Hyperlite Mountain Gear 3400 Porter

As the editor of an outdoor website covering the outdoor sports of Central Washington, I own a lot of packs, big and small. Of all of them, this is currently my favorite.

This has become my go-to pack for gear-intensive day tripping (e.g., backcountry skiing, rock climbing) as well as for lightweight multi-day trips. It’s not the very lightest pack of its capacity out there (my pack weighs 2 pounds, 1 ounce) but is the lightest pack of its capacity that has reinforced sides and bottoms for contenting with skis, sharp tools, and rocks; foam padding and aluminum stays creating a supportive internal frame; full-feature shoulder pads and hip belts; and adequate strapping and compression straps to resize the pack quickly or to easily attach outdoor paraphernalia.

I've been impressed with the strength and durability of the the fabric — it's way tougher than silnylon. And if you don’t poke holes in the fabric (probably inevitable over time), the fabric is completely waterproof. This summer when wildfires threatened my home, I quickly grabbed my most important gear, this pack (out of about a dozen that I own) was one of three I grabbed (I also grabbed one smaller and one larger pack).

If I’d only been able to take one pack, this would have been it. I had my pack outfitted with the holsters and side panel reinforcements for carrying skis. These additions are well designed and tough—virtually all other 2-pound packs I own have gotten sliced by metal ski edges. Not this one.

Other benefits:

1. Hugs the back snugly while skiing and climbing.
2. Aluminum stays can be easily adjusted to the curves of your own back.
3. The Cuben fiber is stiff and holds its form when you're loading up the pack.
4. The white color of the pack lets you find stuff inside... it's not a black hole.
5. The pack compressions instantly to a smaller volume if using the pack for an outing where you're not carrying much gear. 

Note: I edit/manage an outdoor website (WenatcheeOutdoors.org) covering the adventure outdoor sports of Central Washington. We review a lot of ultralight gear and after seeing an acquaintance's pack at a trade show I contacted Hyperlite and requested a sample we could test for our audience. 

Lightweight, super tough.

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Porter meets all my needs in a backpack. It is very light, the material and stitching are first rate. It handles winter loads well.

The strength of the fabric was tested during a trip to the Ventana Wilderness where we spent two days scrambling through some nearly impassable brush. No holes in the fabric and after a quick wash it looked like new.

A forty+ pound winter load (mid tarp tent, -20 degree bag, five days food and fuel) was easily swallowed up by the 4400 Porter. The optional back pocket makes a great place to keep maps and a water filter.

For peak bagging and day backcountry ski trips, the Porter has replaced all my other packs. I just tighten up the compression straps and roll down the top a little bit more. It's lighter than all my other day-packs.

Oh yeah, it's reasonably weather proof. If you pack your gear with waterproof stuff sacks you won't need a pack liner or a rain cover with the Porter.

Really fantastic pack. My go-to for weekend to week-long trips!

I searched a long time to find a lightweight pack that could carry up to 40 lbs comfortably, that was actually long enough to fit my 21.5 inch torso. The Porter is the perfect pack for 90% of my trips, and I love the streamlined design and modular style of this pack.

For longer trips I add a front pocket, and for winter trips an insulated bottle pocket easily straps to the side. If the trip is short or I want to do some peak bagging, the volume is easily reduced with the three side compression straps to secure day-pack sized loads.

If you like a lot of pockets and compartments, this probably isn't the pack for you (check out HMG's other offerings), but if you're into minimalist backpacking, this is an awesome pack.