Description
The CS40 Ultra ( shop now )is a new and lighter-than-average contender in an elite group of best-in-class, internal frame ultralight backpacks made with best-in-class Challenge Ultra fabric. Read more in our full-length Outdoor Vitals CS40 Review . Weight: 27 oz Price : $368 Materials: Challenge UltraWeave 200 Frame: 2 Carbon Fiber Stays, Foam Back Panel Load Capacity: 35 lbs Internal Volume: 41L External Volume : 12L Pros: Very ultralight. Challenge ULTRA fabric is durable and waterproof. Comfy. Load lifters. Premium performance. Cons: Expensive. Rear pocket is stretch mesh. Side pockets are a bit small. 40L size is less versatile than 50L+. Construction & Features The most important callout here is the use of Challenge Ultra fabric. Still relatively new to market, this best-in-class wonder fabric beats Dyneema at its own game as it is lighter weight and more durable, while still offering full waterproof protection. Perhaps the only materials choice we disagree with on this pack is the use of stretch mesh for its rear pocket, which has a poor track record of being prone to snags, tears, and rips. We also love the two ounce carbon fiber stay frame, which lends structure, transfers weight to hips, and allows for functional load lifters to further ease the shoulders. In conjunction with its aerated foam back panel, hiking with the CS40 pack proved to be very comfortable, especially compared to frameless packs in a similar weight class. We found the hip belt foam to be comfy and the structured hip belt pockets to be adequately sized for storing a few snacks each, even if we wouldn’t have minded them to be about 25-50% larger. The reverse-pull hip belt adjuster is very nice. The use of static side-compression-cords with line locks (as opposed to shock cord) was interesting, but proved functional at holding a sit pad or hanging socks to dry. The 41L main compartment volume is perfect for storing an ultralight load, though we generally find 50+L packs to be more versatile in their ability to fit a week’s worth of food or winter camping gear. Verdict If you want a top tier, fully-featured, lighter-than-average ultralight backpacking backpack, the OV CS40 Ultra is well-worth considering. It’s durable and waterproof thanks to Challenge Ultra Fabric, and has great comfort and load transfer thanks to the carbon fiber frame. Despite a few minor quibbles with their pockets, we give this pack a very strong seal of approval.
