The Outside Vitals ShadowLight Carbon 60 is a reasonably priced ($290) ultralight backpack designed for multi-day backpacking and thru-hiking. Weighing 31.5 oz, it’s a rolltop backpack product of Robic nylon with six exterior open pockets for gear storage and an uncommon vertical entrance zipper so you’ll be able to entry gear within the pack with out unrolling the highest. Whereas the pack carries masses fairly comfortably, it’s troublesome to compress its quantity or connect cumbersome gear to the skin, limiting its utility in colder climate or for multi-sport adventures. The sturdiness of the entrance zipper and its lack of waterproofing are additionally factors of concern. In the event you can work round these points, the pack is just not a nasty worth and fairly succesful, although I’d suggest utilizing it in a drier local weather.
Shadowlight Carbon 60 Specs
- Weight: 31.5 oz
- Quantity: 60L
- Gender: Unisex
- Body: Two carbon fiber stays and built-in die-cut foam again padding
- Pockets: 6 on predominant pack, 2 on the hip belt, 1 possibility hydration sleeve inside
- Load Lifters: Sure
- Hydration Prepared: Sure, heart port
- Materials: 100D Robic Nylon w/ 200D Spectra Ripstop; 210D Robic Nylon w/ 400D Spectra Ripstop
- Hydrostatic head: 1500 mm
- Bear canister compatibility: BV450 matches horizontally (BV475 matches horizontally however is almost not possible to get out). BV500 and Wave Grubcan solely match vertically.
- Measurement examined: Common torso, Giant hipbelt.
- For full areas, go to Outside Vitals
The Shadowlight Carbon 60 is an up to date model of the unique Shadowlight 60 Ultralight backpack ($200), which continues to be obtainable. The most important distinction between the packs is the body system. The unique Shadowlight had a single aluminum body stick with an exterior foam sit pad for padding like those used on Gossamer Gear’s backpacks. The brand new Shadowlight Carbon 60 body options two carbon-fiber body stays and a sewn-in die-cut foam again panel. Except for a couple of different minor updates, the 2 packs are primarily an identical.
Backpack Storage and Group
The Outside Vitals ShadowLight is a 60L rolltop backpack with six exterior pockets and two massive hip-belt pockets. The rolltop clips to itself to shut, however can’t be anchored to the edges of the pack, limiting any prime compression. I discovered that the rolltop tends to unravel on the ends, which is problematic if it rains (comparable packs endure from this drawback). A brief Y-strap loops over the rolltop to maintain it safe, however it’s too quick to safe a folding foam pad like a NEMO Switchback, a Therm-a-Relaxation Zlite, or a bear canister on prime of the pack.
Decrease side-pockets
There are 4 open pockets on the edges of the backpack, together with two decrease water bottle pockets and two larger pockets additional up the edges. The water bottle pockets are sized to carry a single Nalgene bottle or two Smartwater bottles, they usually have drain holes on the backside. The tops of the pockets are weakly tensioned with elastic, however not sufficient to maintain bottles from coming out for those who take a tumble. The higher/decrease twin pocket configuration makes it awkward to hold a tall skinny bottle with a water filter connected to the highest – a standard apply with many hikers.
Higher side-pockets
The 2 higher facet pockets are massive sufficient to retailer a range system or different small gadgets, comparable to toiletries, a water filter, and a squeeze reservoir. Whereas having a number of exterior pockets like that is nice for those who like quick access to many gadgets, I’ve bother filling all of them. (There was a time once I carried extra gear externally, although.) Additionally they intervene with including facet compression on the higher half of the pack. To their credit score, Outside Vitals has added two grosgrain loops above every higher pocket so you would string a wire between them to safe cumbersome gear to the facet of the pack if essential.
Entrance mesh pockets
The entrance of the Carbon 60 options two tightly woven tubular stretch-mesh pockets, paying homage to the cylindrical pockets on the basic Jensen backpack now made by Rivendell Mountain Works. Whereas they’re massive sufficient to carry trekking poles or a spare layer for those who stuff them exhausting, there’s no solution to rigidity them closed on prime, they usually depend on gravity to maintain contents in place. I’d far favor one massive mesh entrance pocket, which is what most UL-style packs have, since you don’t should unpack the entire thing to get to gear on the backside.Â
Entrance zipper
There’s an extended vertical two-way zipper between the 2 entrance mesh pockets that gives entry to the backpack’s inside, so that you don’t should undo the rolltop to get stuff out. Whereas it’s useful, you’ll be able to inadvertently put numerous stress on the zipper by overstuffing the backpack, inflicting it to fail, which might be pretty catastrophic on this pack. Zippers are sometimes the weakest level in any piece of out of doors gear and can finally fail in the event that they’re not pampered, cleaned, and lubricated. To mitigate this, Outside Vitals features a second slider on the zipper in case one fails. Regardless, the zipper is just not waterproof, and it leaks if water runs down the entrance of the backpack between the 2 mesh pockets. Whereas switching to a water-proof zipper would assist, it might have been higher to place the zipper horizontally throughout the highest of the mesh pockets or to omit this characteristic altogether.
Backpack Suspension
Along with the brand new carbon fiber stays and die-cut foam again panel, which I touched on above, the Carbon 60 comes with load lifters which might be sewn into the highest of the frame-stay for optimum effectiveness. On the earlier model of the pack, you would alter the angle of the load lifter straps by decreasing their attachment level, however that characteristic has been eliminated on the up to date model. It was admittedly a really superior backpack characteristic that few folks might have comprehended, so it’s in all probability simply as nicely they eliminated it.
The earlier model of the pack additionally had daisy chains sewn to the entrance of the shoulder straps, that are helpful for attaching accent pockets. Sadly, these have additionally been eliminated on the Carbon 60. The shoulder straps are S-shaped, in order that they’ll be extra comfy for ladies, and the sternum strap is straightforward to regulate.
The hipbelt is kind of comfy and offers a superb hip wrap, even on my squarish man hips. It’s additionally obtainable in a number of sizes so you will get a big hip belt with a medium torso pack, which is the configuration I examined for this assessment. It additionally has pull-forward tensioners, so it’s very simple to regulate and get a safe match. The hip belt comes with two massive zippered and solid-faced pockets that may maintain a Smartphone with ease, in addition to snacks and different path ephemera.
Exterior Attachments and Compression
The ShadowLight 60 is fairly weak by way of exterior attachment factors and compression. I like to connect cumbersome gear like fishing rods, moist tents, foam pads, and snowshoes on the outside of my backpack, even when it means rigging up additional cordage to carry it in place. Sadly, you’ll be able to’t try this very simply with the ShadowLight Carbon 60.
Sizing
The ShadowLight 60 is on the market in three torso lengths and hip belt sizes you can combine and match to suit your dimensions if you buy the pack. Whereas Outside Vitals lists torso and hip belt lengths, they suggest utilizing a top and inseam size calculator on their web site to find out which measurement to order. I feel that’s a bit unusual, however it’s what it’s.
Comparable Ultralight Pack with Frames
The Closing Verdict
The Outside Vitals ShadowLight Carbon 60 is a well-priced, light-weight possibility for multi-day backpacking and thru-hiking that performs nicely in carrying consolation and fundamental group. Its up to date carbon-fiber body stays and sewn-in die-cut foam again panel enhance help over the earlier mannequin, and the a number of exterior pockets and huge hip-belt pockets make ceaselessly used gadgets simply accessible. The vertical entrance zipper offers handy entry to the principle compartment, however raises sturdiness and waterproofing considerations that warrant warning.
Restricted prime compression, weak exterior attachment factors, a non-waterproof zipper, and pocket rigidity that gained’t reliably maintain tall bottles all scale back the pack’s versatility for cold-weather layering, moist situations, and multi-sport use the place cumbersome gadgets have to be lashed on the skin. In the event you usually hike in drier climates, keep away from carrying heavy exterior masses, and deal with the entrance zipper fastidiously, the ShadowLight Carbon 60 affords stable worth at its value level. For many who want sturdy exterior attachment, most climate safety, or heavier-duty zippers, a special mannequin might higher go well with these necessities.
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Disclosure: Outside Vitals donated a pack for assessment.
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