The Gossamer Gear Skala 38 is a frameless backpack weighing 20.4 oz, that’s completely sized for technical day hikes, quick packing, and journey journey. It’s a roll high pack with eight exterior pockets and a foam sit pad. Whereas it’s similar to one other one among Gossamer Gear’s packs, the G4-20, the Skala is just a few ounces lighter and has extra of a “fastpack” character, with strippable elements and shoulder strap pockets, whereas the G4-20 is extra of a backpacking pack with a non-removable hipbelt. Each have roll-top closures.
- Gender: Unisex
- Quantity: 38L (Pack Physique 30L to horizontal seam, 8L in pockets)
- Weight: 20.4 oz
- Part Breakdown: Pack physique 14.5 oz / 411 g, Quick belt 3.6 oz / 102 g, Sitlight pad 2.3 oz / 64 g
- Pockets: 8
- Torso vary: 18″-21″ (one measurement)
- Closure: Roll-top
- Hydration Suitable: Sure
- Load lifters: No
- Ice Axe Loop and Shaft Holder: Sure
- Max really useful load: 25 lbs, Max load consolation: 20 lbs.
- Supplies: Riptide Ripstop, 100D Recycled Robic Nylon, UHMWPE Stretch Mesh
- Professionals: Ultralight, strippable options, deep facet pockets, glorious shoulder strap pockets
- Cons: Bottles are troublesome to achieve within the facet pockets, hip belt pockets are positioned too far again
Pack Pockets Galore
The Skala 38 is about up like a normal ultralight backpack with a big fundamental compartment, an open entrance mesh pocket, and two deep facet pockets made with strong material with elastic cords alongside the highest seam so you possibly can safe bottles inside. It’s a roll high with buckles that connect with straps alongside the edges of the pack or to at least one one other on high. There’s additionally a zippered pocket on the entrance of the pack over the entrance mesh pocket, which is helpful for holding private gadgets, a map, or journey paperwork.
The primary compartment has a capability of 30L. There’s a very small webbing loop inside it behind the shoulder straps the place you possibly can grasp a hydration reservoir, and two hydration ports above it that come out between the shoulder straps. There’s additionally a triangular drain gap lower into the underside of the primary compartment in case your hydration system springs a leak. Dwelling in moist New England, I’d somewhat have a non-perforated backside to stop moisture from wicking up by means of that gap. Nonetheless, it’s a non-issue should you line your pack with a plastic bag or waterproof packliner.
The Skala 38 has two stretch mesh pockets on the shoulder straps, that are very nice for holding a Smartphone, an inReach Mini 2, or snack bars, with out worry of shedding the contents should you drop the pack and it suggestions over. There are two extra pockets on the quick hip belt, that are made with the identical sturdy mesh, however are very small.
Backpack Suspension
The Skala 38 is a frameless pack, so its construction is primarily outlined by what you pack inside it. Whereas it comes with a sit pad sleeve and a foam sit pad, the pad may be very smooth, and its main perform is to pad your again, to not add load-bearing construction. The sit pad can also be not agency sufficient to stop the pack from barrelling should you overstuff the primary compartment, however that’s simply the character of frameless packs. You’ll be able to mitigate that to a sure extent by changing the Skala sit pad with a much less versatile foam pad, like a cut-down Thermarest Zlite, which ought to assist stiffen issues up. A Zlite can even hold your bum drier should you use it to take a seat on a moist floor as a result of it doesn’t have holes poked by means of it.
The shoulder straps are a cross between a fastpack strap and a daily J-strap, which helps distribute the load over your shoulders and higher chest. I felt they had been spaced just a little farther aside than I like, and that I needed to crank down on the sternum strap to get the match I choose. The within fringe of the straps has a foam strip so that they nonetheless stay snug. You’ll notice that there’s just one sternum strap on the Skala, as an alternative of the 2 or three sternum strap configurations you see on the running-inspired fastpacks that different cottage producers are making.
The hip belt is only a webbing strap with some zippered and padded pockets connected. The pockets are spaced near the pack bag and relaxation on the again of my hips, which is “inconvenient.” However the hip belt is definitely detachable because it’s connected utilizing gatekeeper buckles which are simple to open, take away, or reattach.
Exterior Attachment Factors
The Skala may be very versatile in the case of exterior attachment factors. A webbing strap runs from entrance to again over the roll high that you should use to lash a jacket, a rope, or a foam pad. There are two cord-based facet compression straps over the facet pockets which are nice for securing lengthy gadgets like an umbrella, trekking poles, or Tenkara fishing rods, and eight gear loops across the perimeter of the entrance mesh pocket, which you’ll run wire by means of to connect different gear. Gossamer Gear sells an important shock wire compression set that’s price getting for this objective, even should you don’t purchase one among their packs!.
Comparable ultralight frameless backpacks
Advice
The Gossamer Gear Skala 38 is a frameless ultralight backpack with strippable options that can be utilized for a variety of journey sorts and loadouts from day climbing to ultralight overnights and air journey. It carries very properly so long as your load is comparatively mild and also you don’t attempt to jam an excessive amount of gear into it. The shoulder strap pockets are glorious, and the pack has a superb steadiness between closed inside storage and open exterior storage to maintain your daytime gear simply accessible. When you’re in search of extra of a multi-day backpack on this quantity vary, I’d advocate going with the Gossamer Gear G4-20 (see our overview) as an alternative of the Skala 38, regardless of the overlap of their look.
Disclosure: Gossamer Gear donated a backpack for overview.
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