User Review: Arc'teryx Khamsin 38

Reviewed July 22, 2003 by Geoff

Rating: rated 5 of 5 stars
Design: Classic straight sided alpine sac
Size: 2500 - 2900
Number of Pockets: 2
Max. Load Carried: 40kg
Height of Owner: 5'0'
Price Paid: £120

I originally intended to buy the old model of Khamsin 38. When it suddenly dissapeared from the shops without any warning from Arc'Teryx's always luicrously out of date web site I didn't like the new (my) model at all. The beauty of the old one, I far as I was concerned, had been its simplicity. The new one seemed at bit heavy on bits and pieces. Still I was about to go away travelling and wanted a nice new daysac/light overnight/weeker, so I bought the new model, trusting in Arc'Teryx's judgement. I mean, they make great pacs, and presumably they made this one as an improvement.

I've had the pack for just over three years now, and Arc'Teryx was right. The thing that immediately impressed me was the hip belt. Despite being a skimpy, meshy-looking thing it is a revelation in comfort. It doesn't need to be heavily padded becase rather than
resting on your hips it actually grips on to you, distributing even heavy loads perfectly. All the features are excellent. Not a single unecessary bell or whistle. Plus you can completely remove all of the ice axe holders, top and bottom, which makes for a cleaner pack for everyday daypack or travelling duties. I've used it from the UK (home) through the jungles of Borneo to trekking in Nepal, carrying everything from ropes to rice, and it has always performed brilliantly, despite some creative abuse. On one memorable occassion, during an unintentional slide down a waterfall it survived with scratches when my friend's pack tore clean through. I often use it in place of my larger sixty five litre pack (roughly twice the size for those americans out there ), for jobs which it isn't really designed, as it carries moderate loads more comfortably then the much beefier backsystem on my bigger pack.

If you're looking for a pack to do everything from winter mountaineering to weeks long treks through everyday fellwalking duties, then I cannot recommend this pack highly enough. It's somewhat hefty price tag has been worth it many times over, and expect to get many more years exemplary service from this, my favourite rucsack.

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