971708693327&type=3&notif_t=like

All in all, so far, a very cool and exciting backpack to use and play around with. I could see some serious modifications, as I get the time, to this backpack… mostly around different ways to hang gear from the frame.

More “old school meets new school” development within the cottage industry. Love it!

John,

While Vargo is a relatively small gear company.they are certainly NOT a "COTTAGE" gear maker. Period.

They are an agressive deigner/narketer of foreign made products sold through large outdoor retail outlets, no different than MSR.GSI etc ..

Comparing Vargo to true cottage makers like MLD,Zpacks,ULA,Katabatic. etc is simply wrong.

Edward: I wonder what the weight of the frame and straps are alone, minus the bag?

I do not have a hanging scale, so I could not get a 100% accurate weight, but from my table top scale, it is fluctuating right at the 770 gram (27 oz) mark.

Imagine the kinds of bags Chris Zimmer could build for it?

That is kind of along the lines of what I am thinking… I already keep 95%+ of my gear in drybags, so just finding ways to attach them to the frame is on my to-do-list at some point.

Why carry double the weight (drybags + compartment fabric), eh.

Obviously along the lines of the luxurylite stackpack in concept/use.

Frame seems very solid.

Abela:
Any feeling yet for what the max "comfortable" TPW might be?
I totally agree with your idea of using the frame as a base for modding…
Very interesting,

John H:

Nope, but give me an hour and I will load it up with as much water and ice as I can stuff into it, jump on the scale, and go for a meander, and get back to ya.

update: alrighty, here ya go John. I apologize for the crappy video… it was really dark when I shot the first part inside my house. If you don’t care to watch the video… basically I loaded it up with 38.6 pounds TPW and took it for a couple miles around my neighborhood – more than far enough to get a sense of how it rides. It did very well, probably the second best pack I have for weights of this level, after the SMD Fusion 65, which I have had almost double this weight inside of and didn’t struggle with it. Even with the vargo pack loaded up in what should have been a really unbalanced manner I did not have any tilt/lean/pull issues on my short meander.

Nice video. I will be interested to read your long-term use thoughts when available.

I scored a Ti-Arc frame direct from Vargo and am going to build an Xpac packbag for it. Wheee!

P.S. a question for you.you arc owners. Does the too front curved bar remove from the frame? Or is it welded/set in place? Hard to tell from pictures. I sure hope it comes off.

Vargo sells their ti-arc frame with suspension harness for $225 without the pack bag.

They will not sell the frame by itself to cottage gear makers for making custom bags. An individual has to buy the frame direct from vargo and then have someone build a packbag for it. Conflict of interest was cited for them to deny selling me frames alone at cost.

C'est la vie

Does the too front curved bar remove from the frame? Or is it welded/set in place?

Nathan, man I am sorry for the delayed response… BPL email notifications SUCK!! I only happened to click on this post by mistake and saw your comment. The curved bar at the bottom is part of the entire frame, you'd have to burn/cut it off to get it off the frame. I will say, my biggest complaint (and one of the very few I have) is the curves on the bottom and the high points on the top. They seem to be catching on things… and when it comes to most of the gear in my pack… as you well know, this ultralight fabric tends to not like things that catch and likes to poke holes. It really is my hope that the next generation (if there even is one) has some thought put into it on how to resolve this issue. But beyond that, yeah, great little exo-frame. I still want to find somebody to make some waterproof cylinder bags like the luxerylite stackpack. Just stake 4 or 5 waterproof bags on to this frame.