Aug 10
27
Kelty Trekker 3950 External Frame Pack
Kelty Trekker 3950 External Frame Pack
Classic Kelty Trekker
The Kelty Trekker 3950 is a throwback in this technology-meets-style era of backpacks. This external frame pack is a classic, having changed very little from its pioneering days for Kelty. The famously tough external frame backpack gets a few modern updates from Kelty in the Trekker. Among them: adjustability and enhanced comfort.
If you are looking for a pack with a lot of frills and high-tech, body-contouring straps, belts and padding, the Trekker 3950 might not be for you.
The Kelty Trekker is a simple workhorse of a pack. Those familiar with the fit and style of a traditional external frame backpack will appreciate the thoughtful updates Kelty has given the Trekker. The suspension adjusts to accommodate a wide range of torso lengths, destroying the long held belief that external frame packing is a painful exercise in endurance.
A mesh back panel, stretched taut across the suspension, provides the ventilation Boy Scouts and old-school hikers dreamed of. The hipbelt and shoulder straps are padded; the load balance is supported with the sternum strap, belt stabilizers and load-lifter straps; and the fabric is both durable and lightweight. All these features add up to a new kind of classic backpack.
If You’re A Freak About Pack Organization
Weighing in at around 5 lbs. 7 oz., the Trekker 3950 packs its own heft. It also offers a lot of room. In more than 3,900 cubic inches of volume, you get a spacious, top-loading packbag that offers multiple zippered pockets plus a mesh water bottle pocket for added organization.
The Kelty Trekker is hydration compatible; tuck your own reservoir into the pocket and use the Trekker’s drink tube exit ports to keep your thirst at bay while you’re on the go. Your sleeping bag rests in its own dedicated compartment, allowing you to pack and unpack your bedding without putting the rest of your gear in disarray. (Quite handy when you’ve finished a grueling day of trekking and barely have the energy to unzip your sleeping bag.)
A hold-open bar keeps the top of the bag steady as you’re packing and unpacking your gear. Plus, a spindrift collar cinches right down over the central compartment, keeping the elements at bay.
Kelty holds tight to one of the best features of an external frame pack: nearly unlimited ways to attach gear to the outside. The Trekker offers its own daisy chain, ice axe loop and lash tabs, but as experienced external-frame carriers know, your ability to carry extra gear is only limited by your strength and your imagination.
Load It Up-It Won’t Hurt
Trekker 3950 users say the pack is quite comfortable, especially for an external frame pack. Take advantage of the updated adjustability features, because, properly adjusted, an external frame pack can carry extremely heavy loads with a great deal of comfort.
Most users appreciate the Trekker’s open-top design, saying it is easy to pack and has exceptional capacity. Others would prefer more pockets, more straps and a more organized internal compartment. Take a close look at the Kelty Trekker 3950 and consider your needs when looking at a high-capacity pack for extended trips.
The internal-vs-external frame is an ages-old debate among backpackers. As with all gear, it truly comes down to your personal desires and physical needs.
Once you’ve done your homework online at sites such as REI.com, visit a store to try this pack on for yourself. The Kelty Trekker 3950 might be — simply — the backpack you’ve been looking for. You can pick up this pack at backcountry.com for an easy on the pocket $139.95.
