New Osprey 60L extreme abrasion resistant 850 gram pack

[wildwanderer]

Ive been following reports from the Outdoor Friedrichshafen (big european gear expo) that was held recently.

Opsrey are releasing a new 60 L pack weighing under 850grams. Called the Levity.

Looks alot like a stripped down EXOs. The key interest for me was they are claiming its made of a new material that is "ridiculously abrasion resistant" (Osprey reps words) yet very light weight. 210 denier Nanofly fabric. Definitely be interested in the reviews... and if it lives up to that very bold claim !

Doesn't "appear" like the side and front pockets are mesh either.. which is nice cause mesh pockets are quite prone to ripping.

There is a 45 L version as well. (apparently 810grams)

Video of the pack with a Opsrey rep talking about it. https://vimeo.com/223265448


Section Hiker has more info/pics and gives slightly different stats to the osprey rep (in the video) and other sites on the web.
800 grams for 45L and 830grams for 60L and also says 100 denier fabric mated on very high strength polyethylene. Section Hikers Phillip Werner says they are actually a type of cuben fibre. I wonder what the price will be like...
https://sectionhiker.com/outdoor-retailer-2017-editors-choice-gear-picks/

[Bill P]

Looks good. I wonder if there is any sort of internal frame.? i think not with that weight. At £240 -£ 270 i think we are probably looking at a $500 bag.

[crollsurf]

Coated Cuben fiber apparently and a better look than the Exos. Elasticized hip belt sounds interesting too. Doubt I'll be interested but if the abrasive claims stand up, a definite option for bush-bashing gear junkies out there.

[wildwanderer]

Looks good. I wonder if there is any sort of internal frame.? i think not with that weight. At £240 -£ 270 i think we are probably looking at a $500 bag.

According to section hiker there is a frame.

Both packs use the ventilated mesh AirSpeed frame system which has a partially visible wire aluminum frame with top and bottom cross pieces for rigidity.

I''m interested in the price as well. Some US news sites are suggesting $270 USD. Which if true could put it at $300 Australian maybe $350 including shipping. Less if on sale. Going to make life difficult for the cottage manufacturers at that price.

[Orion]

It's not Cuben. NanoFly™ is "210D high tenacity nylon with a 200D UHMWPE Ripstop (grid)".

That's also a description of Dyneema X Gridstop.
So what's the difference between the NanoFly™ fabric and the ubiquitous Dyneema X?

Dyneema X Gridstop is about 159 g/m2. It has a polyurethane coating on one side and DWR on the other. The dyneema threads constitute 9% of the fabric weight.

And what are the details for NanoFly™? Who knows?

One possibility is they are using more spectra/dyneema/UHMWPE. That would be a way to increase strength without increasing weight, although the underlying 210D nylon would still be the weak point with respect to abrasion. My wife has 100% spectra pack. It's very striking in that it is completely white. It's a super strong, very abrasion resistant, lightweight material. And expensive. But her pack, while light, is not amazingly light because the fabric isn't the most important part of pack weight. For instance, the frame/padding unit in her pack weighs 261g.

That guy in the Vimeo video made a big deal about ventilation. When I was shopping for packs earlier this year I noticed that many pack designs seemed to be focused on that aspect, with elaborate frame systems and techy back panels. I personally don't care if my back is sweaty; I'd rather have a simpler pack design. Am I alone in that regard?

[simonm]

Orion - Phillip Werner describes the Nano Fly as "effectively nylon coated cuben so they can print a pattern on it and make it more abrasion resistant". So it seems like it is more like the XPac VX range of fabrics, and they are relying on the outer Cordura fabric to provide abrasion resistance, and the Cuben (DCF) to provide the water resistance?????

Edit: I just watched the Vimeo link and that fabric description confuses things and does make it sound more like Dyneema Gridstop .

[whitefang]

I was interested in this pack, but it can only carry between 10 and 13kg max. comfortably. It also has no hipbelt pockets. For less weight and better specs there are better options out there.

[Orion]

Orion - Phillip Werner describes the Nano Fly as "effectively nylon coated cuben so they can print a pattern on it and make it more abrasion resistant". So it seems like it is more like the XPac VX range of fabrics, and they are relying on the outer Cordura fabric to provide abrasion resistance, and the Cuben (DCF) to provide the water resistance?????

Edit: I just watched the Vimeo link and that fabric description confuses things and does make it sound more like Dyneema Gridstop .

I had never heard of Phillip Werner before. So I googled and here's what he wrote:

The Levity and Lumina are made with a lightweight, durable, and nearly waterproof fabric that Osprey calls NanoFly. It’s an abrasion resistant mix of 100 denier Cordura nylon and (UHMWPE) ultra high molecular weight polyethylene that is in the same wheelhouse as the cuben fiber composites used by some cottage manufacturers.

So he says that NanoFly is "in the same wheelhouse" as cuben fiber, whatever that means exactly.

--------------------------
Here's are some details on the packs:

Levity/Lumina Fabric Composition

Osprey’s NanoFly™ fabric integrates ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) Ripstop and nylon to create an incredibly strong, light fabric with remarkable resistance against water, abrasion and UV rays/chemicals.

• Main: NanoFly™ 210D nylon x 200D UHMWPE Ripstop
• Accent: 30D Cordura Silnylon Ripstop
• Bottom: NanoFly™ 210D nylon x 200D UHMWPE Ripstop

Carry Features
• Suspension: 3.5mm Lightwire
• Ultralight Airspeed™ Backpanel

+3D-tensioned breathable mesh backpanel with side ventilation
• Exoform™ Harness

+Seamess layered mesh provides improved comfort and cushioning
+15 mm adjustable sternum strap

Additional Features:
• Fixed top lid
• Two removable side compression cords
• Dual access fabric side pockets with InsideOut™ compression cord
• Top lid pocket
• Bellowed front fabric pocket for stashing gear
• Top lid cord loop attachment points
• Sternum strap with integrated safety whistle
• Internal main compartment compression strap

Levity and Lumina are not just for thruhikers. These packs are designed for anyone who appreciates what carrying less can do for their experience, no matter the duration.

Available in:

LEVITY 60/LUMINA 60
For the most audacious superultralight excursions and thru hikes
Weight: 1.83 pounds (830g)
Load Range: 10-30 lb
Retail: $270

LEVITY 45/LUMINA 45
For experienced thru hikers and lightweight overnights
Weight: 1.76 pounds (798g)
Load Range: 5-25 lb
Retail: $250

[simonm]

@Orion - The quote I quoted is in the comments section of that article.

[wildwanderer]

That guy in the Vimeo video made a big deal about ventilation. When I was shopping for packs earlier this year I noticed that many pack designs seemed to be focused on that aspect, with elaborate frame systems and techy back panels. I personally don't care if my back is sweaty; I'd rather have a simpler pack design. Am I alone in that regard?

In even moderate weather with a non suspended backpanel my back is drenched after an hour or two. Means my back is wet and uncomfortable especially when I take my pack off and stop moving for lunch etc. I recently changed to a EXOs which has a suspended backpanel and its been fantastic. My back remains dry and Im alot more comfortable when hiking.

I was interested in this pack, but it can only carry between 10 and 13kg max. comfortably. It also has no hipbelt pockets. For less weight and better specs there are better options out there.

If I bought this pack Id probably go for the 45L version. My exos 48 (without the brain) has plenty of space for 2 nights and total weight is around 10kg with 2L of water / food. I tend to agree with the 65L there would be alot of temptation to push its carry limit. I could see myself considering this pack as a scrub bash warrior (which is what my EXOs is not good at) but that would only be after long term durability reviews come in and price stabilizes.. so atleast 12 months.

[GPSGuided]

How much weight would two hip pockets add? Maybe in the next version.

[Orion]

@Orion - The quote I quoted is in the comments section of that article.

Thanks. I see it now.

It's still not 100% clear to me. Cuben is dyneema threads embedded in a polyester (mylar) film. So NanoFly is dyneema in nylon. That's also what Dyneema X is. But in the case of Cuben, the density of the fibers is greater; it's not just a grid. Maybe that's what they mean by the "200D UHMWPE Ripstop", that it's a nylon fabric AND a ripstop dyneema fabric in one.

All else being equal, I think you would expect it to be more abrasion resistant than the gridstop fabrics since the dyneema isn't just a grid pattern.
But really, it's all just guessing as far as its properties.

Maybe one day I'll be able to buy it or an equivalent from Ripstop by the Roll.
Maybe one day you'll be carrying it, Simon.

[simonm]

It's still not 100% clear to me. Cuben is dyneema threads embedded in a polyester (mylar) film. So NanoFly is dyneema in nylon. That's also what Dyneema X is. But in the case of Cuben, the density of the fibers is greater; it's not just a grid. Maybe that's what they mean by the "200D UHMWPE Ripstop", that it's a nylon fabric AND a ripstop dyneema fabric in one.

All else being equal, I think you would expect it to be more abrasion resistant than the gridstop fabrics since the dyneema isn't just a grid pattern.
But really, it's all just guessing as far as its properties.

Maybe one day I'll be able to buy it or an equivalent from Ripstop by the Roll.
Maybe one day you'll be carrying it, Simon.

It will be interesting to see what it actually is, because just adding a UHMWPE ripstop grid to a nylon fabric won't increase abrasion resistance, but the tensile and tear strength will potentially increase.

[Franco]

Section Hikers Phillip Werner says they are actually a type of cuben fibre. I wonder what the price will be like...

Same weelhouse means at the same level/competing with, on a par...(American expression)
In this case Section Hiker meant the material used on this pack is competing with Cuben.
I think some of the confusion could be because Cuben Fiber is now part of the Dyneema corporation.
Till recently Dyneema was almost a synonym of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE)
(another brand name for UHMWPE is Spectra)

[Orion]

Wheelhouse was originally a nautical term, the place where the steering wheel is (or whatever boaties call it). We Americans put the phrase "in his wheelhouse" to work for the game of baseball. In that context it means "right in his zone". A ball thrown into a batter's wheelhouse is one that he's going to hit well.

All of that means little, really, in the case of these fabrics. It's pretty clear that Mr. Werner meant to draw a close comparison of some sort between Cuben (aka Dyneema Composite) and NanoFly. That he thinks they are comparable is all we really get from his use of the phrase involving the boat steering wheel.

There was a guy a couple of years ago who walked from Strahan to Farmhouse Creek with a pack that weighed about 1kg. I'd be tempted to see what his choice was before committing to buying the new Osprey pack.


What I'd love to see are 100% spectra/dyneema/generic fabric packs. The one my wife has is pretty cool, it's just that the design wasn't in keeping with a modern day ultralight approach. So it isn't really ultralight, just light. But using that fabric I think you could have a really strong ultralight pack. The problems are two-fold. First, the material is expensive, very expensive. I can think of only one pack maker who uses it today and his prices are way out of my budget range. The other problem is that 100% spectra cloth is more difficult to work with.

My wife lucked into a good price deal for one of the Kelty Cloud packs, back when they were still being manufactured. She's had it forever and, although it's dirtier and not as white looking as original, it shows no sign of wearing out. Maybe a wash would restore the look somewhat.... but who washes their pack??

https://sectionhiker.com/keltys-ultrali ... the-cloud/

8 years ago:

[ribuck]

... I personally don't care if my back is sweaty; I'd rather have a simpler pack design..

Pack ventilation isn't really about making your back less sweaty, although that is a pleasant side-effect.

It's about helping to keep your whole body cooler when you're exerting yourself in hot weather. That makes a huge difference to how much energy you can expend, and how you feel.

[Mark F]

UHMWPE is the general name for dyneema/spectra which are trade marked names. Same fibre but you don't pay the licencing fee. Bit like not buying Cordura branded fabrics which is a trademark for texturised nylon 6-6 owned by the Hunts. The fees you pay to buy branded Cordura go in part to pay for climate denial politics and are partly responsible for our own lnp led totally stuffed climate inaction and non-policy.

[simonm]

As chance would have it I received a heap of fabric samples today from an Asian based manufacturer and in amongst the pack fabrics was a 210denier nylon/polyester/dyneema ripstop blend. It is different from the Osprey fabric as it has polyester in the blend but it is an interesting looking fabric and quite different from Dyneema Gridstop - a version of which is also in the samples. I just wondered whether the Osprey fabric was similar to this??? If so it looks like a nice fabric.

[Orion]

Very timely.

Is there any chance you could give it along with one or two other fabrics some sort of informal abrasion testing? Make bags out of it, fill 'em with rocks and drag them behind your car?

[simonm]

Very timely.

Is there any chance you could give it along with one or two other fabrics some sort of informal abrasion testing? Make bags out of it, fill 'em with rocks and drag them behind your car?

Unfortunately the samples are not that large. There are some great fabrics here including various weight Robic so it would be a great opportunity for some testing.

[warnabrother]

I wish I could understand Russian..
This appears to be the only actual review of the Levity along with the new women specific Exos, the Eja. Also a quick look at the new Exos..

https://youtu.be/jKGZChIka0Y

[wander]

Will it actually be water proof, and I mean waterproof to Tas standards, the test for which is total immersion for 2 weeks.

[warnabrother]

Will it actually be water proof, and I mean waterproof to Tas standards, the test for which is total immersion for 2 weeks.

I doubt it.. seams would need to be sealed which they most likely wont be.. surely you use a bin liner or similar ??

[wander]

I've given up on non canvas packs (so there is a collection of various nylon packs in the gear cupboard) to address my need to have a waterproof pack. Yes I pack everything inside dry bags as well.

But that said I have not tried Cuban and similar type fabrics, hence asking about the subject fabric here. Maybe it is good enough to reduce my empty pack weights by heaps?