Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 4400 70L Black

HMG designed the 4400 Southwest for remote, multi-sport trips to inhospitable regions, where resupplies are infrequent. Made from 100% waterproof Dyneema® Composite Fabrics (formerly Cuben Fiber) and with additional elastic frame sheet support for extra load carrying capacity, this ultralight pack is highly durable. Further weatherproof your kit by using our Stuff Sacks.

• Small 2.32 lbs | 37.18 oz | 1054g
• Medium 2.40 lbs | 38.34 oz | 1087g
• Large 2.50 lbs | 40.00 oz | 1134g
• Tall 2.55 lbs | 40.74 oz | 1155g

Important to always use a pack liner in your backpack – can still get wet during downpours

On my trip through Sarek it rained constantly for about 2 days as well as waist high wading daily – I don’t use rain covers or anything like that so I have to trust my backpack that it will do it’s just in keeping things dry. I pack everything in watertight stuff sacks, I prefer the Pack pods from HMG and the Stuff sack pillow, and I use a giant trash bag as a pack liner on the inside to keep as much water as possible out. I find this combination of watertight-ish backpack with only one entry point (the roll top), a giant trash bag liner, and everything packed in watertight stuff sacks, keeps everything perfectly dry no matter the rain or wading, and this proved the case even in Sarek on the wettest of terrain, my gear was kept perfectly dry. The Windrider, Southwest and Porter packs are exactly the same pack with only the pockets on the outside being different.

 

I also find that for my longer trips the HMG windrider holds up without any problems, at most I have had around 17 kilos in my pack and while the pack can certainly handle the weight, my body can’t. The Pack itself is rated at around 27 kilos – I would say 20 kilos is enough.

 

Some people have reservations about mesh pockets on the outside of a pack – they can “tip the balance”, they can easily tear in forestry and so on. Personally I don’t really have this problem. The mesh pockets I use mainly for my tenkara fishing rod, a water bottle and trash. Balance is not an issue. As far as the mesh pockets tearing, this as it were, has not shown itself to be an issue either, and I have certainly trounced through a lot of unkept forestry. The Southwest has cleaner pockets as they are fully enclosed instead of the open mesh pockets found on the Windrider. This might be a better choice for those worried about the mesh getting snagged in trees and so on. 

 

There are a lot of backpacks on the market – But there is a reason the Hyperlite mountain gear packs have grown in notoriety: There are no backpacks anywhere near the quality or robustness of the HMG backpacks. If you need one backpack for most everything, you can’t go wrong with a Hyperlite mountain gear Windrider 4400, or any of the 4400 packs.

 

• Big 70 Liter pack
• Simple, effective design.
• Lightweight
• Great carrying capabilities
• 95% watertight
• Robust, durable fabric and mesh
• Compressible – From 70 liters to 40 liters
• Removable stays
• Excellent construction and quality
• No zippers or do-dads. Just what is needed
• Small, Medium, Large and Tall. That’s what you get to choose from. Perfect. I hate too many choices as I’m always afraid of getting it wrong.

• Hydration pocket not easily removed – razor blade needed
• Not the lightest 70 liter pack on the market
• Ventilation for some can limited creating a sweaty back

Rewiev by Kenneth Shaw

• Made in Maine
• Three external solid Dyneema® Hardline pockets
• Removable, contoured aluminum stoppers
• Dyneema® Hardline shoulder strap with 3/8 “closed cell foam and spacer mask
• Internal plastic frame for extra back panel support
• 1/4 “foam backing plate
• compression System
• Roll-Top closure system with side compression belts for vertical compression
• Side compression straps for horizontal compression
• Top Y-band compression – Designed to secure the gear
• Dyneema® Hardline double density hip belt with 1/8 “closed foam with closed cell, 1/4” closed cell foam and remote grid
• Dyneema® Hardline zipper on hip belt with # 5 YKK zipper
• Adjustable belt strap with self-tensioning strap
• Isaxelslinga
• Hydro port and internal mesh sleeve
• Four exterior trim tabs for optional accessory straps
• Own seam sealing on all sides and behind all sewing packages