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Reviews > Packs > Internal and External Framed Backpacks > JanSport Klamath > Test Report by Jeremy R. Laporte
JAN SPORT KLAMATH
INITIAL REPORT - November 25, 2009
TESTER INFORMATION
I grew up in France by the sea, camping and backpacking for as long as I can remember. Three years ago I moved to Idaho U.S.A. discovering new environments: wilderness, arid lands, forest, mountain, and snow. I also started to learn rock climbing, ice climbing and mountaineering. Because of many contacts I had with the military I thought they had the best gear available but I recently befriended some hikers and became aware of lightweight backpacking. I'm slowly migrating to that style, mostly using hammock during summer and lightweight tents during winter. PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS
Manufacturer: JanSport INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
Upon inspection, I was impressed by the overall quality of the pack. Jansport really paid attention to the details, and I couldn't find any faults. There were no loose threads, uneven seams or fraying at any places on the pack. The zippers seem well made as well, slide without any difficulties and remain straight. Also, each zipper pull has an attached cord so that it's easier to grasp when I'm wearing gloves. I tested the buckles and straps, playing with them multiple times. None of the buckles have broken, and the straps locked well. The backpack's construction seems very thorough, and I'm very excited to take it out this winter because the pack seems solidly built. Going from top to bottom on the Klamath 55, I found a lid pocket attached to the main pack by four buckles and webbing straps. Next there is the front pocket which covers a big part of the front of the pack. On this front pocket is sewn a five-loops daisy chain for clipping additional gear to the pack. At the bottom of the daisy chain there is a tool loop to hold an ice axe or similar tool. Inside the main compartment, I found a yellow pocket for my water bladder. Finally, on each side of the pack at the bottom there is an elastic mesh pocket for a bottle or hiking poles. There are two compression straps on each side of the Klamath 55. These are intended to help compress the pack when it is not stuffed full. In addition to the sternum strap and hip belt there are straps to adjust how close to my body I want to the pack to be: one of them on each shoulder strap and one on each side of the hip belt. The Klamath 55 came with a three cards hang tag. The first card described some of the pack features. The second card briefly described the suspension system with Foamex framesheet and dual aluminum stays. Finally, the third card explained Jansport's lifetime warranty. FEATURES
Here are the pack features from the Jansport website. In addition, I added features that are not mentioned on the site. Dual zippered side gear pockets: Non existent. Although Jansport lists these as a feature of the Klamath 55 on their website, the pack that I received doesn't have dual gear pockets. In fact, the pack in Jansport's product photo doesn't have the dual gear pockets either, so this appears to be a mistake in their product description. Dual water bottle pockets: Those pockets are big enough to hold securely a Nalgene bottle each and are accessible while carrying the pack. Side compression straps: I already mentioned them earlier but they are long enough to still have some remaining length with a full pack so I can secure my hiking poles or similar. Foamex framesheet with dual aluminum stays: The aluminum stays are hidden inside the pack and don't seem accessible. They provide a good rigidity to the pack, and the egg carton foam keeps it comfortable and appears to be designed to encourage air flow. Front storage pocket(s) : There is only one but it is pretty large one and accessible with a zipper on the front side of the pack. The pocket is big enough to fit a light jacket and some additional gear. Daisy chain quick clip points Four point compression straps: Those allow me to adjust how close I want the pack to be from my back. Also the shoulder webbing straps have at the end a loop that make adjusting the straps a bit easier. Zippered sleeping bag compartment with drop-down divider: Non existent Ice axe loop: The loop is located in the middle at the bottom of the pack. Though I don't think the loop is well thought out because to maintain the handle of an ice axe I will need to add something on the daisy chain. Haul loop: Nothing special about it but always handy. Lid compartment: The top pocket is quite big. It is only accessible from the outside with a zipper opening. The pocket can be fully removed to save weight and includes a little plastic clip to hold keys or similar items. I like the way the compartment is secured to the pack because it allows me to carry my sleeping pad under the lead pocket very easily. TRYING IT OUT
The pack has many adjustment points that allow me to cinch the pack for a perfect fit. SUMMARY
My first impression of the Klamath 55 is a well made pack which look promising for multiday backpacking or winter hiking. The construction is solid and the fit great. I'm excited to test it. I'm just a bit disappointed by the weight being 50% more than the one listed. Some features that I was expecting are non existent and the ice axe loop is not well thought out. FIELD LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS
During field testing, I brought with me the Jansport Klamath 55 three different times, but I stayed in the same area: PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
My overall experience with the Klamath 55 is positive. I was very pleased with the fit and performance of the pack. The aluminum stay suspension system does move the pack weight to my hips very well. During each hike I never felt I was having a heavy load on my back. Also my shoulders never got sore after any hikes. Lifting the pack from the ground would remind me of how heavy it was because I would not feel it the moment I fastened the hip belt and adjust the pack. The hip belt is wide and well padded making it very comfortable to wear. The pack is narrow enough that it didn't block my movement even with my hiking pole to keep my balance while snowshoeing, passing through forests where tree branches would slap in my face but not snag on the pack and even climbing over fallen tree trunks. Every time my movement was free and not impaired by the pack on my back. Ventilation: I'm somebody who sweats a lot under certain conditions. Snowshoeing can get my heart up pretty good. Even if I'm getting good at regulating my body temperature in winter by playing with layers, my back still got very humid and the Ventech foam back panel was not enough to prevent it to get wet from perspiration. It's working better than a padding in full contact over my back but still does not provide enough ventilation for me to stay dry. Weather proof: the fabric felt wet when I left the pack in the snow. I always fully protect my stuff inside the pack but the fabric doesn't seem to repel water extremely well. It doesn't rain much in Idaho but the snow did got it wet. Storage space: the pack is narrow but I had no problem fitting all of my gear for my day hikes. Though I'm not sure if the Klamath 55 will be able to carry gear plus food for three day hikes. So I will have to see when the weather warm up to try it on a longer trip. Though I struggled to fit my water bladder. I have a military version with a lid on the drinking tube and I spent over 30 min trying to put the tube through the hole because the hole is right behind the frame of the pack. This picture shows a littler bit how twisted is the drinking tube: Durability: the pack has held up pretty well during the field test period. The padding areas didn't move and are performing correctly. All the seams are in perfect condition and the fabric is not cut despite the fact that I had to break my way through some bushes. SUMMARY
I enjoyed wearing this pack over the past few months. The Klamath 55 carries loads very comfortably. It is rugged and has decent storage capacity even if I'm not sure it would be enough for three days backpacking trips in cold environment. My only complaint is the position of the water bladder tube hole which is not at a convenient place and the fabric which tends to soak water instead of repelling it. LONG-TERM TEST LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS
My work schedule prevented me to get out as much as I wanted. A lot of my days off got canceled and so were a lot of the hiking trips I scheduled. PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
The Jansport Klamath has continued to perform exceptionally well during long-term testing. The frame helped shift the load to my hips and it was comfortable to carry. SUMMARY
Once again the Klamath is a great pack. CONTINUED USE
I will continue to use the Klamath as my multi-day pack because it is the biggest pack I currently have. Though whenever I do a day hike or overnighter I will use a smaller pack. My equipment is not small or light enough to fit everything I need in the Klamath for a trip longer than 3 days. But because most of the backpacking I do is usually 1 to 3 nights long the Klamath will be great as a relatively light weight pack but rugged enough to carry all my gear without me worrying if I'm treating my pack nicely or not. Read more reviews of JanSport gear Read more gear reviews by Jeremy R. Laporte Reviews > Packs > Internal and External Framed Backpacks > JanSport Klamath > Test Report by Jeremy R. Laporte |