Owners Review:  EMS Freedom Fanny Pack

 

Owner Review                                                                                                 15FEB2005

 

Biographical Information  Product Information  Field Testing  Summary

 

Biographical Information

·       Name:  Mark Keskes       

·       Age:  32

·       Gender:  Male

·       Height:  5’9”/1.75 m

·       Weight:  270 lb/122 kg

·       Email address:  markkeskes(at)yahoo(dot)com

·       Location:  Michigan, USA

Backpacking background:  Although I first was exposed to camping in boy scouts as a youth, and spent some time in the military, and car camped a few times, I wasn’t bitten by the backpacking bug until about a year ago.  I participate in organizational/large group camping, as well as family backpacking, occasional car camping, and as many day trips as I can squeeze into my schedule.  I live, work, and vacation primarily in Michigan in all seasons and weather.  I enjoy hiking and day trips, but truly enjoy extended backpacking trips. 

 

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Product Information

 

Company:  EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports)

Product Name:  EMS Freedom Fanny Pack

URL: http://www.ems.com/

Manufactured in:  Vietnam

Colors available in:  Alpine (Light Blue/Silver), Cadet (Dark Blue and Silver), Sage (Dusty Green/Silver)

Reported Weight:  2 lb. 3 oz./ 0.99kg

Received Weight:  2 lb. 3 oz./ 0.99kg

Volume:  950 cu. in./15.57 L

Dimensions:  14x16x4 in./ 35.56x40.64x10.16cm

Price:  $59 US

Special Features:  The pack is based around the very well padded hip belt, with the main packbag attached directly to it in a lumbar position, and is flanked by twin water bottle holders.  Although quite allowable to use in this fashion alone, I have preferred to use the shoulder harness, which makes it resemble kinder gentler military web gear.  It is convertible from a traditional fanny/lumbar pack, backpack, shoulder bag, or briefcase by clipping on or off various straps. The extensive pocket system includes an outer shove-it pocket, dual water-bottle pockets, 3 external pockets, 1 internal pocket as well as an interior organizer.  Breathable air-mesh contoured back panel with extra-wide hip belt for durable comfort.  The pack comes with its own built in rain fly that is secured with snaps in case of inclement weather, but is tucked away in its own pouch under the pack when not in use.  It also has an inside key-keeper.  

A Delrin® support rod, and compression strap (4) help maintain a balanced, centered load.

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Testing

 

Acquiring:  I acquired the pack from EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports), paying $59 US in April 2004.  It came in good condition with no rips, no tears, all stitching and material was in good condition inside and out.  There was no packaging other than tags attached to it.  The pack, a longer shoulder strap, and a shoulder harness were all attached to each other with plastic clips.

 

Presuppositions:  Get and use a daypack that could hold my 10 essentials, stove, water bottle, water purifier, camera, and enough food for a long day hike/outing.

 

How Tested:  This pack has seen some use and abuse by me.  It has been my primary daypack for the past 10 months.  It has held up to 20 pounds/9.07 kg of gear/food/extra clothing and has continued to serve like the first day for me.  It has to date suffered through: 1 extended ultra light backpacking trip (4 days), and roughly 40 day trip/outings, while hiking and cross country skiing.  It keeps it’s basic form with the Delrin® support rod shaped like an upside down “u”.

 

After I purchased it, I excitedly took it back to the in-laws and immediately wanted to see what I could stuff into it.  I easily tossed in my first-aid kit nearest the lumbar pad and the organizer on the other side seemed like it had a pocket made for my SAM splint.  I tossed in my multi-tool, headlamp, poncho, water tablets, waterproof match case, emergency blanket, bandana, compass and whistle all bundled in their ditty bag and peered inside and realized I hadn’t made a dent.  Smiling with fiendish glee at my new lumbar pack I went into my backpack (we had just gotten through with Sleeping Bear Dunes) to get some more stuff.  I hoped to put a quick end to this contest and tossed in my MSR Alpine cook set (minus the smaller pot) with stove, utensils, spices, jerky and 2 meals stuffed inside and sure enough there was still more room to spare. The fuel bottle went into one side with a few Cliff bars to take up the extra space, and a 1 liter/32 oz. Lexan into the other bottle holder as visions of warm meals on the trail danced in my head on a day outing no less.  I took my fleece and rolled it up and used the external flap pouch or toss it pouch and using the 2 cinch straps tugged it into place.  I grabbed a map I had picked up in town for the Coy Mountain Preserve and headed off to the trail.  I strapped my camera’s pouch to the shoulder harness when I arrived at the trail and with trekking poles in hand “went for a walk”.  A short while later, while at the treed summit with broken views of Torch Lake, I pulled out the stove and cooked my meal and smirked at having hot food and hot coffee where I was.  It of course being Michigan weather (wait 10 minutes it’ll change) began to rain on my little picnic.  Everything packed back in easily and this time with the rain fly on, I made my return.  Everything stayed dry except for the lumbar pad which with the pack covered with the fly and my poncho, seemed to match up to the sweat patch on my back pretty well. 

The ultra light trip used no stove, only the fly from an old Coleman car camping tent and stakes, and a bivy sack, 10 essentials, food for 3 luxurious nights and 4 days, camera, journal, a water purifier, and 2 Lexan bottles.  Clothes I wore.  Average temps on that trip were 90F/32C during the day and a muggy 70F/21C at night.  It’s the lightest I have ever gone and I loved every minute of it.  I guess the thing that this pack reminds me of most is like military web gear minus the ammo pouches, lighter in weight, with forethought applied and an actually comfortable ride.  Through out the multiple day trips with mileages of up to 12 miles/19.32 km this small pack has held up and still has no tears or loose stitching.  It did take a bath with me in the Rifle River and it dried out on a line pretty well in less than 4 hours.  The only enclosed directions of using powdered soap and water and rinsing have been used to clean it, and work well.

 

Terrain:  Varied from concrete, sand dunes, hills, pathways, and off trail.  Mean elevation of use 500-900 ft/ 152-274 m above sea level.  Weather conditions: 20-98 degrees F/-6-54 degrees C, rain, ice, snow, heat, and even falling into the Rifle River (I never said I was graceful).

 

 

 

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Summary

 

Likes:  The ride is comfortable and very adjustable with the multiple straps that allow me to compress the pack as is needed, it has held my needed gear for many small day adventures.  I especially like the shoulder harness allowing it to be more like a low riding backpack.

 

Dislikes:  I’m not quite sure that I could use it as they suggest as a briefcase.  I attempted to stuff 3 legal pads as well as a few college texts into it and it just didn’t seem to have the clearances to easily add or retrieve them without the edges catching on the zippers or pack cloth.  I think that if you need a small briefcase then perhaps.  The only detraction of use that I have is when I sweat down my back that the mesh does collect it, on the plus side though it does air out well enough to dry out over night. 

 

Overall Opinion:  I do like this piece of gear and will continue to use it for day outings.  The pack shows no signs of wear and tear.  I would buy it again.

 

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