Product Description
The CiloGear 40B WorkSack
is what the manufacturer calls
a “Lightweight Alpine Day” pack. It is meant
for “Alpine Cragging or serious routes in more
civilized areas”. The WorkSack is a top-loading great-sack
pack (meaning it has no compartments and is accessed
only from the top) with a floating lid.
The WorkSack came to me with nothing in the box but
the pack and two postcards. The product information listed above
came from CiloGear’s easy to navigate web site. The web site also had a link to the instruction manual. The instruction manual is huge and has instructions for fit and various configuration options.
The pack is constructed of an absolute plethora of
materials. The bottom of the main pack is made of Dimension
Polyant VX51. This is 500x1000d Cordura laminated in
a five-ply sandwich with Dacron X-Pac for rip resistance
and structural stability.
The top of the side panels are made of Dyneema 500d
ripstop. The bottom of the side panels are made of Dimension Polyant VX51. The Dyneema is the white grid pattern
on the black fabric on the sides, lid, crampon pocket, back, and portions of the inside of the pack.
The middle of the center panel is made of Dimension Polyant VX42, and the sides are constructed of Dimension Polyant VX21.
The lid is made from Dimension Polyant VX07, 70d Cordura
laminated in a five ply sandwich with Dacron X-Pac on
the sides with the Cordura / Dyneema 500d ripstop used
for the top. All of the fabrics above are rated 200
psi waterproof.
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Side view of the 40B WorkSack showing the huge extension sleeve.
At the top of the pack body is a huge 11 in (28 cm) extension sleeve, made of 30d Cordura SilNylon. A cord runs around the top of the sleeve and through a spring-loaded cord lock, allowing the top to be drawn shut. There is another cord and lock that runs around the extension sleeve in the middle that acts as the main body closure.
On the front of the WorkSack are the following features:
An extra layer of Cordura is sewn in the center of the body. On this reinforced area a grab-hoist loop is sewn at the top. Below the loop is a crampon pocket, which is a rectangular bellows style pocket with no closure.
On each side of the crampon pocket is a short daisy chain with a cord-locked bungee tool keeper attached. Below the daisy chains are the tool loops which, instead of just being made from a sewn on loop like my other packs, are made up of a strap with a quick-disconnect buckle.
There are two reinforced flaps trimmed with highly reflective tape are at the bottom of the pack. The purpose of these flaps is to carry ice tools. Since I will not be carrying ice tools this time of year I may be able to find a different purpose for these flaps.
Stash pocket
Inside the pack is a white 9 x 6 in (23 x 15 cm) stash pocket that closes with a zipper. This pocket also acts as the cover for the orange framesheet pocket. The top of the framesheet closure is made of 70d Cordura SilNylon and the bottom of the framesheet closure pocket is made of 210d Cordura SilNylon. Inside the framesheet pocket are the three pieces that give the WorkSack its internal support. This framesheet pocket holds a folded blue foam bivy pad that cushions the back and can be used as a sit pad or bivy pad. A black hard plastic panel serves as the framesheet, which has an aluminum stay that runs down the center. The aluminum stay is secured in place by a hook and loop closure. Also inside the pack is a centered strap with a quick disconnect buckle. This strap is intended for load transfer.
Framesheet pocket
The web site gives detailed instructions how to adjust the framesheet and stay to fit properly. I want to have the assistance of a second person to help me fit the WorkSack properly with a good fit.
The shoulder pads are constructed of a very thin, stiff, dual density, closed cell foam covered with nylon. I am actually surprised how thin the straps are, mostly because I am accustomed to packs with thicker shoulder straps. The shoulder straps are a fixed type sewn to the pack body, that can not be moved up or down to accommodate various torso lengths. The shoulder straps have the usual two adjustment straps, top and bottom. The top ones adjust the distance that the pack rides away
from my body. The adjustment straps at the lower ends pull the pack down
onto my shoulders changing the balance of weight between my hip and shoulders. An adjustable and removable sternum strap spans between the shoulder straps. Between the shoulder pads, at the top, is a red grab-hang loop.
The hip belt is made of a thin, stiff, dual density, closed cell foam foam that is covered with nylon and connects by means of a large quick disconnect buckle. It has straps on the sides to pull the side of the pack tighter into the lower back. The hip belt provides torso adjustment for the pack by sliding up or down and attaching with a hook and loop type fastener at the desired location.
The top lid is very large and is accessed by
way of a waterproof zipper that has some of the reflective
tape right above it. I should be able to find the zipper
fast with a dim head lamp. When the lid is flipped open another
map/permit pocket may be found on the bottom.
Lid pocket
The lid is easily removable to lighten the pack weight
when it not needed, or it can be moved to the front of the pack (over the crampon pocket) instead
of the top. It floats higher on the pack than any top lid I have seen.
An extension strap is provided to allow it to perch on the
top of the fully extended sleeve.
Instead of normal straps
that are sewn on CiloGear uses Sliplocks and Dee-Clips to
change the volume and the compression system of the pack.
The Dee-Clip is a metal squared off D-Ring. The Sliplock is
a plastic slide buckle. The Sliplock is passed through the
Dee-Clip at an angle then straightened. This allows the Sliplock to be held
in place and will not allow it to slide out of the Dee-Clip. The pack can be compressed
to its smallest volume size by attaching all the sewn on Sliplocks
to the Dee-Clips opposite them.
By undoing all the straps the pack may be used to its fullest volume size. By using the extra straps provided with the pack it can be adjusted in many ways and volumes. At first I thought that this could easily be done with regular straps at less weight. But as I read about the pack I realized that the extension straps may be used not only for sideways compression but set up in vertical or horizontal V patterns for more control of loads. I see now that the WorkSack is meant to be able to do a lot of jobs and carry various types of gear and loads. I like the possibility that I can easily adjust the pack in the field for comfort and load type by carrying the extra straps with me.
I noticed upon receiving the pack that there is a large amount of unfinished threads on my pack. These unfinished threads have been trimmed. One area on the ice tool pocket has threads hanging out of one side, and missing on the other. I will watch this during the testing.
Hanging and missing threads on ice tool pocket.
Initial Impressions
So far I am happy with the looks of the WorkSack. The material appears to be durable and I love the various configuration options for various load types. The pack appears to be complex to initially fit and configure for various load options. I was a little bit overwhelmed when I saw the pack. However, the instruction manual on the website did an excellent job of explaining how to fit the pack and compression/load adjustment options.
I am little surprised at how thin the shoulder straps and the hip belt are. There is just so little padding. This makes me wonder how my shoulders and hips will feel after carrying a load of climbing and backpacking gear.
So now I am off to fit the WorkSack.
Remarks
This
concludes my initial report. My field report will be posted
in mid August. Please check back then to see how the 40B WorkSack
is performing in the field. Thank you CiloGear and backpackgeartest.org
for providing me with the opportunity to test the 40B WorkSack.
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