Backpacks have an inherent trade-off — the larger they are, the more they can carry. Corollary: the bigger the bag, the more it weighs. The new Quasar line from Terra Nova Equipment is both strong and light — they use the same material as yacht sails.
Terra Nova’s “Ultra fabric” is a polyethylene material that provides superior strength at a faction of the weight of conventional materials like nylon. This material will be reinforced with Cordura fabric and stitched together with Dyneema thread, which is rated stronger than steel. The Quasars will be available in 30-, 45-, and 55-litre sizes and weigh between just 400 and 600 grams.
A large part of the weight savings come from their “sack” design, lacking any sort of frame. Sure there’s a sheet of foam for support and the 55-liter version comes with a single single alloy strut for added support, but that’s it. There’s virtually nothing besides what you stuff in them to slow you down. And unlike similar bags that easily top $US1000, the Quasars won’t lighten your wallet. They’ll retail for $US240-300 when they go on sale in February. [Gear Junkie]
Drew
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 3:34 PMCool, but 55L is tiny. My one is 70L expandable to 80L
Segiy
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 4:15 PM55L is big, i have a 46L and it’s too big for anything less than a week
MD
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 7:15 PM55L is right in the middle, just too small for Drew, and Just too big for Segiy.
Possibly Just Right for me…. (or those out there tempted to buy it)
Scott
Friday, December 23, 2011 at 2:34 PMMy porridge is just right.