New Kelty External Frame Packs

[Axel J]

The Zyro

From  an Outside article

The frame resembles the 50th Anniversary pack? No weight specs that I could find but I’m guessing over 3 pounds.

[Link .]

sorry wrong pack I saw listed.

[Tipi Walter]

It does look a little like the 50th Anniversary—in that you really can’t see the frame unless you study it carefully.  Here’s my old 50th as worn by my backpacking buddy Hootyhoo—

 

[jscott]

I’d like to see a picture of a smaller size. And the specs. The thing is…externals carry bear canisters very well.

[Iago Vazquez]

https://www.the-house.com/ke5zyp38brp19zz-kelty-backpacks-bags.html?gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=CjwKCAiAwJTjBRBhEiwA56V7q46Smz2JPjTZNAMo3uU59dSfQs5iJgNnb407MEHpyLk8auGb8OOewhoCo70QAvD_BwE

[Iago Vazquez]

https://www.the-house.com/ke5zyro58bp19zz-kelty-backpacks-bags.html?gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=CjwKCAiAwJTjBRBhEiwA56V7q6gFQ5IuvDayvw6q-Z-Wrt2-6A3s8kijvnZ8H9NdC9ApgXDU77jtUBoCTWsQAvD_BwE

[Todd Stough]

They look like nice packs, typical Kelty weight from what I see on other sites.  I have to confess I don’t understand what difference the external vs internal frame makes in this case.  Does putting the frame on the outside of the fabric vs inside the fabric make any difference at all?  The stays on my kelty are in the back panel.  If I remove the covering is it now external frame?

[Tipi Walter]

The Kelty 50th has an actual tube frame just like their old Kelty external frames—except in this case the large frame is hidden by fabric (and the frame uses smaller diameter tubes). There are no stays in the 50th pack.

[Ian]

That’s really cool.   I used both Kelty and Jansport external framed backpacks as a kid.   I always thought Jansport packs were more comfortable than Kelty but Kelty’s legacy has lived on and you don’t hear too many (any?) people reminiscing about their Jansport packs.

 

[Dale Wambaugh]

The published weight I found for the Zyros is 4 pounds 3 ounces. The published weight for the Osprey Exos (interesting name similarity) is 2 pounds 7 ounces and a similar design. REI has put out some Flash packs with a bit of tubing visible too. The internal/external frame debate on this level is a  tomato/tomahto difference.

So the Kelty is using a feature laden heavy material design with a tubing frame. Why bother?

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