Zipperless outdoor gear is (almost) a trend at the show this year. unveiled a new sleeping bag without interlocking teeth. (It uses an integrated comforter to seal up; we liked it so much we gave it an award, too.)
And Kelty has pulled off a potentially even niftier trick with the , a completely zipperless 50-liter backpack. The pack still has nine compartments, but you access them via a combination of drybag-like roll top closures and Velcro.
Eschewing zippers saves a bit of weight鈥攖he pack weighs in at just over 3 pounds; not superlight, but too bad either. It also saves on possible frustration: if you don鈥檛 have zippers, you can鈥檛 break them.
Its zipperless design is just one reason we鈥檙e intrigued by the PK50, however. The other, potentially even cooler thing about the pack is its modular design. A stretch mesh pocket on the back of the pack is designed specifically to carry a tent (one of Kelty’s new Traillogic tents with ultracompact poles fits neatly inside; most other manufacturers’ backpacking tents will fit sans poles), which is usually the first thing you need when you arrive in camp. Just inside that, you鈥檒l find a detachable compartment intended for carrying your clothing鈥攖he idea being, you can throw it in your tent and easily keep everything organized and in one place.
And that鈥檚 what we really like about the PK50: it appeals to our OCD nature, which backpacking only intensifies. I think you know what we鈥檙e talking about; if you鈥檙e like us, you probably geek out about where you pack everything and have your little systems of stuff sacks and tricks, etc. The PK50 thinks like you do.
in S/M, M/L, and women鈥檚 specific sizing.