Thoughts on Dan Durston’s new pack

[avi sito]

Selling on Drop.

Looks compelling. Thoughts?

 

[Russ W]

Thoughts? I prepaid last July for this pack and I’ll bet it’s going to be great.  Drop had some manufacturing issues (not Dan’s fault) so I haven’t actually recieved the pack yet..supposed to be mid-June.

I think there are some very positive test reviews but none from the masses yet. Stay tuned….Dan was really creative and the pack seems like an excellent value.

[Kevin Babione]

At just $150 I’m thinking about picking one up for my daughter to try.  It looks great – I’m still unconvinced on the two side pockets:  One traditionally open and the other one closed with a vertical zipper, but that’s certainly not a deal-breaker for me.

[Russ W]

Assuming you’re talking about the shoulder strap pockets, unless the top loading pockets have some stretch or slack, I’ve struggled with my phone or Delorme. I’ll  Dan credit for going outside of the box..maybe it will be an improvement?

[Kevin Babione]

No – If you look at the Dan Durston 40L Pack details, it says “2 large stash pockets on each side for water bottles (one with zippered pocket)”.  I typically put my hydration bladder on one side and keep a 1L Platy in the pocket on the other (to keep my weight fairly balanced side-to-side).  I’m assuming that the zippered pocket would hold a full 1L Platy.

I pulled the trigger and ordered one.  This is a “big” pack year for me – I ordered a new ZPacks Nero two months ago and used it on a trip.  It’s really nice and will be a great pack for me for summer use.  The DD pack will probably be used by one of my daughters when we go, replacing my SMD Starlite or Fusion.  Perhaps I need to put some packs on Gear Swap…

[Russ W]

Ah Kevin…thanks for the clarification.

I checked Drop this morning and it says my pack shipped on the 11th…. waiting with great anticipation!

[BlackHatGuy]

“One traditionally open and the other one closed with a vertical zipper, but that’s certainly not a deal-breaker for me.”

From the pics, it looks like both side pockets can be loaded from the top. One side pocket additionally has a zipper on the side.

[Ken Larson]

https://durstongear.com/product/drop-durston-40l-pack

The Drop/Durston 40L Pack is developed and sold via a partnership with Drop.com. To order, visit their page for the DD40L pack.

AND MORE…………..

Features & Specs
Features / Advantages

Unique “QuickPocket” side pocket provides rapid access to gear
Dual zippered shoulder strap pockets
Dual hipbelt pockets
Dual daisy chains
Removable 3oz aluminum U frame with load lifters
Removable 8mm back pad
Waterproof X-Pac fabrics (VX21, VX07)
Versatile and durable front pocket arrangement
Hydration port
Premium Duraflex hardware
Premium YKK AquaGuard zippers
Specs

Weight: 29.7oz / 842g (S/M) or 30.9 oz / 876 g (M/L)
Stripped Weight: 24.4oz / 692g (S/M) or 25.3 oz / 717g (M/L)
Torso sizing: 15 – 17″ / 38 – 43cm (S/M) or 17 – 20″/43 – 51cm (M/L)
Hipbelt sizing: One size, fits 28 – 48″ / 71 – 122 cm.
Carrying capacity: 40 lbs / 18 kg
Materials

Waterproof X-Pac fabrics (VX21, VX07)
Premium Duraflex hardware
Premium YKK AquaGuard zippers
Dimensions

Unrolled height: 32.5″ / 82 cm (S/M) or 34.5″ / 88cm (M/L)
Top circumference: 34.5″ / 88 cm
Bottom circumference: 30.5″ / 78 cm

[Jolly Green Giant]

I ordered one for my son roughly a year ago and it arrived this morning. Appears to be well-designed and fits him well, but stitching could be better.  Not bad by any stretch, but MLD and others are a step ahead.  We’re looking forward to breaking it in.

[Anonymous]

Until this Rock gets spinning at the proper speed again, there will be lots of scrutiny and eye bending with any product from anywhere and everywhere.  Scary and exciting at the same time.  That being said, I received a shipping notice and look forward to wearing his pack.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

“One traditionally open and the other one closed with a vertical zipper, but that’s certainly not a deal-breaker for me.”

As others have said, both side pockets open from the top. One is a traditional shape, the other is taller and double walled, so it also opens from the top (where a 1L or 2L platy would fit) and from the side (for quickly stashing larger items while on the move). I think that makes for more better (more versatile/capable) arrangement than 2 regular side pockets. Here you’ve got the one regular one for grabbing your drinking bottle, and the other one can hold other liquids more securely (extra water bottle, platypus, fuel bottle, cold soak etc) plus that side zipper gives you on-the-go access to larger items like hats, mitts, etc without taking your pack off, and without the downsides of a bottom pocket (e.g. vulnerable to damage, can lose stuff, doesn’t keep stuff dry).

Shoulder strap pockets are both side zipper access only. Area is larger than it looks because the fabric is folded so phones etc can push out the side. Will fit regular phones easily, and just fit plus sized phones or regular phones w case. Plus sized phones with case would need to go in the zippered side pocket. The zippered shoulder strap pockets hold a phone more securely than an open top (e.g. won’t fall out crawling under a log) and you can use the other one to keep smaller items handy like chapstick, DEET, AquaMira etc.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

Also, packs are sewn at same factory as Osprey. Uses quality materials (XPac), hardware (Duraflex) and zippers (YKK AquaGuard) throughout.

[Kevin Babione]

Thanks all for the explanation of the zippered side pocket – that makes a lot more sense to me.  I couldn’t tell for sure from the photos on Drop.

My pack is scheduled to arrive today – I can’t wait!

[Matthew / BPL]

I’ve been interested in this pack since it was first announced. I think the decision to go with two flat zippered shoulder pockets is unfortunate. It sounds like lots of people will have trouble getting their larger size phones into those pockets and that even moderately size digital cameras won’t fit. Nor will water bottles. They will be disappointed to learn they can’t carry any of the items on their shoulder straps that they might want to and be forced to look elsewhere for a pack.

I think one zippered pocket and one water bottle pocket would have been a better choice that would have worked well for a much larger range of users.

edit: Yes, I know about the zippered left side pocket. That is a location that could be used to secure a camera or other objects that don’t fit into the shoulder straps.

edit 2: Does an InReach Mini fit into the shoulder strap pockets?

[Anonymous]

Ah, but which side gets which pocket.  Personally, I don’t want or use shoulder strap pockets.  I usually hold onto them, probably a habit developed from years of wearing bibs when at work.  But anyway, gotta give the DD pack a thumbs up for design ideas.  I’m mostly looking forward to seeing how the bridged shoulder straps along the top help to spread the load across the shoulder blades and perhaps promote some balance.  I’ve not seen another manufacturer with this feature. I find this pack to be very convertable to suit a users needs.  Thumbs up.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

“I think the decision to go with two flat zippered shoulder pockets is unfortunate. It sounds like lots of people will have trouble getting their larger size phones into those pockets and that even moderately size digital cameras won’t fit. Nor will water bottles. They will be disappointed to learn they can’t carry any of the items on their shoulder straps that they might want to”

Shoulder strap pockets are a tough one because there’s a wide range of stuff people might want to use them for, and different pocket styles work for different things. As you know, the most common approach is top loading pockets, which work pretty well for moderately sized water bottles and okay for phones. I say “pretty well” for water bottles because they still tend to get ejected when you stumble, tend to bounce, and you can’t usually fit bigger water bottles (e.g. 1L). I understand why people like this setup, but I don’t prefer it – especially when getting into off-trail hiking/bushwacking etc when front bottles are more problematic. For fitting phones, I say top loading pockets are “okay” because I don’t like having something as expensive/important as a phone in an open topped pocket where it can fall out when bushwacking or crawling under a log (as has happened to me). Also top loading pockets don’t work at all for smaller items because it’s hard to dig something out of the bottom.  They do work for other medium sized items (e.g. cameras) but then they’re overlapping on the same function as the hipbelt pockets.

Overall, I think top loading shoulder strap pockets make sense if you want to carry bottles with them, and they’re alright if you want to carry a phone and mostly stick to good trails, but otherwise side access is better. Zippered/side access pockets hold a phone much more securely. These ones work for regular sized phones easily. A regular sized phone in a case or a plus size phone will also fit. That’s a bit snug at first but it loosens up with a bit of use. Since this pack can already accommodate medium sized items (hipbelt) and larger items (zippered side pocket), I think it makes sense to have the other shoulder strap pocket also side zipper access because that’s ideal for smaller stuff like AquaMira, Sunscreen, Chapstick etc that can get lost in bigger hipbelt pockets. Also works well for sunglasses. Basic idea is that the shoulder strap/hipbelt/zippered side pocket are intended for small/medium/large stuff respectively. The zippered side pocket in particular is a really nice spot for items like medium-large digital cameras because it’s also quickly accessed, and waterproof.

Anyways, shoulder strap pocket design is a tough one and these won’t be ideal for everyone because different pocket styles work for different things. I think these ones add some nice functionality compared to nearly all competing packs (which don’t have shoulder strap pockets at all) as they hold most phones and keep your small stuff organized, but certainly there are other shoulder strap pocket styles that do other things well like holding bottles, and certainly some people prefer those.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

Also note that if someone does have a bulky phone (e.g. plus sized phone with case and headphones sticking out) that will fit easily in the zippered side pocket, where it is also quickly accessed. So other than people preferring chest mounted water bottles, I don’t think there is anything someone might want quickly accessed but can’t do. Most other packs are limited in that they can’t accommodate as large of quick access items, nor do they work as well for smaller stuff. They usually can only do medium sized stuff in the hipbelt.

If someone does want to do chest mountain water bottles, they would indeed need to look elsewhere but most competing packs don’t have shoulder strap pockets at all (e.g. SWD, Waymark) or they are optional and zippered (HMG).

[Bill in Roswell]

My pack arrived. I gave it a good once over. Everything was to spec., though the double row seam at top of bag wasn’t perfectly parallel, but nothing to worry about. I loaded up 15 lbs and got everything adjusted. Right then a thunderstorm ensued, so give a try later.

I do use shoulder strap pockets. I’m glad there is webbing to attach a waterproof pocket (mainly for my meds) if wanted. I do this on a GG Kumo, no problem. Only “issue” for me is waste belt pockets could have been longer or further forward for easier zipping. But that is minor as my Oprey and Gregory packs have the same issue. It’s totally liveable as is. I appreciate all the thoughtful details that will make this pack easy to live with. Great job, Dan!

[Bill in Roswell]

Upon using on a walk today, the waist belt pockets are fine. No problem!

[Eric Blanche]

I kid you not, I once was out on a lengthy hike when I went to retrieve some water to filter. I bent over to scoop some water when my brand new (less then two weeks old) smart phone slipped itself out of its (older style) mld shoulder pocket and dunked itself into the water, fully submerged.

 

The phone survived but I think that is a good example of why top loading shoulder pockets are not ideal for the (sometimes) absent minded electronics use.

[Russ W]

Received my pack yesterday and was very impressed with form and features. For the price point this is some really good value. My experience with top loading shoulder pockets is that I seem to fight pushing in and pulling out my otterbox encased Galaxy S8…I thought these to be a bit easier. Give Dan bonus points for innovation!

The back space between the pocket and main pack body perfectly and securely accommodated a Tarptent Pro Trail. More slick innovation!

Although not exactly trail tested, I did load it up with about 20 pounds and humped a staircase for 30 minutes this morning. I thought it felt great and can’t wait to take it out for a real spin.

[Matthew / BPL]

Weird. I’ve carried a phone in top loading pockets for hundreds of miles and never had a problem. I’ve used a couple different pockets and they both have shockcord drawstrings with cordlocks. I am meticulous about always cinching the cord.

My issue is more about not being able to carry a bottle up front but it is clear that Dan made a deliberate design decision.

My pack arrives tomorrow. :)

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

I don’t like that dumb flat useless back pocket. Why make a pocket that takes up x number of grams but offers so little space to hold anything when you can make a pocket that takes up the same number of grams that holds more stuff? The back pocket should be something more like what I made for my UD 20 that I bought here recently.

Details: https://imgur.com/a/b39tL6C

[Matthew / BPL]

Good news is you could make something like that for Dan’s pack too.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

“Why make a [front pocket] that takes up x number of grams but offers so little space to hold anything when you can make a pocket that takes up the same number of grams that holds more stuff?”
I’ll explain the rationale here but note that the main function isn’t so much that small pocket but that you can stuff objects behind it (much like your mesh pocket). This is another case of pros and cons, where different styles of pockets work for different objectives. I agree that stretchy mesh front pockets are quite nice because they provide a nice large place to quickly dump pretty much anything without opening/closing the pack. My main complaint with them is durability. Every pack I’ve owned with a mesh front pocket has ended up with substantial tears in it. Some of the stretchier/weaker meshes will develop tears in the first season, while some of the tougher/less stretchy mesh (e.g. HMG) will last much longer but in my experience still ends up getting damaged, where it is very difficult to repair or replace. Tears to external mesh are the #1 reason why I’ve retired nearly every pack I’ve owned.

So the idea here is to offer similar function – arguably more – in a way that is more durable and versatile. By lacing on this flat front pocket with shockcord, you still have the large sketchy area to stuff bulky stuff (e.g. jackets) except the shockcord is more durable and easily replaced. Plus the flat front pocket offers more secure and waterproof storage for smaller items. So large stuff still works similarly while small items go into an area where they are more secure and protected. In practice, instead of tossing a few bars, an InReach, and a jacket into a traditional stretch mesh pocket, you’d stuff the jacket behind the front pocket and the small items inside. So you’re getting similar function with a bit more protection for your gear, and in a way that is more durable and serviceable.

Another upside is that you can remove the front pocket to go even lighter when it’s not needed, or to lace on other gear like snowshoes, or you can rig it up with only shockcord for bulky items only. The downsides of this system are (1) the complete system is a bit heavier than a simple mesh pocket, and (2) there may be medium sized items that don’t work well because they are too small to be securely held by shockcord yet a too bulky for the front pocket (e.g. a large camera, but this would fit well in the zippered side pocket where it’s even more handy).

I like this system because I am tired of mesh front pockets being the first thing to wear out on a pack, but I also recognize that some mesh is pretty good, and not everyone is putting hundreds of days on a pack including bushwhacking, like I expect to. If someone is hiking less and sticking to maintained trails, then they may see little benefit with this setup over a mesh front pocket. If it ends up that most people would prefer the simplicity of a mesh front pocket over the durability/versatility of the current setup, then perhaps I’d change it down the road. I like it, but I see why it’s not for everyone.

“I am meticulous about always cinching the cord.”
Ahh this is probably the key difference. If you can successfully pull that off, then certainly that style works. I aspire to be meticulous about this sort of thing, but I just can’t pull it off. I’ll loosen the cord to take the phone out and then fail to re-cinch about 20% of the time either through simple absentmindedness, or laziness (“why re-cinch when I’m grabbing the phone every 5 minutes and this is just a flat trail”) and then 5 minutes later I’m crawling under a log or refilling a bottle and it’s gone. Of course I could fail to do up the zipper on the side access pockets too, but with the current design, doing up the zipper is kinda part of putting the phone in there because you push it in and do up the zipper to hold it, so need to do up the zipper and quickly get in the habit.

[Author]

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