SAMAYA MAKE THE BEST MOUNTAINEERING TENTS POSSIBLE, AND HAVE FAST MADE A NAME FOR THEMSELVES WITH SERIOUS CLIMBERS AND PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT MATTERS ON A MOUNTAIN. THEY HAVE COMBINED SPECIALIST MATERIALS WITH INCREDIBLE DESIGN WORK AND WORKMANSHIP THAT HAS TO BE SEEN TO BE BELIEVED, AND NOW EXTEND THAT TO A PACK.
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IT WOULD BE EASY TO SHRUG THIS OFF AS A COMPANY LEVERAGING REPUTATION AND USING UP OFF CUTS TO FILL OUT THEIR RANGE AND MARKET NICHE, BUT THAT WOULD BE WRONG. SAMAYA HAS TREATED THE ULTRA 35 PACK THE SAME WAY THEY HAVE THEIR TENTS, AND GONE GROUND UP WITH DESIGN THAT FOR ALL THE ELEGANCE REALLY DOES PUT FUNCTION FIRST.
THE ULTRA 35 PACK IS THERE EXPRESSEDLY FOR 1 – 2 ASCENTS, CLIMBING WITH A MEDIUM LOAD OF GEAR. IT IS A PURE CLIMBING PACK, WITH NO EFFORT TO FILL ANY OTHER DEMAND, AND IS EXPLICITLY FOR CARRYING AN ALPINE LOAD OF SHELTER, FOOD AND SMALL BITS. 35L IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT AND IT IS MUCH CLOSER TO WHAT IS USUALLY SOLD AS 40-45, AND THE EXTENSION THROAT – ALSO IN DYNEEMA – OVERLOADS IT WELL UNDER THE PREMISE YOU WILL BE WEARING MUCH OF YOUR GEAR.
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THE PACK IS SLIM AND RIDES TIGHT, AND COMES WITH AN ALLOY FRAME IT DOESN’T REALLY NEED, COPING WITH OVERNIGHT LOADS EASILY BASED ON THE FACT IT WILL PROBABLY BE STUFFED TAUGHT. AN ARRAY OF STRAPS AND HELMET HOLDERS COVER THE EXTERIOR, ALL OF WHICH CAN BE DISPENSED WITH, TO MAKE A CLEAN BULLET FOR EASY PASSAGE THAT WON’T SNAG. IT’S BARELY BIG ENOUGH TO WARRENT COMPRESSION, AND BEING DYNEEMA IS SOMEWHAT RIDGID SO DOESN’T FLOP ABOUT, AND ALL CAN BE REPLACED WITH A BIT OF SHOCK CORD THAT WILL HOLD CRAMPONS AND SECURE THE SHAFTS OF TOOLS.
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INITIALLY THE ODD LID, THAT OPENS REARWARDS AND HAS A CLUMSY HOOK SYSTEM, FEELS AWKWARD, BUT WITH USE SHOWS IT’S MERITS AS A WAY TO SECURE ROPES AND STUFF ACROSS THE TOP. THE ROLL TOP THROAT IS A BIT SHORT, BUT AGAIN OK FOR ALPINE CONDITIONS, WHERE BEING WATERPROOF IS A SECONDARY CONCERN OVER FUNCTIONING AS A WAY TO MAKE THE TOP STREAMLINED.
INSIDE THE THING IS SEAM SEALED LIKE THEIR TENTS WHICH MEANS TO THE LEVEL OF A JACKET, SOMETHING ALMOST MENTAL FOR A HIGH DRY ALPINE ENVIRONMENT BUT BEING SAMAYA, THEY DO NOTHING AT LESS THAN 110%.
THE SUSPENSION IS ENOUGH, AND COULD POTENTIALLY BE DISPENSED WITH, AND HAS EXCELLENT PADDING INTEGRITY BEING FAIRLY STIFF AND KEEPING TENSION WELL. SAMAYA HAS PULLED THIS OFF SURPRISINGLY WELL, AS IT’S WHERE MANY PACKS FAIL, AND TAKEN TO THE EROGONOMICS OF SUSPENSION AS WELL AS ANY MAKER WITH DECADES OF PEDIGREE.
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AND DAMN IS IT LIGHT. LIKE THE TENTS, REMOVING NONE OF THE FUNCTION AND ONLY THE EMBELLISHMENTS, THIS THING CAN BE TAKEN DOWN TO ABOUT 450g WHILST STILL FEELING ROBUST AND DURABLE. ABOUT 50 DAYS OF USE SO FAR HAS GIVEN A NICE PATINA OF GUNGE BUT DONE NOTHING TO ABRAID OR EVEN SOFTEN IT, REMINDING US YET AGAIN WHY UHMWPE IS SO DAMN PERFECT IN PACKS.
WHILST ALPINE LUDDITES WILL ALWAYS BE OUR GO TO FOR LARGE, SERIOUS EXPEDITION PACKS SIMPLY BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE DOES WHAT WE NEED, THE SAMAYA ULTRA 35 FILLS A NICE FOR VERY LIGHT FORAYS.