Kakwa 40
The Kakwa 40 is sold exclusively by our partners at Kaviso.com.
The Kakwa 40 is our premium ultralight, multi-day pack design. Its design is informed by Dan’s thousands of miles of backpacking experience to give the Kakwa 40 excellent load carrying, materials, pocket design, and quality – all while weighing just 28 oz / 795 g.
LOAD CARRYING
The load carrying and comfort of the Kakwa 40 is unprecedented for a pack weighing under 2 lbs.
Other packs in this niche commonly sacrifice comfort and load transfer by omitting load lifters, possessing only vertical frame components (no horizontal structure), and relying on rudimentary shoulder strap and hipbelt designs.
The Kakwa 40 is a stark contrast to this. It uses an inverted U shaped frame built of hollow aluminum that is a more efficient use of structural weight than the commonly flat frame stays, and provides a rigid core with both vertical and horizontal structure.
This frame connects directly to the hipbelt for optimal load transfer and directly to the load lifters, which are rare on packs this light yet essential for shifting more of the weight off your shoulders. A robust structure is nothing without an ergonomic connection to your body, which is why the shoulder straps have a carefully developed S shape to contour around your upper body, while the hipbelt uses a dual strap design to cup your hips and with reverse pull leverage for easy tightening. The result is a pack that comfortably and effectively manages loads up to 45 lbs.
EFFICIENT ACCESS
With an ultralight pack, efficient access to your gear while on the move is a hallmark of good pack design. For this, the Kakwa 40 has four types of pockets to optimize on-the-go access to a wide range of your gear so you can keep covering miles instead of digging through your pack.
That starts with the hipbelt pockets, where a large shape easily accommodates numerous medium sided items such as snacks, sunscreen, and headlamps. That storage is augmented by dual top opening shoulder strap pockets which provide an optimized place for your phone for quick photos and navigation. These shoulder strap pockets also work excellently for bear spray and provide a safe place for fragile items like sunglasses.
Additionally there is the innovative QuickPocket which consists of an easily reached hidden compartment in the side pocket where you can stow items that are too large to be quickly accessed on other packs, such as hats, mitts, large cameras and plus sized phones. Finally, a mesh style front pocket quickly swallows the largest items like jackets and cookwear so you can hike all day without opening your pack.
Collectively, the Kakwa’s suite of pockets is carefully thought out and refined to enable rapid and efficient access to everything you need on the move.
BackpackingLight
Favorite Carry
"A sleek, pleasing aesthetic....The only backpack in the sub 2 lbs weight class that was capable of carrying more than 50 lbs without torso collapse. This pack has my favorite carry feel".
Section Hiker
Impressive
"The low weight is impressive for a framed pack....and it provides excellent weight transfer to the hips. The pocketing is fantastic for accessing what you need during the day without stopping."
The Trek
I Could Not Be Happier
"I’ve become a huge fan. It has smart places to put all the stuff, and carries all that stuff comfortably. I could not be happier to have it for the remaining 2,000 miles of the Eastern Continental Trail this winter."
Adventure Alan
Incredibly Well Designed
"The Kakwa has a famously excellent load carry. The whole setup is just so dang comfortable and user-friendly. It is in contention for best ultralight backpack on the market."
MATERIALS & QUALITY
In our background in the Canadian Rockies we often spend more time off trail than on, so durability in the materials and construction is a top design priority.
With the Kakwa 40 we are using the innovative Ultra fabrics from Challenge Outdoor, where the face fabric uses UHMWPE fibers for most of the fabric (Ultra 200) or as a ripstop grid (UltraGrid) which are several times stronger and more abrasion resistant than traditional nylon pack fabrics.
Simply using a tough fabric is not enough if the pack has weak points in the stitching or supporting materials. That why the Kakwa 40 is fully double stitched with heavyweight thread by the same factory that builds packs for Arcteryx. We’ve also used the same tough materials for the shoulder straps, hipbelt pockets, and side pockets so these exposed areas also have maximum durability. The front pocket is generally less exposed to the brush, but still we’ve sourced a very durable knit mesh for this pocket that won’t stretch out.
Ultra 200X Fabric
The Ultra 200X fabric option is dominantly woven UHMWPE fibers (more commonly known by the brand name Dyneema®) which is several times stronger and more abrasion resistant than traditional nylon pack fabrics. This material is laminated to a film backing to make the material waterproof.
The Kakwa 40 is also available in a more affordable UltraGrid version which uses a 200D nylon fabric interlaced with a UHMWPE ripstop. While not as tough as Ultra 200X, it is still quite a tough fabric.
Hollow Aluminum U Frame
The hollow aluminum inverted U frame provides vertical and horizontal structure at less weight than frame stay systems for more effective load transfer and comfort at loads up to 45 lbs / 20 kg.
Dual Strap Reverse Pull Hipbelt
This hipbelt design cups your hips, and makes tightening the belt much easier with 2:1 tightening leverage and an ergonomic direction of pull.
Shoulder Strap Pockets
These pockets provide an ideal place for your phone, bear spray, sunglasses, small water bottles and more. We attach them permanently for a more solid and user friendly connection.
Quick Pocket
The Kakwa's unique Quick Pocket is a double layer pocket that can hold tall objects inserted from the top, while a separate compartment accessed by the front zipper is easily opened wearing the pack - providing quick access to larger items like hats, mitts, and maps.
Specifications
SPECIFICATIONS
Complete Pack (oz)
Ultra 200X: 27.1 oz (S), 28.0 oz (M), 28.9 oz (L)
UltraGrid: 29.6 oz (M), 30.3 oz (L)
Complete Pack (g)
Ultra 200X: 770 g (S), 795 g (M), 820 g (L)
UltraGrid: 840 g (M), 860 g (L)
Removable Items
Frame (3oz / 90 g) and backpad (0.5oz / 15 g) are included but removable.
Main Fabric
Ultra 200X or UltraGrid
Front Pocket Mesh
Heavy duty polyester knit mesh
Torso Length:
Small: 14.5 - 17.5 " (37 - 45 cm)
Medium: 16.5 - 19.5 " (42 - 50 cm)
Large: 18.5 - 21.5 " (47 - 55 cm)
Hipbelt (Min - Max Circumference):
Small: 27 - 46" (69 - 117 cm)
Medium: 28 - 47" (71 - 119 cm)
Large: 29 - 48" (74 - 122 cm)
Hipbelt (Recommended Hip Size):
Small: 28 - 38" (71 - 97 cm)
Medium: 29 - 39" (74 - 99 cm)
Large: 30" - 40" (76 - 102 cm)
Circumference (Top / Bottom)
36" (91 cm) / 31" (79 cm)
Unrolled Height (S / M / L)
31" / 33" / 35" (79 / 84 / 89 cm)
Internal Volume (S / M / L)
33L / 36L / 39L
External Volume (S / M / L)
15L
Total Volume (S / M/ L)
48L / 51L / 54L
Features
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FAQ
Customer Reviews
Literally the best, have had zero grievances so far and I feel that's gonna stay that way. Only one question, should I roll the top towards the back pocket, or towards the shoulder straps, or does it even matter?
Glad you're liking the gear.
For the roll top, you can roll it either way, but what matters is how you clip it. If you clip it one way (e.g. in front of the roll) it will unroll/untwist some and leave the roll top poking into the air. Whereas if you roll it the other way (e.g. clipping behind the roll) then that same untwisting force will twist the roll down into the backpack so it lays nicely.
I saw a lot o People with this backpack in the Te Araroa. I am thinking in buying one kakwa 40. I have a question? Will I can put a bear canister inside this backpack??
Thanks for your interest. If you want to store a bear canister inside we recommend the 55L size because it tapers wider at the top to fit bear canisters horizontally. The 40L can fit them as well though if they are vertically inside, or strapped on top. The Y strap on top helps for that.
- Dan Durston
I am so thrilled with this pack. I bought it a few weeks ago. Today I took everything out of my Osprey Atmos 65 and put it all…EASILY…into my Kakwa 40. I shed three pounds and I am still carrying everything. Then I went hiking. AMAZING! I have to say that this is the first pack I have ever hiked with that was and is 100% silent. No squeaks, no groans, no nothing. And it is extremely comfortable at 25 pounds (three days food and 2-1/2 liters of water included). Thank you Durston gear!!
Hello,
Just got the pack looks great. Size medium.
However when wearing and flexing my shoulders forward the straps tend to pinch a bit. . Is it a size to small? I haven’t used outdoors yet … is that something that can be adjusted to prevent from happening? What is the exchange policy and process should I need a bigger size? Thank you
Hi Adam. Can you email us some pictures to support@durstongear.com and then we can advise on the fit and how to exchange if needed.
Cheers,
Dan Durston
I acquired a Kakwa 40 from a friend of mine who wasn't using it anymore. I love the minimal design and the ruggedness. The side pockets are designed perfectly for access to water bottles of stashing extra gear. The bigger mesh pocket on the outside is nice, I wish it expanded a little bit more with a drawstring type design, but it isn't a deal breaker. I'm not a huge fan of the hip belt, I'm a bigger dude so it might just be my body type but again, not a deal breaker. Overall I am very happy with the pack and the design. I can't see myself needing anything more than what the pack already provides. Well done Dan