Titanium External Frame — Vargo Outdoors is looking to make the old-school format of external-frame packs more relevant in the ultra-light backpacking world. The company accomplishes this with a light-yet-rigid supporting frame made of titanium alloy.
The Vargo Ti-Arc CF pack weighs less than 2 pounds when empty. In addition to the titanium frame, the pack employs an ultralight cuben fiber fabric, the same tough, thin material used on high-end yacht sails. (A nylon version will also be sold; nylon model pictured below.)
It holds 36 liters of gear. Because of its external frame the Vargo can comfortably distribute weight better than other packs of its size, up to 35 pounds comfortably, the brand cites.
The regular (nylon) version will cost $299. The cuben version will be $375. Both editions will come to market for the ultra-light crowd this fall.
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