Hyperlite Mountain Gear Porter 4400 Backpack Review

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Some ultralight backpackers have developed an unquenchable fetish for packs that are measured in ounces, seemingly with no regard at all to what the pack has offered with respect to durability, comfort, or aesthetic design.

Small manufacturers continue to feed this small market. The market for such packs may exist for several reasons. Perhaps some users are overly simplistic about their gear requirements, and they only desire to meet some arbitrary weight specification (e.g., "I know this guy..." - ahem). Perhaps some customers lack sufficient education and experience about lightweight backpacking and assume that lighter is always better. Others might be living out their narcissistic tendencies (c'mon, you know we all have them) on the internet by drawing attention to our gear lists and the latest and greatest gear that they own and you don't. Maybe some hikers just don't carry that much weight - ever - and thus never have an opportunity to tax their backpack. Regardless, a market for "SUL" gear remains, however small or large it is. What this really means is that there may be significant opportunity to design gear based on ultralight principles at a much higher standard of performance, for only a little bit of extra weight. We believe that the Porter and Expedition packs are targeting this objective.

The Porter 4400 is built using the same Cuben Fiber/Nylon hybrid material as the their other packs. They have been designed with additional padding in the shoulder straps and hipbelt, as well as stiffer aluminum stays compared to the smaller Windrider. It has also been built without external pockets on the body or hipbelt in favor of more modular daisy chains. This allows the user to attach their own pockets or lash on gear as necessary, and in order to maintain the pack body's high water resistance, the interior face of the daisy chains has been taped. Three different sizes are available in the Porter pack line, and this review focuses on the largest "expedition" model (the "4400").

ARTICLE OUTLINE

Preface
Volume Measurement
Usability Considerations - External Gear Storage
Considerations for Women
Test Hikes at Short Duration, High Intensity
Frame Collapse and Maximum Comfortable Load Carrying Capacity Assessment
Long Term Durability
Conclusion

# WORDS: 6400
# PHOTOS: 9

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Viewing 23 posts - 26 through 48 (of 48 total)

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Jan 24, 2013 at 9:06 pm #1947025

Ryan Jordan
Admin

@ryan
Locale: Central Rockies

@Tom:

Doh, busted!

Don't hold it against me :)

I've learned a lot over the years. One of the major shifts I've made, especially as I've worn out more and more gear, is that I'm tired of wearing out gear.

I really like that there are more durable options than the old Whisper. Poor girl just didn't have any seam strength, they wear out quick.

Nice conversation piece, though, and while I used it, it gave me a lot of opportunity to tell people about what UL was all about.

But my style has changed through the years and I'm carrying quite a bit more bulk now than then – packrafting gear, photo/video gear, and I most often travel with others in a group style, so we have group gear to share, like big shelters and big pots.

Jan 25, 2013 at 6:22 am #1947104

James Marco
BPL Member

@jamesdmarco
Locale: Finger Lakes

A good review, Ryan.

I think that the seam failures you are seeing on the pack are related to the strength and type of the fabric. It appears that the seam is OK, but the fabric is tearing around the "score" line of the stitching.

The actual attachment (be it a seam, patch, strap etc) will always be a weak point in any sewing. Where you let multiple stresses build up in a single area, THIS is where a failure will occur. In this case the seam, a compression strap sewn into it, and it is used to hold a paddle: Seam + Compression + Mounting. Coupled with walking/movement and stresses from the inside (applied, perhaps, a bit unevenly,) this becomes a predictable point of failure. Lengthening the strap over the seam would eliminate this type of failure, in this case. Seperating the stress points is the same as distributing the load over an increased stitching area, in effect, strengthening the seam and strap/mount area with more stitching per inch and more fabric per ft/lb of stress applied.

The waist belt is a different problem. All of the above applies, but is accentuated by the "Figure 8" motion of the hips. As you walk, your balance shifts from left to right. The seam stress will roll from left to right, too…following your hips. With independent stays, (such as with the Porter or older Miniposa/Mariposa,) or with flexible internal frames (like the old Ghost,) this is pretty much accommodated by fabric movement. Both stretching, wrinkling and slipping contribute to following the natural walking motion of your hips. As weights increase, you find rigid frames need less rigid mount points to accommodate this. (My old training pack uses a 1/4" magnesium frame w/buckles to mount the waist belt. I think Gregory used large diameter rivets to accomplish this hip following.) I believe you have hit about the limit (with current technology) at 40-45 pound weight handling with rigidly mounted waist belts. I would expect seam failures for anything more. Your occasional "bail outs" for altitude ailing clients probably stressed these well beyond the 40-45 pound range, and, repeatedly with each step… Both types have their uses.

But I agree, this appears to be a good light weight pack, though the newer ones are 31.1oz, per their web site. I would miss the two lower pockets, though. My drinks have a permanent place there.

The water resistance looks really good to me. Spending as much time canoeing through the ADK's as hiking, I can really appreciate a highly water resistant, and, one that does not absorb water. My boat, paddle, spray deck and PFD weigh a bit more than 22 pounds. But rafting 300 miles, mostly across lakes, and other still waters through the Fish Creek Ponds/St Regis areas really precludes a pack-raft. Water is an inevitable companion.

Coupled with Phil’s review, Roman Dial’s and Andrew Skerka’s comments, this is one well reviewed pack.

Jan 26, 2013 at 9:28 pm #1947567

Travis Leanna
BPL Member

@t-l
Locale: Wisconsin

Will the 3400 handle similar weights in the 40-45 lb range?

Apr 29, 2013 at 4:02 am #1981480

Benjamin Moryson
BPL Member

@hrxxl
Locale: Germany

He Travis,

I have the 3400 Porter and the pack handles a weight of 40-45 pounds without any problem. Tested it several times.

I also wrote some notes about this pack.
http://hrxxlight.com/?p=1856

Jan 10, 2014 at 7:26 am #2062137

Andrei Tudor
BPL Member

@andrei_tudor

How would you carry a wet tarp in a pack with no external pockets?

Jan 10, 2014 at 7:33 am #2062141

Eugene Smith
BPL Member

@eugeneius
Locale: Nuevo Mexico

You lash it to the outside of the pack using cordage and the vertical daisy chains, and/or secure it to the top of the pack using the Y-strap.

Jan 10, 2014 at 7:36 am #2062144

Andrei Tudor
BPL Member

@andrei_tudor

Doesn't that defeat the purpose of not having external pockets? I thought the whole idea was that you don't have stuff that's hanging out.

Jan 10, 2014 at 8:14 am #2062151

Greg Mihalik
Spectator

@greg23
Locale: Colorado

Andrei,
Did you read the section on "The No-Pocket Controversy" in the review?

In some cases it matters, and in others, it doesn't.

HYOH and YMMV apply here.

Jan 10, 2014 at 8:22 am #2062153

Greg Mihalik
Spectator

@greg23
Locale: Colorado

"The frame being limber enough (or bendable enough) to accommodate the more pronounced longitudinal lumbar curvature of a woman’s lower back in the lumbar-butt area…"

"Longitudinal" rolls off the tongue nicely, but I think the curvature is more "latitudinal".

Jan 10, 2014 at 8:28 am #2062154

Andrei Tudor
BPL Member

@andrei_tudor

I did. I asked the question hoping that there would be a good way of storing the shelter inside that I just hadn't thought of, because I really like the pack otherwise. The section only discusses the design decision from a convenience point of view, which is not so much of a concern for me, whereas carrying a wet shelter inside the pack, in my view, poses some "functional" risks. I still think people like Ryan, who seem carry all of their stuff inside (for very good reason), must have found a solution to this problem, and I would just like to know what that solution is. The only thing I can think of is to pack all the sensitive stuff in waterproof stuff sacks, but that seems somewhat inefficient, since the pack itself is waterproof.

Jan 10, 2014 at 8:32 am #2062158

Greg Mihalik
Spectator

@greg23
Locale: Colorado

I'm a "pocket guy".

Fuel, wet gear, food for the day, "personal kit", spare clothes, stakes, water bottle, and more are all on the outside. I try to never open the main body of the pack during the day…to much risk For Me to leave something behind, not to mention trying to find that wind shell.

My wet tent goes under a lid (gasp) until I can dry it out. Then it goes back inside, on the top of everything else, because I want to be able to get to it first at night.

"Clean" is appealing, but I'm with Skurka on this one.

Jan 10, 2014 at 8:36 am #2062160

Andrei Tudor
BPL Member

@andrei_tudor

I am too, currently. But I would like to become a "clean" guy, if I can figure it out :).

Jan 10, 2014 at 9:31 am #2062188

David Chenault
BPL Member

@davec
Locale: Queen City, MT

Waterproof packs are only waterproof until (not if) they get a hole in them.

Jan 10, 2014 at 9:41 am #2062195

Jerry Adams
BPL Member

@retiredjerry
Locale: Oregon and Washington

Oh good, a "no pockets" thread. : )

I have no pockets and waterproof pack.

I keep wet tarp in 1 gallon zip top bag. Occasionally it leaks a bit but it's near bottom and anything below it is in a waterproof bag too.

I have a strap on top of pack, for compression, and occasionally strap wet tarp or jacket on top of pack held on by strap. Sometimes, it's so the wet jacket will dry out, more than keep pack contents from getting wet. If I'm packing in the rain, I'll probably pack up under tarp, close up pack, take down tarp, and strap it on top of pack, thus keeping contents of pack dry.

Jan 10, 2014 at 9:51 am #2062198

Andrei Tudor
BPL Member

@andrei_tudor

Thanks for all the replies, I have a better picture now of what a "clean" pack actually entails.

Jan 10, 2014 at 12:29 pm #2062245

Philip Tschersich
BPL Member

@philip-ak
Locale: Kodiak Alaska

I asked HMG a query via email but they are a bit slow in responding, so I'll ask it here too….

I have seen HMG's recommended pack fit procedure, but I was wondering about back panel lengths between pack sizes. I have seen a small Southwest pack, a medium Ice pack, and medium Porter 4400 in person. The small SW had a distance of 18" from the shoulder strap attachment point to the bottom of the hip belt/lumbar pad. The same measurement on the medium Porter was 20". Is it safe to assume this back panel length measurement increases by 2" as you go up in pack size (i.e., the large would be 22" and the tall would be 24")? Does someone have a size large or tall handy they could hold a tape measure to? The stock hip belts and lumbar pads are all ~4" tall, I assume.

Was there an upcharge for customization (an extra strap sewn on, or making a modular hip belt-lumbar interface)?

TIA

Jan 14, 2014 at 9:45 am #2063233

Ivan Dominguez
BPL Member

@idtejera
Locale: Canary Islands

I am a new owner of the HMG 4400 Porter, but I talked to Mike for him to make a modification. Mike designed a pocket mesh in the front. For me it is important to keep the wet stuff out on a pocket mesh, but also the Daisy chains are importants where I can tie more things in my trips with Packraft.

Some pictures:

Regards
Ivan Dominguez.
http://www.planetapackraft.com

Jan 14, 2014 at 11:25 am #2063259

Andrei Tudor
BPL Member

@andrei_tudor

It looks good. How come your pack is black? Did you dye it yourself, or is this a new option from HMG?

Jan 14, 2014 at 12:06 pm #2063276

Dale Wambaugh
BPL Member

@dwambaugh
Locale: Pacific Northwest

A mesh front panel pocket really adds a lot of volume and utility for little weight. I stow my sit pad and rain gear, ready for instant use without opening my pack and pawing through everything. I do like having a buckle at the top.

Jan 14, 2014 at 4:46 pm #2063355

Greg Mihalik
Spectator

@greg23
Locale: Colorado

The No-Pocket Controversy

"For me, perhaps, I grew up toting around single compartment rucks with nothing more than ice axe loops and the occasional top lid (which I often cut off, finding that it interfered with the ability to secure a bunch of gear under the climbing rope strap). I’m a huge fan of this very simple and aesthetically clean approach to wilderness packing." RJ

So you guys aren't to only ones with a new pocket…

Chase Jordan likes them too.

Ripped from Winter Cabineering, by RJ

Jan 15, 2014 at 3:21 pm #2063571

Ivan Dominguez
BPL Member

@idtejera
Locale: Canary Islands

The black color is an option you can to ask HMG, this will be available soon on its website.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/551761391818669289/
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=82057
http://hikeventures.com/gear-review-hmg-porter-4400-black/

The black cuben is stronger but is 10% more expensive

HMG has the option of pocket stuff but I think that the mesh fits better on my necessities because is more simple, less weight and I always use it in my trips.

Cheers

Jan 15, 2014 at 3:30 pm #2063574

Philip Tschersich
BPL Member

@philip-ak
Locale: Kodiak Alaska

To answer my own question, I am posting the response I got from HMG on the distance between the top shoulder strap attachment point and the lower edge of the lumbar pad/hip belt:

Med – 20 1/4"
Lg – 22 1/2"
Tall – 23 1/2"

Jan 15, 2014 at 8:16 pm #2063677

Billy Ray
Spectator

@rosyfinch
Locale: the mountains

I have a black pack and hate the color. Not because I don't like the color black; but because a black pack makes it harder to find things inside. Especially in a low light situation. Or in a bright light situation for that matter.

Billy
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