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KS Ultralight Gear R-50 Backpack Review


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Home Forums Campfire Editor’s Roundtable KS Ultralight Gear R-50 Backpack Review

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
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  • #3560789
    Adam VanZee
    BPL Member

    @adamvanzee

    Companion forum thread to: KS Ultralight Gear R-50 Backpack Review

    The KS Ultralight R-50 is a backpack designed for a variety of applications including climbing, hiking, and snow sports.

    #3560978
    Mike B
    BPL Member

    @highwarlok

    Locale: Colorado

    Thanks Adam.

    Was there a benefit to the “Joker Hat” closure system over the typical dedicated load lifters?

    #3561033
    James Marco
    BPL Member

    @jamesdmarco

    Locale: Finger Lakes

    It looks OK, from a weight perspective, if still a little heavy. The hip belt padding looks pretty good. Light padding is really the way to go to prevent slipping/movement with straps and belts. But the shoulder harness padding is a bit too heavy. At around .4in this is a bit too heavy with .25 (1/4″) high density foam being about my ideal. After a few days of hiking, pack movement becomes more important to comfort/efficiency than initial paddings. And the narrow shoulder harness (2.6″) would really start bothering me after a hundred miles or so, even though I am well used to packing. I consider a 3″ width to be about the minimum for comfort.

    The “add-on” or modular design of the packs by KS Ultralight is interesting. I like the idea, but it has GOT to raise hell with manufacturing. I am betting they will reduce these, much as ZPacks has, with increased sales volume. In some cases, it will increase weights a lot. Otherwise they hold promise for a true UL/SUL pack (35-40L and <.45kg, or, 20-30L and <.25kg.) Keep on workin’ on it!!

    #3561188
    Gunnar H
    BPL Member

    @qy

    The joker hat closure is an alternative to a dry bag style closure. You just just close the opening with a cord, roll down the top of the bag and and secure with a strap. Like a dry bag style closure but simpler. It is easier to use than the dry bag type but not water tight to the same extent, though it keeps rain away fairly well if not stuffed to the top. I prefer the joker hat style over dry bag style, but I have to use separate drybags for the things I need to keep dry anyway to be prepared for day-long rains, so I don´t really rely on the backpack to be 100% watertight.

    #3561205
    Mike B
    BPL Member

    @highwarlok

    Locale: Colorado

    Gunnar

    I can see where it would be a good closure system, have you used it’s other function as a load lifter?

     

    #3561455
    Adam Kilpatrick
    BPL Member

    @oysters

    Locale: South Australia

    In my experience with a ~40L pack size from KS Ultralight (they are very well made packs by the way…worth getting), the joker hat system works best when the pack is more full. If its underfilled, as the pack is frameless, their function as load lifters is meaningless. Usually if you are underfilled you don’t really need load lifters of course.

    Personally I think I won’t get them again, as if I’m accessing the pack a lot the process of unclipping twice, unrolling, to get something out then doing the reverse is a bit annoying. Though my next pack from them will probably have a frame and dedicated load lifters anyway.

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