Kakwa 55 Backpack. First Impressions And Thoughts

[@GarryCollins-ec8yo]

Great review. Love the dry humor. I have much respect for people that come back from a major injury and continue to excel. I’ve backpacked with a man who has had half of both feet amputated. My grandson bounced his head off the wall at 100mph at Daytona. The blind guy that hiked all those peaks in NH. Respect to you all.

[@zacmagers]

Thanks Garry! It was so good to get out on a day hike and challenge myself again, need more of that. Hopefully your grandson made a full recovery, that sounds like it was a scary crash! Its so encouraging when you see folks find strength to push through and get them some of the great outdoors, best place to be. Thanks for he kind words, cheers

[@papajeff5486]

I have provided healthcare for a long time. The damage you described on your neck was extremely dangerous, extensive, in the worst possible place of your spine. I say this because it let you live. There are far worse things than death. The way you have rehabilitated is truly a miracle. I hope, sometimes, you sit and quietly revel in this miracle. GOOD ON YOU!!! From an old, retired Army guy…

[@zacmagers]

Howdy there, thank you for the kind words and thank you for your service ! The circumstances around the accident that day were pretty extreme, a lot of bad adventure choices and split second decisions of deciding if I was to hit my head on the chrome bumper of this van I was barreling towards, or ducking under and potentially shave my face off. In an accident where you remain fully conscious as your body goes from fully abled to completely paralyzed, its very surreal the thoughts and feelings that come pouring in immediately. What if's, regrets, wishing, guilt, survival, hoping, acceptance, all within seconds. Ill certainly admit, being this was 22 years ago, I tend to forget for months at a time that this ever took place. But as I get a little older, when I recall the injury I definitely keep in mind that if I don't keep my health in order, my body in good shape, the damage will come back around as old injuries tend too. And this is when Im able to have positive moments of reflection, appreciation, and quite honestly occasionally a sadness thinking about those in the same recovery wing of Henry Mayo that weren't able to go home on their own feet. Very fortunate, lucky, whatever it is and Ill do my best not to waste the second chance! Thanks for checking out the video, thank you for your service, be well.

[@CalvertE98]

It's fine to have extra weight on the pack to be comfortable. Don't let the ultralighters tell you otherwise

[@zacmagers]

Thank you, Eric! Ill fully admit, my initial gear list goal 8 or so months ago was gear as ultralight and premium as possible, for various reasons one being my neck. But I slowly switched some of my gear out for heavier items that I knew would actually bring comfort, even some items that aren't the newest cutting edge technologies. Theres certainly a very personalized balance here. Great advice!

[@cjermo]

Hey Zac, as someone who was born with fused C2 and C3, this was a really interesting watch for me. Wanting to get into multi-day backpacking and have been looking at the Kakwa 55 - your video seems to be a big of vote of confidence for it. Thanks!

[@zacmagers]

Howdy Cjermo! Firstly, thank you for sharing your situation, I had to read this several times to make sure I was seeing correctly this was something you were born with... Ive never encountered this type of spinal scenario, so Im glad I got to learn something new ! Second, given how difficult spinal injuries / conditions can be for daily life and health, Im sure everyone will be just as happy as I am to read you are in good enough health to even consider backpacking. Totally awesome and I hope you find the best gear for your situation so you can enjoy the mental and physical health benefits as soon as possible. One thing I probably would have noted in this video if I was doing it again : If you have friends / family that have a range of traditional to light weight gear, see if you can borrow a pack and gear to load up for a test. It would always be good to see the pros and cons between a heavier but cushioned traditional pack loaded with ultralight gear, and a lightweight pack thats considerably less cushioned. This stuff is expensive so I would highly recommend that anyone with spinal conditions first borrow / rent traditional to lightweight packs to make sure you don't encounter a bad time miles away from the trailhead and invest in the wrong direction, potentially discouraged from trying again. Having a spinal condition and finding the correct balance of comfortable weight, backpack strap styles, frame styles, sleep system styles that wont hurt your back, this will all take a great deal of time so don't give up! Thanks for sharing this, good luck on your gear search progress !

[@brianpotts622]

Hey Zac, how has the Medium fitted you? I am 5'8, ~17.5 torso, 29 waist - so am in that zone between a S and M and debating which way to go

[@zacmagers]

Howdy Brian! So I am exactly in the same boat as far as in-between sizing. Fortunately I was able to try each size and I can certainly say the small Kakwa 55 does not fit me, its far too small. The medium is just right! Hope this helps Cheers

[@redwhiteblue7831]

This is the second video I watched of yours, so far so good 👍 Subbed. 🇺🇲

[@zacmagers]

Thanks for checking out a few vids and your support / kind words! Doing my best, just gotta keep rolling and improving. Having a good time with this new hobby. Cheers

[@frogturtle]

Great review man this pack is at the top of my list. Glad to hear you recovered from your accident too, thanks for sharing. If you’re having issues reaching back for water, I’d really recommend the One Bottle hydration tube. Bladder-style hose that attaches to a smart water bottle. It has some add-ons but bare bones it’s like 30 bucks before shipping. Totally worth it IMO. Safe travels bro.

[@zacmagers]

Hey thanks for checking it out! And thank you for the kind words, very lucky to be be able to hike… Just checked out the One Bottle website, really cool that you have some customization options when ordering, very nice. I’ll have to think about that one, and I’m sure i’m really hot days where mikes are important, having a hydration hose would be solid. Thanks for the recommendation. Be well Cheers

[@robbailey464]

Great review, thanks! Will thatose shoulder step pockets fit a 1L smart water bottle? (I don’t want to downsize my system). Also, how would you attach an ice axe on the pack?

[@zacmagers]

Howdy Rob! Regarding the fitment of a 1L bottle in the shoulder strap pocket, this IS possible but I wouldn't say ideal. While it can fit, the pocket will be stretched to the max and may decrease the life of the pocket, also you may experience unfavorable occasional interactions with your chin and the top of the bottle while looking side to side. However the side low cut pocket has been quite easy to use for two 1L bottles, and even with my stubby arms I can easily reach back to grab / stow water while on the move. This would be more ideal if you are using a hydration hose up to your shoulder strap. As far as ice axe stow locations, short answer there is not a specific attachment point on the 2022 or 2023 versions. I could be misremembering, but I think I recall Dan discussing use of the Y strap for ice axe stow if you aren't using it for a bear canister. On the 2022 pack, Dan added a couple more webbing attachment points around the front pocket, two of these are on the lower section of the front pocket. On the 2023 version, the bottom webbing attachment points are now horizontal and bigger diameter. I take these attachment points as a free for all customization zone, and could certainly accommodate some custom ice axe stow points with cordage. Ive used the webbing with some cordage to stow my sandals. Hope this helps! Cheers

[@brimstone33]

Dunno about that plastic-y fabric sitting directly on the back. Potential for heat rash after a few days out in hot weather. Also...won't the hip belt tend to slip without some frictive fabric to hold it in place against the back?

[@zacmagers]

Great question and concerns Brimstone, I have some funky gear shipping out on the 15th that apparently addresses this and I’m going to give it an honest test and see what happens!

[@gregvanpaassen]

Sound like an Osprey Exos 55 buyer!

[@RichPianasOilPump]

Absolutely love mine. Paid more for the HMG windrider 70 and find myself using the kakwa much more

[@zacmagers]

Howdy Rich! Glad you like yours, it’s a pretty stellar design. Ascetically, functional, what you need and not a lot of what you don’t. The new design is pretty legit too. I’m really excited to see Dan’s continued designs

[@P-Rabbit]

Do you think the bear vault could fit inside the pack as you have it packed?

[@zacmagers]

Howdy! That’s an interesting question. So, no doubt the canister will fit in the pack vertically. But with it full as it is in this video, I would imagine if I compressed the pack contents enough, utilized the outward tapered top of the roll to place the canister horizontally…maybe ! If the goal is to completely keep the roll top rolled out and the vault horizontal at the tippy top, most likely exposed, I don’t see why not. Might look a little funky chickens on the trail tho :)

[@jodigreanead7315]

Nice review, thank you 😊 Impressive recovery!

[@zacmagers]

Thanks Jodi! Hope the video was helpful. Very fortunate to be on my feet and Im super excited its backpacking season... time to get out there !

[@QualityClassics]

Good video review! Thanks!

[@zacmagers]

Thanks I’m glad you enjoyed it! Happy to see the pack is back in stock too:) Cheers

[@_sk_videos]

Do you haver the dimensions of the pack unrolled/rolled?

[@zacmagers]

Howdy ! This is a medium version : Rolled all the way down to the top of the load lifter / frame stay section the pack is 13'' ( top ) wide by 23'' tall. Completely unrolled measuring the back section Im getting 13'' ( top ) wide by 33 1/2'' tall. I hope this is the info you needed, any other questions Im happy to help. Cheers :)

[@_sk_videos]

@@zacmagers Perfect, exactly what I was after

[@fastneataverage]

I am interested in this pack but I live and hike in the sun of Arizona. I can’t use a black backpack because they heat up too much. Given its grey-ish color, does this pack get hot when in the sun?

[@zacmagers]

Howdy. So as far as the materials feeling warm to the touch OR giving off heat, I have not noticed that at all. I can see how that may be a concern tho! The pack looks like it has a substantial dark grey to the coloring but when you look close, Id guess 60 percent of the the Ultra fabric thats visible is the lighter grey threading and 40 percent is black threading. Also something that is really hard to pick up on from photos and in video, is how shiny the Ultra fabric is. Im not sure if thats the nature of this fabric or the thread type of this design, but the shininess of the pack threads was noticeable immediately when I opened the delivery box and I wonder if this has a positive effect with redirecting sunlight ... I do though caution that the pack absolutely has zero back and shoulder strap airflow, I get my back significantly soaked every time. That seems like it could be a concern in your area. It may turn out to be a total sham / gear fail, but Im waiting for a backpack airflow spacer from Vaucluse. I have zero expectations and really just wanted to try it for a funny review opportunity, but Ill let everyone know if that actually does anything at all.

[@fastneataverage]

@@zacmagers I had never heard of Vaucluse. Thank you for pointing me in that direction. Yes, I'm trying to avoid the soaked back at the end of the day as well. Thank you also for the detailed description of the material. Super helpful.

[@natlovell122]

A light, comfortable pack is great for you because of your injury. Also, doing proper physical training and maintaining a good bodyweight will help. Happy Trials….I mean trails My Osprey Rook 65 squeaked like crazy and after a year and a half with that pack i sold it and got something new. Can’t stand the squeaking

[@zacmagers]

True that! Trying to do some training every weekend to keep my legs and stamina on point. Wish this LA weather would pull away from the overcast tho… That’s interesting I never heard of Osprey squeaking! Bummer, such a reliable brand. Can totally imagine how annoying that would be tho. Hopefully your new pack treats you well. Would be great to see Osprey take a REAL shot at some simpler lightweight designs someday…

[@wadearnold7863]

Side zipper pocket is for my pistol.😊

[@zacmagers]

Thats what thats for ! Ha thats pretty good. I immediately imagined a video demo from Dan where he casually stows a pistol in the side pocket without acknowledging it while discussing fabric or some other feature. Thanks for checking out the vid!

[@markdickenson594]

Fantastic job reviewing and explaining the features of the Kakwa 55! Curious about your BearVault, is it the BV500? Did it feel okay up there- no pendulum swing effect as you hiked? I noticed it was empty, so do you or would you carry your food in a bag inside your pack, and transfer it into the BearVault overnight? If so what sort of bag do you use? Thank you!

[@zacmagers]

Mark, thank you for the kind words! Glad you enjoyed the vid! Because of the surface area available on the Kakwa 55 roll top area ( I believe it was roughly 10" of surface area for the vault to rest on ) I went with the BV475. My gear set up collectively leans towards casual 1-5 day overnights, so I figured that vault capacity for one or two people in that timeframe works just fine, especially if I can use scent free toiletries that wont need to take space in the vault. For the purposes of that days video, this was strictly just a day hike testing of the fit and familiarizing myself with the packs adjustment options, making sure this gear choice is the right direction for me. Because this was just a testing day, I didn't actually have any food or toiletries with me, but I did want the weight of the vault included in the test. I got a few strange looks by the Malibu locals... But for actually hitting the trail on a planned overnight the food will be in the vault. Safer to go ahead and pack it in the vault from the start of the trip so the fuzzy forest friends don't follow you to your camp, if they are hungry enough to join you on your hike. I did learn one thing from this set up / day test though, low hanging branches like to knock on your vault ( if its packed on top ) and stop you in your tracks so you learn to over correct your kneeling under low branches to account for the height of the pack and vault. Im working on a video for food storage solutions soon, and one thing I will be noting about the Bear Vault brand that is the winning feature for me...you can actually see the contents of what you are reaching for. Winner hands down. Cheers

[@fergpatrick]

"I'm my own pain in the neck". Ha, yeah me too.

[@zacmagers]

That’s just how it goes sometimes !

[@gregvanpaassen]

You are hot because you're wearing a cap. Ditch the cap and get a Zpacks umbrella for shade. Garage Grown Gear has clips to attach it to your pack straps. Also Town Shirts has great sun-shirts.

[@zacmagers]

Wearing a black cap as well… This is my super lightweight water sports hat but it wasn’t doing me a huge favor. I’ve been eyeing an umbrella for sun and rain in lieu of headwear and rain jackets. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@natlovell122]

A lightweight Sun hoodie is a great piece of gear on the trail

[@zacmagers]

Agreed! There’s a Backcountry store opening in July down the street from me, I’m hoping to snag some opening day sales, a long sleeve hoodie for the sun is on the list. On very short trips, 2 or 3 day, I prefer getting some bright sun safely if I have the extra water, but where water preservation is needed or longer desert hikes, a sun hoodie is a great idea.

[@preacherman9018]

Hi Zac, That's a beautiful place. What a view! It reminds me of some higher elevations on the overlooks of West Virginia. It sounds like you went through a similar experience as a teen. Mine was doing a head plant at over 60mph on a motorcycle and a few other foolish things. It's a miracle that we can both walk today and that above ground to enjoy these awesome sites. We have one Person who deserves the credit. I'm grateful that someone cared enough to share the following short message with me. You reminded me of what we went through and I just want to pass this forward to you my friend. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXLad3dtZ9GYqcUfeature=shared May you live a long healthy life. ☕🙂👍🏞️⛰️🏕️

[@zacmagers]

Howdy, so glad you enjoyed the views. Topanga Canyon and the Santa Monica Mountains are wonderful to have within reach any day I want, Really thankful. A motorcycle crash at 60mph, actually any mph, is terrifying. Im very glad you are well and good! As much as I enjoy a thrill, I wont take my motorcycle on the freeway here in LA, seen some unfortunate things and its not worth it. Thank you for sharing the video that was very thoughtful, I appreciate your faith, and Im happy you have a guidance in this challenging world we live in. Keep on keeping on! Be well, Cheers :)