For the last two decades, our secret sauce for a perfect fit has been the curved upper section in our adjusters, molding snugly to the wearer’s back. This tiny yet mighty component has undergone quite the evolution.
Our first adjuster can be seen on the left and it was a hunk of plastic with a sewn-in chunk of aluminum. It was heavy and it was expensive to build. In fact, Ranchers back in the day would cut the aluminum component out of a sheet, sand it, and hand bend it into the desired shape.
Since then we have gone through numerous iterations in hopes of lightening the framing without losing the comfort and load-transferring capabilities it provides.
The adjuster you wear today introduced two different length options to accommodate users with varying torso lengths. Additionally, the engineers were able to further reduce the weight without compromising on strength, thanks to the optimized triangular die-cut shapes.
We’ve been on a relentless quest for LIGHT DONE RIGHT through the years, meticulously scrutinizing every element of our packs to ensure they are not just efficient but downright effective.
Cool to see the generations compared.
What is the weight savings from gen1 to current?
Looking at the picture, I guess I have two gen 2s. I would be interesting in upgrading to the gen 4, if Mystery Ranch ends up selling it separately as an accessory.
Mine is the third one on the second photo (oldgen 3DAP). I suppose it can be used as a snow shovel