FTRE CUSTOM SUMMIT PACKS
OUR GEAR COMES FROM THE BEST IN THE INDUSTRY, COMPANIES THAT PUSH WHAT MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION METHODS CAN DO. WE PRESENT THEM WITH ENDLESS BIZARRE AND RADICAL IDEAS TO SOLVE PARTS OF OUR TRIPS, BUT SOMETIMES WE FIND THE LIMITS OF WHAT THEY WILL DO, THEY FIND THE LIMITS OF THEIR PATIENCE WITH US, AND A CONSERVATIVE CLIMBING SCENE – WELL WE FOUND THE LIMITS WITH THAT IN THE 1990s. WE CONSIDER ALL THIS A GOOD THING AND A SIGN THAT WE HAVE TO INNOVATE.
THANKFULLY WE HAVE THAT OPTION WITH A PROTOTYPING COMPANY, CHHOGORI APPLICATIONS, WHO HAVE FAST EVOLUTION AND SMALL PRODUCTION SO CAN DO TWEAKS AND ENTERTAIN WEIRD IDEAS. WE RESPECT OUR PARTNER COMPANIES, AND KNOW THERE WILL BE TIMES TIMES WHEN WHAT WE ARE AFTER IS TOO SMALL IN VOLUME, TOO WEIRD THE SPECS, TO TWISTED THE GRAPHICS AND TOO SPECIALIZED AN APPLICATION, BUT NO ONE CAN HOLD BACK EVOLUTION SO IN THESE TIMES WE ENGAGE CONCEPT PROTOTYPING FOR SMALL PRODUCTION STUFF THAT NEEDS A MILLION DETAILS COVERED (MORE ON CHHOGORI COMING SOON).
THE LATEST THING WE CAN TELL YOU ABOUT ARE OUR NEW SUMMIT PACKS, MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR HIGH AND COLD TRIPS. THESE ARE TRUE SUMMIT PACKS, MADE FOR THE TIMES WHEN EVERY SINGLE GRAM MATTERS, TO BE USED IN VERY HARD CONDITIONS, WITH ALL THE SPECIAL GEAR. CONCEPT SPECS ARE TO CARRY 2 DAYS WORTH OF STUFF, TO BE VERY EASY TO HANDLE, TO BE HIGHLY VISIBLE AND TO BE AS LIGHT AS POSSIBLE.
NOW, LOTS OF PRODUCERS WILL TELL YOU THEY COVER ALL THAT BUT THEY DON’T. WE KNOW BECAUSE WE’VE TRIED A LOT OF THEM, AND HEARD EVERY EXCUSE AS TO WHY WHAT WE WANT DOESN’T/CAN’T/WON’T EXIST. WE HAVE NO PATIENCE FOR THIS SORT OF THINKING, SOMETHING SHARED BY CHHOGORI APPLICATIONS, SO AFTER 9 WEEKS IN TIBET, AT ALTITUDE, IN WINTER, REFINING WHAT WORKS, WE PUT WHEELS IN MOTION TO PRODUCE WHAT YOU SEE HERE.
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THE NUMBERS
50L
<100g
6kg MAX. LOAD
100% WATERPROOF MATERIALS
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UP TO THE LOWER DRAW CLOSURE IS 35L, FULLY EXTENDED IT’S 50L. THE ELLIPTICAL BASE AND WIDE STRAPS KEEPS THIS FROM FEELING LIKE A HUGE DRY BAG WHEN WORN. THEY SIT LOW AND SQUAT.
YES, THAT SAYS <100g, MAKING THESE THE LIGHTEST SERIOUS PACKS AVAILABLE, CERTAINLY AT THE VOLUME. THEY ABSORB NO MOISTURE SO DON’T GET ANY HEAVIER.
6kg IS ABOUT MAXIMUM WHAT A SOLO CLIMBER MIGHT CARRY ON A 2 DAY SUMMIT FORAY, ie FOOD/FLUIDS, STOVE/GAS, SLEEPING BAG/BIVY, ROPE. SHARED IN A TEAM IT WILL BE MUCH LESS.
MADE TOTALLY FROM DYNEEMA OTHER THAN THE FOAM IN THE STRAPS. FULLY SEAMTAPED, BUT AS IT’S NOT A ROLLTOP IT’S NOT WATERPROOF LIKE A DRY BAG.
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THE INITIATIVE
TRUE SUMMIT PACKS ARE NOT MADE ANYMORE, AND THIS ANNOYS US. 8000m CLIMBING DOESN’T NEED THEM 99% OF THE TIME, AND MOST OTHER HIGH ALTITUDE PEAKS ARE CLIMBED FROM WELL KNOWN APPROACHES AND WITH MULTIPLE ROTATIONS THAT DON’T USUALLY DEMAND LOTS OF TIME ON SUMMIT PUSHES. OUR TRIPS DON’T WORK THIS WAY, AND HALF OF WHAT IRKS US IS THAT THE MATERIALS AVAILABLE TODAY ACTUALLY MAKE THIS SORT OF THING MORE DOABLE THAN EVER.
THESE ARE MADE TO CARRY THE INSULATION THAT GOES WITH HIGH SUMMITS, SO OVERLOAD A LOT YET REMAIN STABLE ON THE BACK. THE VOLUME ALLOWS FOR STUFFING THINGS IN EASILY AND DUAL DRAW CLOSURES CREATE SPACE OPTIONS AND KEEP THE LOAD LOW. WE USED SALOMON LACE LOCKS SO THE DRAW CORDS WON’T CREEP, MEANING YOU CAN CINCH DOWN WITH A LOT OF FORCE TO COMPRESS GEAR WITH NO PARANOIA ABOUT THINGS LOOSENING THAT CAN DEMAND BACK UP KNOTS. STRAPS ALLOW FOR ALL THE BULK OF DOWN CLOTHING, AND THE BASE IS FLAT SO SITS WELL.
WE GOT SICK OF SLICING STUFF OFF, SO THERE ARE NO EXTERNAL ATTACHMENTS AS IT’S EXPECTED YOU WILL BE WEARING THINGS LIKE CRAMPONS AND CARRYING TOOLS. THERE IS NO LID, NO INTERNAL POCKET, NO BIVY PAD AND NO HYDRATION SLEEVE, – ALL THINGS YOU CAN EITHER ADD, WORK AROUND, OR PRIORITIZE OTHER THINGS OVER.
THE STRAPS ARE REAL CCF, QUITE RIGID AND WITH GREAT FORM, NOT SOME WIMPY THINGS THAT COLLAPSE, BUT ARE MADE TO CARRY REAL WEIGHT AND NOT TWIST AND FLIP.
THESE SUMMIT PACKS CERTAINLY DO NOT REPLACE LARGE APPROACH PACKS OR EVEN TECHNICAL MID SIZED PACKS, BEING MADE 100% FOR THE JOB OF GETTING YOU UP AND BACK IN THE MOST DEMANDING ENVIRONMENT. WE LOVE OUR PARBAT PACKS BECAUSE THEY DO THEIR JOB PERFECTLY AND ARE AS ROBUST AS HELL, THESE SUMMIT PACKS DON’T COMPETE THERE, AND ARE FOR A VERY DIFFERENT ROLE.
THESE ARE ALPINE CLIMBING PACKS, MADE TO SIT AWAY FROM A HELMET, ABOVE A HARNESS, WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THE BODY, WITH NOTHING STRAPPED ON THE OUTSIDE, BE HANDLED WITH GLOVES ON AND ALLOW GOOD ARM MOVEMENT. THEY ARE NOT MADE WITH THRU HIKING, BIG APPROACHES, EVERY DAY CARRY (WHATEVER THAT IS) AND ROCK ROUTES WITH A LOT OF GRINDING AND HAULING, AND THOUGH THEY WON’T DISINTERGRATE LIKE SILNYLON PACKS WILL, THEY FIND THEIR LIMITS AROUND 6kg. THEY DO MAKE GOOD CARRY ON BAGS, WHERE 5kg LIMITS CAN BE HALF BAG ALONE. THEY ALSO MAKE GOOD SINGLE-PUSH PACKS FOR RELATIVELY LOW TECH ASCENTS, THAT RELY ON SPEED, CONFIDENCE AND MOVING LIGHT ACROSS COMPLEX TERRAIN. ANYONE WHO WANTS TO PUSH THESE THINGS OUTSIDE THE DESIGN ENVELOPE HAS OUR FULL RESPECT AND ENCOURAGEMENT – JUST DON’T GET UPSET IF YOU FIND LIMITATIONS (SEND PHOTOS THOUGH)
THEY ARE NOT ‘PACKABLE’ PACKS EITHER, MADE FOR SHOPPING OR CARRYING YOUR LONELY PLANET AROUND PARIS. OBVIOUSLY THEY SERVE AS A LARGE STUFF SACK OR PACK LINER, THE UPPER EXTENSION IS LONG ENOUGH TO ROLL AND TIE OFF WITH THE DRAW CORD. THE STRAPS ARE TOO SUBSTANTIAL TO REALLY CRUSH DOWN INTO A POCKET, STILL YOU WILL GET ONE INTO A NALGENE.
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AND OF COURSE THE GRAPHICS.
NOT AS ARBITARY AS IT LOOKS. THESE COLOURS ARE CHOSEN BECAUSE THEY RETAIN FREQUENCY AT DISTANCE AND IN LOW LIGHT, INCLUDING TO BE VIEWED AT 5000m WITH 10X30 BINOS. THE PATTERNS ARE OF COURSE BRANDING, BUT ALSO TO BE ANTI-CAMOUFLAGE, AND AS THE DYNEEMA IS SO TRANSLUCENT, A HEAD TORCH LEFT ON THE INSIDE BECOMES A COLOURED BEACON.
THEN THERE’S THE FACT THAT WE DON’T HAVE TO SELL HUNDREDS, WE HAVE NO INDUSTRY TO EXPLAIN OURSELVES TO, AND WE THOUGHT WHAT THE HELL, WE WILL HAVE WHAT WE WANT. PRINTING ONTO UHMWPE IS QUITE NEW, AND THE PACK WORLD CAN BE EXCEEDINGLY DULL, SO THIS IS A WAY TO LIVEN THINGS UP. NOTE THE FINISHED ONES WILL BE DIFFERENT TO WHAT’S PICTURED, EXPECT WILDER AND BRIGHTER WITH SNOW LEOPARD MOTIFS.
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IN USE THEY WEAR WELL BUT PROBABLY DON’T STRAP ONE TO A HORSE. AS THE DYNEEMA SOFTENS THEY LOSE THE CRINKLE, AND IF YOU PUT A HOLE IN THEM THEY EASILY REPAIR WITH A LARGE CHOICE OF STICKERS OR TAPE. THE STRAPS TOO SOFTEN A BIT BUT NEVER BECOME SQUISHY.
THE MATERIAL IS HIGHLY PUNCTURE PROOF BUT NOTHING SPECIAL WHEN IT COMES TO ABRAISON, THOUGH ANY HOLES WILL NOT GROW AS THE STUFF DOESN’T TEAR. WE USED THE FEWEST SEAMS POSSIBLE SO THERE’S LITTLE TO BURST, AND TAPED THEM WITH MORE DYNEEMA SO THEY ARE ACTUALLY STRONGER THAN THE MAIN FABRIC. WHERE THESE CAN FIND WEAKNESS IS THE BASE EDGE, WHERE IT CAN RUN AGAINST ROCK. IF THIS WORRIES YOU THEN A CIRCLE OF GAFFERS TAPE WILL SORT IT. NOTHING WILL FAIL CATASTROPHICALLY WITHIN EXPECTED USE.
SOON WE WILL RELEASE A BUNCH OF STICKERS THAT DOUBLE AS PATCHES.
THESE ARE MADE WITH ONLY A HANDFULL OF BITS, USING LARGE PATTERN PIECES THAT REQUIRE MINIMAL SEAMS. IT IS MUCH HARDER TO DESIGN PARTS OUT THAN TO ADD STUFF ON AND WORK WITH SMALLER SECTIONS, ESPECIALLY WHEN USING VERY EXPENSIVE MATERIALS THAT DON’T TOLERATE MISTAKES. BEING NONWOVEN IT’S NOT AS EASY AS RESEWING. MAKING THESE REQUIRES VERY CONFIDENT EXECUTION.
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WANT ONE?
WE WILL DO A VERY SMALL SERIES OF THESE, DIRECT FROM CHHOGORI, TO RUN OUT THE MATERIAL WE HAVE. EACH ONE WILL BE SOME VARIATION ON THE GRAPHICS, ALL HIGHLY VISIBLE, AND EACH WILL INCLUDE A DONATION THAT GOES TO SNOW LEOPARD RESEARCH. LIKE EVERY UHMWPE PRODUCTS THERE CAN BE NO RETURNS, THOUGH WE REALLY WANT TO SEE WHERE THESE PACKS GO AND HOW THEY HANDLE OVER TIME. IF WORKMANSHIP FAILS AND YOU CAN’T FIX IT, WE WILL.
THEY ARE NOT CHEAP, AT USD260 BEFORE SHIPPING, BEING MADE AS PROTOS, WITH CUSTOM GRAPHICS, USING HI TECH PATTERNING AND CUTTING, BY PEOPLE WITH DESIGN DEGREES AND HEALTH CARE. IF YOU’RE ON ONE OF OUR TEAMS THERE’S 10% OFF BECAUSE YOU’RE ALREADY HELPING THE SNOW LEOPARDS. AT 100g, SHIPPING WON’T BE MUCH.
IF YOU WANT ONE CONTACT US AND WE WILL ARRANGE IT. COOL OBJECTIVES GETS YOU BUMPED UP THE LIST. EXPECT FAST TURN AROUND.
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