Gear Review: Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Southwest Pack
I am going come out and say this right now: I absolutely love the Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Southwest Pack. I carried this backpack for the entirety of my Appalachian Trail hike and I couldn’t imagine doing it with anything else. It’s lightweight design and waterproof cuben fiber material made it perfect for the challenges I faced on the trail. Even in the worst types of weather the inside of pack would remain dry-no pack cover needed.
Specs:
Taken from the Hyperlite Mountain Gear website:
Weight: 1.79 lbs | 28.6 oz | 811g (White) 1.92 lbs | 30.7 oz | 870g (Black) Load capacity: 20 – 40 lbs Materials: Body: 50D Cuben/Polyester Hybrid for white version Body: 150D Cuben/Polyester Hybrid for black version Bottom: Double reinforced 150D Cuben/Polyester Hybrid External Pockets: Dyeema® Hardline Volume: Interior: 2400 cu. in. (40L) External: 600 cu. in. (9.8L) Center pocket: 300 cu. in. Side pockets: 150 cu. in. Dimensions: Top Circumference: 37.5” (95.3cm) Bottom Circumference: 33.5” (85.1cm) Height (fully unrolled): 30” (76.2cm) Back Width: 10.5” (26.7cm) |
The thing that immediately jumps out is it’s weight compared to backpacks from the more mainstream gear companies. Cuben Fiber is a superior material that is becoming more and more popular in the backpacking world for being lightweight and waterproof. It’s 40 liter capacity and large pockets give you ample space for all your packing needs.
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Waterproof
- Durability-had no damage throughout the entire hike
- Volume
Cons:
- Some slight water leakage through the bottom. Easily solved by placing a small size, unopened trash bag to line the bottom.
- Can feel a bit swampy with your back against the cuben fiber while hiking.
- Relatively low load capacity-but if you are investing in cuben fiber gear you shouldn’t be carrying that much weight anyways.
The Verdict:
Well, I pretty much already gave my feelings on this pack away in the first sentence. It’s a great pack. Though, it’s not cheap at $285, it is comparable to what you would be spending on the heavier, non-waterproof mainstream backpacks on the market. I found it extremely durable, comfortable to wear, and that fact that your stuff will never get wet is a huge plus. You can get it in two colors: white and black. However, the black design is 2.1 ounces heavier than the white design.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear is a company that specializes in ultralight backpacking equipment and any aspiring thru-hiker should definitely take a look at their line of products. You can view the pack here.
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