Aug 10
25
Kelty Lakota 4000 Pack
Kelty Lakota 4000 Backpack
It’s time to swallow your pride and make a (quite fiscally humble) investment in the 2010 Kelty Lakota 4000 Backpack.
Have you been lugging around the same uncomfortable, rigid backpack for 20 years, unwilling to admit it’s killing your back because the darn thing’s just so durable? You may find yourself pleasantly surprised at what an internal frame pack has to offer.
The Lakota 4000 hiking backpack is a fully featured backpack that raises the bar for durability on a budget. From the hefty polyester fabric to the heavy-duty zippers and other hardware, you need not fret when making the leap from Old Trusty to your new Kelty.
The fit is what will seal the deal. Kelty incorporates its revolutionary hipbelt-adjusting feature — the Scherer Cinch — into the Lakota 4000. When you’re wearing your pack with the dual-density foam hipbelt, be sure to wear it above your hips, at your true waist.
When fitted this way, the load can be cinched down to ride snugly on your hips rather than hang off your shoulders. Getting the hipbelt cinched down right is the trick and this is where the Scherer Cinch comes into play. An extended waist belt webbing doubles back to a cam point, creating a pulley system that helps you cinch the belt with a true measure of security. From technology comes comfort.
Kelty incorporates even more fit-enhancing features in the Lakota 4000’s design. The sternum strap has the standard elastic suspender and buckle attachment. But things get innovative at the junction between the sternum strap and the padded shoulder straps. Here, a stitched rib line runs up each side with a mated rider. You can now keep the sternum strap nice and tight while simultaneously adjusting its height — all while keeping on the move.
You’ve been persuaded that the Lakota will fit great. Now you need to know how well it will accommodate your necessary gear. You certainly don’t want to give up the capacity you’ve enjoyed for all these years in the name of a little more comfort.
No worries, Kelty has you covered. The Lakota 4000 has six pockets in addition to two main compartments. There is a space for your hydration bladder in the top compartment, plus tube ports on the lid. The top lid also has a pocket for small items, keeping them in easy reach.
The zippered side pockets have ample room; two mesh water bottle pockets offer extra H2O storage; and a large front pocket features its own organizer, to keep the often-used items in their place and at your fingertips. Use the daisy chain, ice axe loop and lash tabs for extras. And when the pack’s fully loaded and looking a bit bulky, dual side compression straps allow you to cinch, secure and stabilize the entire load into a neat, easy-to-haul package.
A favorite feature of this multi-day backpack is Kelty’s incorporation of a middle access point to the main compartment. While many bags are top, bottom, or dual-loaders, having an additional middle entry on the Lakota 4000 backpack broadens your choices when packing your gear.
No matter where your high-need items may be stashed, you can get to them from almost any entry point. You’ll never know how useful this feature is until you get to try it on the trail.
Speaking of rarely considered but useful features, Kelty seems to have put some extra thought into the hiker’s lifestyle when designing the Lakota 4000. One simple feature, a strong, easy carry handle (think duffle bag) at the bottom of the pack, makes it easy for you to grab your backpack from your vehicle, which is probably the most common way we get to the trailhead nowadays.
The Lakota 4000 comes in two color options: woodland green and the mustard-yellow hued “spice.” See more of this great pack.
