The Nashville Packs Cutaway Backpack is a 40L frameless rolltop pack that’s a dream to hold for ultralight backpacking, thru-hiking, and even day mountain climbing. Whereas it’s loaded with exterior pockets so you’ll be able to attain the whole lot you want in the course of the day with out having to cease and take off the backpack, its most modern function is its vest-style shoulder strap system and becoming methodology.
In the event you’ve had problem discovering a vest-style pack that feels snug when loaded, I’d encourage you to strive the Cutaway pack which is accessible in several shoulder strap lengths and may be adjusted for extensive or slender torsos. Relating to vest-style packs, the standard technique of utilizing torso size to suit a frameless backpack simply doesn’t reduce it. Vest-style shoulder straps, that are worn increased and tighter than typical backpack straps, require a unique becoming methodology that takes under consideration chest girth and size just like the one which Nashville Packs has pioneered.
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Mannequin Reviewed
- Sort: Frameless
- Shoulder Straps: Vest-style, S-shaped
- Weight: 16 oz (together with hybrid vest straps)
- Quantity: 31-35L (closed storage) 10L open storage
- Torso size: 20″
- Strap size: 19″
- Pockets: 8
- Hydration suitable: No
- Max really helpful load: 25 lbs
- Materials: Extremely 200 (additionally accessible in UltraGrid), Dyneema Stretch Mesh
- Seam-Taped/Waterproof Cloth: Sure
- Beat Canister Compatibility: a BV425 and BV450 match horizontally, whereas a BV475 and BV500 match vertically.
- Choices:
- Pad attachment straps
- Backside pocket
- Hip belt (detachable webbing)
- For full specs and choices, go to Nashville Packs
Backpack Storage
The Nashville Packs Cutaway is an ultralight-style pack with a roll-top closure, a prime Y strap, and a entrance mesh pocket that runs from the edges of the pack constantly across the entrance, so there aren’t any distinct facet pockets. The great thing about this exterior wraparound pocket is you could stuff loads of clothes and meals into and attain it whereas carrying the backpack, so that you don’t need to waste time taking it off and rooting via the principle compartment to seek out issues whilst you’re mountain climbing. In the event you’re used to packing most of your gear inside your pack, you’ll in all probability need to alter your packing type a bit to take full benefit of the Cutaway.
The exterior wraparound pocket additionally has a small inner pocket on the prime, principally a shelf, the place you’ll be able to stow small gadgets that you really want shut at hand, however aren’t used as incessantly like a water filter, a tent stake bag, PLB, solar tan lotion or bug dope bottle. It’s a really good organizational function.
The Cutaway’s fundamental compartment has a definite tapered form that’s 12″ extensive on the base and 13″ extensive on the level the place the hybrid vest-style shoulder straps connect. It has an extended extension collar so you’ll be able to match various in a single day gear and meals inside it 31L-35L quantity (relying on pack dimension) offered that you just maintain it as compact and minimal as attainable. The highest of the pack closes with blue snaps as an alternative of velcro or a stiffener: the snaps give the highest higher sturdiness and don’t lead to a tough fold within the materials which degrades with heavy use.
The pack bag is reduce from a single piece of cloth and closed with two facet seams to extend its water resistance. Made with Extremely 200, which is a extremely abrasion-resistant and waterproof material, the Cutaway’s seams are taped, in order that the pack gained’t leak or take in water in drenching rain (a cheaper UltraGrid mannequin can be accessible). Nonetheless, there’s nonetheless utility in packing your gear inside with a water-proof pack liner or plastic bag, if solely to maintain moist gadgets from making dry ones moist when packed collectively.
When you can stow water bottles into the edges of the wraparound pocket as on a traditional backpack, they have a tendency to fall over towards the middle of the exterior mesh pocket if the principle compartment isn’t packed full. I believe it’s extra appropriate, on this pack, to slip your bottles into the bottom pocket on the vest-style shoulder straps that are designed for that function. I’ve discovered 20-23 oz bottles work finest for me and are probably the most snug though bigger bottles will match. Additionally they assist counter-balance the load of the principle compartment when carried on this method.
The shoulder straps have three pockets every: the water bottle pocket, which may be additionally used to retailer different bulkier gadgets like a digital camera, and two stretch mesh pockets above that so you will have a complete of six pockets on the shoulder straps alone. The decrease two pockets have drawstrings and cordlocks to safe gadgets and the higher two even have plastic snaps and webbing loops if you wish to hold an merchandise or third social gathering accent pocket from them. I take advantage of the center pockets to retailer an inReach Mini 2 and my iPhone, however haven’t actually discovered a very good use but for the higher pocket, which is inverted (as in the wrong way up.)
The straps are actually snug and made with a delicate wicking air mesh that conforms to your curves with out feeling stiff. I’m fairly impressed by how snug they’re, even when the pack is loaded. The outside pockets are made with a superb stretch mesh that doesn’t catch on exterior objects and dries rapidly when moist.
The Cutaway has optionally available exterior pad straps to carry a foam sit or sleep pad in opposition to the again panel. I discovered that the Cutaway barrels when stuffed and having a foam pad as a again panel makes it much less noticeable. I take advantage of a 4-panel Therm-a-Relaxation Zlite with mine (20″ torso size) nevertheless it does require a number of inches of trimming to stay beneath the highest shoulder strap attachment level.
When becoming a pad to the pack, you need to make sure that the underside stuff pocket on the base of the pack remains to be accessible as a result of its solely opening is behind your butt. This pocket is nice for holding gloves or a hat, a minimalist rain shell, or snacks. The underside pocket is open on the base of the sit-pad however sealed closed on the opposite sides so you’ll be able to stuff or retrieve hats, gloves, or meals, once more with out stopping. Different packs, such because the Mountainsmith Zerk 40 or the Hyperlite Unbound 40 have a facet opening which may be harder to entry if the facet pockets comprise heavier gadgets that hold down and block entry.
Vest-Fashion Straps
Once you order vest-style straps from Nashville Packs, they’ve a singular means of measuring the size of the straps you want. You may examine this extra on Nashville’s sizing web page. They write,
“Please observe these steps when taking your strap measurement:
- Get up straight together with your again in opposition to the wall.
- Discover the bottom of your sternum and picture a horizontal line touring throughout your rib cage. Essentially the most snug place for the underside of your straps ought to fall inside an inch or two of this line.
- Simulate the road of stress on the backside of the straps by urgent down with the facet of your thumbs. This could allow you to decide probably the most pure/snug place for the underside of the straps to experience.
- With a measuring tape or string, measure from this level up over the center of your shoulder (following the trail the strap will take), and to the wall behind you on the similar top as the highest of your shoulder.”
Totally different folks have chest girths and chest heights along with completely different torso lengths and these measurements are designed to accommodate that. For instance, a lot of the vest-style straps I’ve used to this point have match me poorly as a result of they’re not designed for extensive torsos, extensive shoulders, or longer torso lengths. I can solely think about what difficulties ladies have with these one-size-fits-all vest-style straps!
Along with getting the appropriate size, Nashville has devised a system the place it’s simple to place the straps extra broadly or narrowly on the pack. As a substitute of being sewn to the pack bag, the vest-style straps are connected to a daisy chain that spans the width of the pack. Both sides of the vest is secured with three small webbing straps, as depicted beneath.
The sternum straps (2) use an identical daisy chain becoming mechanism, letting you take away one and even add extra if that’s what you like.
Packing/Gear Choice
I’ve discovered {that a} free packing type works finest with the Cutaway to fill the amount within the pack and stabilize the load. I begin by packing a hoodless down quilt first and stuffing it within the backside of the pack inside a trash compactor bag earlier than piling the remainder of my gear and meals on prime, principally free, with a minimal variety of drawstring stuff sacks which are simple to squeeze the air out of.
I carry numerous odds and ends within the vest, together with a smartphone, inReach mini 2, meals bars, and water bottles. The wrap-around mesh pocket holds my rain gear, tent stakes, bug dope, solar tan lotion, water filter, reservoir, my lunch, and something that’s moist within the morning like my prepare dinner pot or tent. I don’t actually use the underside stretch pocket that a lot, and undoubtedly not for meals or trash, as a result of I don’t need my pack to odor like meals. I truthfully don’t want the additional storage.
One space the place I’ve discovered the Cutaway missing is when carrying lengthy skinny objects like an umbrella or Tenkara fishing rods. The pack is fairly weak in relation to strapping cumbersome gear to its exterior. However I do take pleasure in carrying it after I’m simply out to hike and never making an attempt to combine in some multi-sport or off-trail actions.
When absolutely loaded with 25 lbs, the load is surprisingly simple to hold regardless that the Cutaway is frameless and the load rests totally on my higher torso. I don’t really feel any stress on prime of my shoulders or collarbone in any respect. The load rides near my core and I barely discover it in any respect. The vest material is tremendous breathable and doesn’t make me sweat or chafe. It’s actually fairly outstanding given the entire lackluster experiences I’ve had with vest-style shoulder straps on different mountain climbing and operating packs.
Advice
The Nashville Packs Cutaway is a 40L frameless backpack that’s designed for ultralight backpacking. It’s accessible in a variety of various materials and modular options so you’ll be able to tailor it to your wants. The Cutaway has a most really helpful carry of 20-25 lbs, so that you’ll need to pare down your gear listing to the naked minimal for the best consolation. Whereas the pack design is optimized for thru-hikers who need to crush miles all day lengthy, common backpackers and even day hikers can profit from carrying the Cutaway.
However that factor that units Nashville Packs aside for my part is the methodology they use to suit clients that takes under consideration chest girth and chest top along with torso size. It is a actual innovation that units them other than different backpack producers that supply vest-style suspension techniques. In the event you’ve been vest-style packs, I’d encourage you to offer the Cutaway a strive. I’ve been fairly impressed with the standard of the product, its match, and its ease of use.
Disclosure: Nashville Packs donated a backpack for overview.
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