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 climbing. Whereas it’s loaded with exterior pockets so you possibly can attain every thing you want in the course of the day with out having to cease and take off the backpack, its most revolutionary function is its vest-style shoulder strap system and becoming methodology.
When you’ve had issue discovering a vest-style pack that feels snug when loaded, I’d encourage you to strive the Cutaway pack which is obtainable in numerous shoulder strap lengths and could be adjusted for vast or slim torsos. Relating to vest-style packs, the standard methodology of utilizing torso size to suit a frameless backpack simply doesn’t minimize it. Vest-style shoulder straps, that are worn larger and tighter than typical backpack straps, require a distinct 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
- Kind: 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 appropriate: No
- Max really useful 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 aspect pockets. The great thing about this exterior wraparound pocket is which you could stuff numerous clothes and meals into and attain it whereas carrying the backpack, so that you don’t must waste time taking it off and rooting via the principle compartment to seek out issues when you’re climbing. When you’re used to packing most of your gear inside your pack, you’ll in all probability wish to alter your packing type a bit to take full benefit of the Cutaway.
The exterior wraparound pocket additionally has a small inside pocket on the prime, principally a shelf, the place you possibly can stow small objects that you really want shut at hand, however aren’t used as ceaselessly 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 most important compartment has a definite tapered form that’s 12″ vast on the base and 13″ vast on the level the place the hybrid vest-style shoulder straps connect. It has an extended extension collar so you possibly can match numerous in a single day gear and meals inside it 31L-35L quantity (relying on pack measurement) offered that you simply hold 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 end in a tough fold within the materials which degrades with heavy use.
The pack bag is minimize from a single piece of cloth and closed with two aspect seams to extend its water resistance. Made with Extremely 200, which is a extremely abrasion-resistant and waterproof cloth, the Cutaway’s seams are taped, in order that the pack received’t leak or soak up 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 objects from making dry ones moist when packed collectively.
Whilst you can stow water bottles into the edges of the wraparound pocket as on a standard 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 feel 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 goal. 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 could be additionally used to retailer different bulkier objects 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 objects and the higher two even have plastic snaps and webbing loops if you wish to cling an merchandise or third occasion accent pocket from them. I exploit the center pockets to retailer an inReach Mini 2 and my iPhone, however haven’t actually discovered an excellent use but for the higher pocket, which is inverted (as in the wrong way up.)
The straps are actually snug and made with a tender 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 advantageous stretch mesh that doesn’t catch on exterior objects and dries shortly when moist.
The Cutaway has non-obligatory exterior pad straps to carry a foam sit or sleep pad towards 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 exploit a 4-panel Therm-a-Relaxation Zlite with mine (20″ torso size) but it surely does require a number of inches of trimming to stay under the highest shoulder strap attachment level.
When becoming a pad to the pack, you wish to be sure 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 possibly can 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 aspect opening which could be harder to entry if the aspect pockets comprise heavier objects that cling down and block entry.
Vest-Type 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’ll be able to examine this extra on Nashville’s sizing web page. They write,
“Please observe these steps when taking your strap measurement:
- Get up straight along with your again towards the wall.
- Discover the bottom of your sternum and picture a horizontal line touring throughout your rib cage. Probably 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 strain on the backside of the straps by urgent down with the aspect of your thumbs. This could assist you to decide probably the most pure/snug place for the underside of the straps to trip.
- 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 identical top as the highest of your shoulder.”
Completely different folks have chest girths and chest heights along with totally different torso lengths and these measurements are designed to accommodate that. For instance, many of the vest-style straps I’ve used up to now have match me poorly as a result of they’re not designed for vast torsos, vast shoulders, or longer torso lengths. I can solely think about what difficulties girls have with these one-size-fits-all vest-style straps!
Along with getting the precise size, Nashville has devised a system the place it’s simple to place the straps extra extensively or narrowly on the pack. As an alternative 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 under.
The sternum straps (2) use an analogous 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} unfastened 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, largely unfastened, with a minimal variety of drawstring stuff sacks which can be simple to squeeze the air out of.
I carry quite a lot of 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 positively not for meals or trash, as a result of I don’t need my pack to scent like meals. I actually 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 the case of strapping cumbersome gear to its exterior. However I do get pleasure from carrying it once I’m simply out to hike and never making an attempt to combine in some multi-sport or off-trail actions.
When totally loaded with 25 lbs, the load is surprisingly simple to hold despite the fact that the Cutaway is frameless and the load rests completely on my higher torso. I don’t really feel any strain 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 cloth 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 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 possibly can tailor it on your wants. The Cutaway has a most really useful carry of 20-25 lbs, so that you’ll wish to pare down your gear record to the naked minimal for the best consolation. Whereas the pack design is optimized for thru-hikers who wish 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 prospects 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 methods. When you’ve been taking a look at vest-style packs, I’d encourage you to present 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 evaluation.
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