Mountainsmith has developed its brand in the outdoor activity industry through its widely popular day and multi-day packs. Designed in the Rockies (Golden, CO) for the Rockies, the company’s packs fair exceptionally well through all weather conditions at altitude. While that in and of itself may not be unique, Mountainsmith has delivered an unconventional load support system in the form of its Mystic 65 trekking.
The Mystic 65 incorporates the kind of technical pack that one would expect to come from the most mountainous state in the lower 48. There is no wasted external space on the pack as its developers incorporated beneficial features to combat every situation in the field. The carrying capacity, up to 70 liters extended, boasts enough space to carry essential and emergency gear. There’s even a front-loading sleeping bag pocket that does not eat up precious volume inside the main space. This feature allows the center of gravity to remain low and keep the hiker balanced on treacherous alpine terrain. Tool mounts and trekking pole loops are additional key inclusions. What separates the Mystic 65 apart from competing brands’ packs resides in the unconventional biomechanical load-support systems.
One aspect of multi-day pack design that is often undifferentiated between competing brands is how the pack itself carries its own weight. Generally, packs have tension straps that pull the load off of one’s shoulders, allowing the pack to sit more comfortably on the hip. Some brands highlight a minimalist design to shed weight, thereby preventing the hiker from making the pack too heavy from the outset. The problem with these notions of convention is against what Mountainsmith designed the Mystic 65.
A major source of discomfort and instability that can lead to injury is when a pack cannot be tensioned properly on one’s central lower back. specifically between the L4 and L6 discs. That area is called the lumbo sacral trunk, and it is heavily populated with nerve endings. Mountainsmith has developed a unique system that secures pack weight away from the medial spinal area and instead onto the thick bone area of the pelvis called the Illiac Crest Shelf. This feature also decreases the compression of the spine, greatly reducing the muscle irritation around very sensitive areas.
Dehydration through elevated perspiration is an ever present possibility when one is backpacking away from the comforts of urban sprawl, regardless of the season. The DWR rear mesh panel on this pack prevents water from soaking into the pack while also clearing any moisture trapped next to the hot area on one’s back. The ventilation inhibits a spike in core temperature, allowing the user to store vital liquids and electrolytes without the risk of overheating on the trail.
While hip belts and some form of rear ventilation system are industry standard nowadays on every size of hiking pack, it is only one aspect of the Mystic 65’s suspension system. The advanced lumbar support and ventilation features are what elevates Mountainsmith in the space. The Delta Wing compression feature follows the basic principle of regular shoulder tension straps except that it laterally disperses pressure. The difference is noticeable because the pack feels like it’s almost not even there, allowing the hiker to focus more on what adventures lay ahead.