Close to Zero ‘DEAN 55’ Backpack Overview

By day 3 or 4 on the path, my once-organized backpack begins falling into disarray. Snack wrappers populate the pockets, soiled garments stuff the lifeless area, and small gadgets or unused layers get sucked into the void on the backside close to the sleeping bag.

Group turns into much less of a precedence in my pack the nearer I get to the tip of a visit. I name it entropy. But it surely would possibly simply be my dangerous behavior.

So, it’s good when a backpack truly helps me keep organized. I’ve used stuff sacks for a very long time with some success. However once I first unzipped the Close to Zero DEAN 55 entrance panel and noticed the pack’s inside, I used to be instantly struck by the design.

It was laid out like a packing map, with mesh dividers and labeled compartments for the tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, meals, and extra. The group was already performed for me.

Over a number of months of testing, I introduced THE DEAN 55 with me on in a single day journeys and even a couple of day hikes to see not solely how nicely it carried out as a backpacking pack, but additionally whether or not its intelligent (and patent-pending) group system may truly assist hold me higher organized.

In brief: THE DEAN ($300) is a cheap, light-weight 55L adjustable torso pack. The compartmentalized group system is exclusive and could be very useful for packing and remembering important gadgets. This could be an incredible starter backpack for somebody simply stepping into the game. Dyed-in-the-wool backpackers might need some private gripes with the compartmentalized structure. However this pack gives a artistic new technique to visualize packing and arrange your backpacking gear.

For those who’re buying, evaluate THE DEAN to these on GearJunkie’s information to the Greatest Backpacking Backpacks.

Close to Zero THE DEAN 55 L Backpack Overview

THE DEAN earns its title from Dean Jensen, the daddy of Close to Zero’s founder, Scott Jensen. Based on the model’s historical past, Scott began Close to Zero in 2019, shortly after his father’s passing, to make that have accessible and inexpensive for extra individuals.

The model appears to be retaining with its mission. It makes tents, sleeping baggage, pads and pillows, camp kitchen gear, headlamps, fireplace provides, and extra at cheaper price factors than a lot of the mainstream competitors.

As Close to Zero’s flagship product, THE DEAN comes as a 55L adjustable model (which I examined), a 55L fixed-size pack, and a 20L “Little Dean.”

Structure: Directions Included

THE DEAN’s key promoting level is its inner structure, the place its design actually shines. The principle compartment is labeled and comes with mesh separators that connect to the pack’s inside and designate sections for the tent, sleeping bag, H2O, first support, and extra.

Some backpacks may have one or two completely different compartments inside the primary one. However no different backpack I’ve come throughout has utilized such a particular compartmentalized structure.

There are a number of advantages to this. First, you by no means need to play a sport of psychological Tetris to suit all of the requirements into your bag. There’s a labeled place for every little thing you want.

That additionally serves as a packing listing. You’re not prone to neglect your sleeping bag once you’re observing an enormous empty rectangle in your pack that claims “Sleeping Bag.” For forgetful packers or newbie backpackers, this can be a intelligent design characteristic.

My favourite half about this pack’s design, although, is its entry. I can’t stand packs that don’t provide some type of aspect or again entry. If the one method out and in is thru the highest, I unpack and repack repeatedly till I begin to lose my sanity.

THE DEAN’s entrance opens up like a suitcase, with an enormous water resistant U-shaped zipper. It made accessing my gear and provides painless and straightforward and stored issues largely organized.

THE DEAN additionally sports activities my private favourite type of backpack mind. As an alternative of sitting on high of the pack, like a wobbly strapped-on afterthought, this mind is built-in into the pack. You possibly can retailer stuff within the high, nevertheless it isn’t flopping round and requires no clipping or unclipping to entry the pack’s insides.

Supplies, Weight, and Sturdiness

The pack’s important physique is comprised of ripstop nylon with a water resistant coating. After I walked by a light-weight sprinkle, water beaded off of the pack as an alternative of soaking into it. It additionally has silicone-coated water resistant zippers for the primary compartments. Nonetheless, it isn’t a waterproof pack by itself. That’s why it comes with an included rain cowl.

THE DEAN’s nylon is a light-weight materials that enables the pack to weigh 3 kilos and 12.8 ounces. It’s acceptably mild, although not the lightest pack in the marketplace. In comparison with GearJunkie’s Greatest Backpacking Backpacks, it’s on the heavier finish of the spectrum, with solely 4 out of the 15 packs weighing extra.

Nonetheless, for those who packed THE DEAN with the naked minimal and solely used ultralight gear, you might probably hold your base weight below 10 kilos, which might technically be thought-about an ultralight setup.

Sturdiness-wise, THE DEAN appears to carry up. It may use some double stitching in some key areas of stress, however so far, I haven’t blown out any seams. You may get them to stretch for those who actually stuff THE DEAN full of substances — however the identical might be mentioned for any backpack.

Efficiency

I took THE DEAN on a number of day hikes (sure, it was overkill), an in a single day backcountry ski journey to a tenth Mountain Division hut, a summertime in a single day close to Grizzly Creek, and a 3-day backpacking journey within the Flat Prime mountains.

What jumped out to me probably the most as I used this pack was its consolation. The hip belts have been notably much less constrictive round my waist than different packs I steadily use. They hug greater than they squeeze.

The shoulder straps and mesh again panel have been comfy too. Supposedly, they breathe, permitting perspiration to wick and evaporate as an alternative of increase. However I are inclined to sweat loads (greater than an everyday individual, my accomplice assures me). So, on hotter hikes, I’d soak by each straps and the mesh panel after only a few miles. They dried rapidly, although.

THE DEAN 55 L adjustable pack permits the wearer to alter the torso measurement between three choices. A easy steel hook latches onto loops set at intervals behind the shoulder blades. Based on the model, it accommodates toro sizes from 14 to 22 inches. I’m a 5’11” male, and THE DEAN felt comfy on me set to its largest torso measurement.

The straps on the hip belt pull ahead — I’m an enormous fan of packs with this design characteristic. It simply feels extra pure to regulate the tightness round your waist by pulling ahead as an alternative of backward.

Elastic cords on the pack’s entrance panel made an incredible place to retailer my rain jacket, fleece layers, photo voltaic panels, or any rubbish baggage I used to be packing out. THE DEAN can be appropriate with hydration bladders, however I by no means used this characteristic, as I want water bottles, and there are two completely good bottle pockets on the perimeters of this pack.

THE DEAN moved fairly naturally with my physique. The strap system allowed me to regulate the match in order that the pack hugged and rested its weight squarely on my hips.

In contrast to some packs, I didn’t discover myself twiddling with readjustments that usually. As soon as the match was dialed, THE DEAN felt each bit as ergonomic — much more so — as some backpacking backpacks made by a lot greater manufacturers with a lot greater value tags.

Pair With ‘Prepared-2-Go’ Bundle

THE DEAN additionally accommodates one different nifty characteristic. Close to Zero gives a gear bundle choice that’s fairly distinctive amongst different pack choices. Clearly, with its labeled and compartmentalized design, THE DEAN targets extra newbie backpackers than high-level, technical ones.

For somebody simply stepping into the game, realizing what provides and equipment you’ll want earlier than going out and shopping for all of it may be intimidating. The Prepared-2-Go backpack bundle gives a shortcut that would show useful for some.

The bundle contains 25 gadgets: a two-person tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, inflatable pillow, rain poncho, hydration bladder, first-aid package, titanium trowel, range, kettle, isobutane range and gas canister, titanium mug and spork, firestarting package, hygiene package, compass, stool, water bottle, 50 ft of paracord, knife, bug spray, headlamp, sunscreen, and even an erasable guidelines.

The model claims that for those who purchased every little thing included in the bundle individually from comparable manufacturers, it will price round $2,130. Close to Zero gives its bundle for $1,134.

That is perhaps lower than what it will price to purchase every little thing new and individually, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a reasonably excessive value level for a newbie to enter this sport. It additionally signifies that you’ll solely have Close to Zero gear and gained’t have the chance to customise your backpacking setup with the tent, sleep system, and different gear from different manufacturers you would possibly want.

For some, constructing their very own backpacking package is half the enjoyable.

Nonetheless, for those who’re decided to begin backpacking and like to do all of your buying in a single place, Close to Zero makes that potential. The Prepared-2-Go Bundle would even be an incredible (if costly) reward for the hopeful backpacker in your life.

Room for Enchancment

There are additionally some drawbacks to utilizing a labeled and compartmentalized group system like THE DEAN’s. Particularly, for those who don’t get the bundle and resolve to make use of one other model’s tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, and different bigger items of package, they may not match into the predefined compartments completely.

The compartment system attaches to the insides of the pack through clips. Nonetheless, they’ll’t be reconfigured in too many alternative methods to accommodate different-sized gear. And as soon as you progress the compartment dividers round, most of the labels grow to be much less helpful or irrelevant, anyway.

Additionally they type of get in the way in which of my favourite and simplest packing technique: brute drive stuffing. You possibly can cram the compartments full, however you might cram the backpack fuller with out them.

I may see some individuals taking the coaching wheels off altogether and utilizing the pack with out the inner divider, which might nonetheless work nice however would additionally type of defeat the design’s function.

Additionally, some single-stitched thread got here free in a couple of locations. It didn’t trigger any structural points, however I’m going to control it as I take advantage of this pack extra.

The Last Phrase: Close to Zero THE DEAN 55

As a backpacking pack, Close to Zero busted out of the gate with THE DEAN 55 L. Not solely did the model design a light-weight (sufficient) weight, comfy, sturdy, and high-quality backpacking pack, nevertheless it additionally designed one that may assist individuals keep organized, keep in mind the necessities, and discover ways to pack systematically for a backpacking journey.

I can’t advocate this pack sufficient if you’re a newbie or forgetful backpacker.

The Prepared-2-Go Bundle can be a potential promoting level for newcomers who wish to decide to the game. If you wish to begin backpacking however don’t know the place to begin, what sort of gear to get, or what that you must get began, this feature takes all of the guesswork out.

It’s an funding, to make sure. However Close to Zero does guarantee its backpacks and equipment for a full yr if something goes fallacious.

I don’t assume this pack will disrupt the world of ultralight backpacking. And I’ve a hunch that extra skilled backpackers is perhaps proof against among the organizational options. However I don’t know if I’ve ever encountered a greater entry-level backpacking pack. The inside design is intelligent and distinctive. The supplies are all high-quality. And the pack itself is mild and really comfy to hike with.