User Review: Arc'teryx Naos 55

Arc'teryx Naos 55
Above: The current Naos 55, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed January 19, 2007 by Oblong

Rating:
Design: top loading
Size: 55 litres
Number of Pockets: no
Max. Load Carried: 20kg plus
Height of Owner: 5 11
Price Paid: 280 quid

Brought from Snow and Rock London June 2006 for hiking. OK expensive but what attracted me to the pack was simplicity, slim, bombproof, watertight, the rotating hip belt thing, size colour and the fit was ideal.

Simplicity - I don’t like side pockets. It hasn’t got them. Also it’s made from just two pieces of fabric. Great.

Slim - no side pockets. (Have I said I don’t like them)?

Bomb proof. Well it looked it in the shop and hiking 20 miles a day around Mt Hood USA in the summer (hot and sandy) and Dartmoor UK in autumn (wet and windy) it proved it was.

Water tight - Horizontal rain for hours on Dartmoor and leaving it out in rain overnight, no worries.

Hip belt - I really like this load transfer thing. Swivels as you walk. Pack and contents up to 16kg no problem. Moulding of hip belt and shoulder straps is good too.

Size - When hiking 55 Litres is fine for me. Tent, sleeping bag, cooker, food for 4 days at a time plus other stuff.

Colour - Red. Great.

Fit - I am just under 6ft and slim build. A medium pack fits me.

I try to minimise on content weight but want confidence in my pack. I would not consider another pack for hiking with. Wish I was so happy about footwear.