The good stuff:
Obviously, when we hear Keen, we think toe-capped sandals
not backpacks.
The Tilden, however is a
great CDP.
This was a complete surprise
since most companies that start off as shoe companies don't produce anything
more than fashion-first book bags (think Nike, Reebok, Adidas packs – none of which
can be confused with a full fledged CDP).
The Tilden is really well made with great materials. It is just a tick behind the Patagonia
Blackhole in build quality. Like the
Blackhole, the Tilden also has coated sections that make it more water
resistant than most of the other packs.
The deep zipper covers prevent a rain shower from entering the pack and
are a welcome features.
Similar to many of the pack discussed here, the cover to the
main compartment of the Tilden opens away from the user when wearing this pack
on one's front side (I know, a totally geeky look, but useful for moments when
one does not want to put the pack down to find something). The important thing
to recognize is that the compression straps do not cross the zipper allowing
you to open up the main compartment fully and easily. The bright orange lining of the interior
makes it a cinch to find things in this pack.
(I got the grey version; the lining color may be different in other
colors.)
A lot of thought went into the suspension system of this
pack. It has a stiff back that is not
quite a frame-sheet, but the EVA foam is dense enough to act like one. The shoulder straps and the back have egg
crate foam across all areas that touch the body. It certainly seems like a good way to combat
overheating as it allows for significant air flow across the back.
The main compartment opens up wide and is cut in such a way
that it leaves only a shallow roof over the laptop pocket to allow for easy
entry and exit of a laptop. The
organizing pocket has a separate pocket for a tablet device. A nice touch.
The bad stuff:
As you know by now, I prefer to have the organizing pocket
outside of the main compartment and, unfortunately, Keen did not hear my preferences. It's
funny, too, because Keen clearly could have chosen to put this set of divided
pockets in the front zippered compartment instead of leaving this as a generic
open pocket. Additionally, though it has
side pockets for water bottles, they are too tight to easily accept a 1 L
Nalgene without exerting serious effort and they are a tad shallow, too.
Similar to the other packs that have the laptop pocket in
the main compartment, this pack would have benefitted from moving this pocket
to its own zippered compartment accessible directly from the outside. Alas, few packs do this. The other odd thing is that this pack seems
overrated when it comes to its size. It
feels like the same size as the 22L Patagonia Critical Mass. I think this is partly due to the highly
tapered shape of the profile.
Lastly, the suspension system is a bit scratchy. If I were wearing a sleeveless shirt or if I
was going shirtless on the beach, this system would undoubtedly be
uncomfortable in a short period of time.
They seem to have chosen a mesh that is not as satiny as other packs in
this class.
Summary:
This pack has a lot going for it.
Had I not stumbled across the the Marmot Trans Hauler, I might have gone with this one.
(That's not to say that I have settled on the Trans Hauler - just that the Tilden has fallen behind it.) I could live with the bad stuff I mentioned
and frankly, given that I am a middle aged man who could use more time in the
gym, going shirtless is not really a option anyone would be in favor of.
The one thing it did lack that many other
packs did have was a place for my glasses.
Bummer, too, given that it is so easy for manufacturers to design a
simple, shallow pocket on the top outside of a pack.
Grade: B+
The Photos:
 |
| The Tilden. |
 |
| Look how wide that zipper cover is and how fat that zipper is! |
 |
| This is the pocket on the front. It unzips on the side and has a key carabiner. |
 |
| The divided organizer. The larger pocket with the tab holds a tablet. The hook on the top is for a hydration bladder. This is also the same slot for your computer. |
 |
| Here is the pocket on the inside front wall of the main compartment. Really handy. |
 |
| Here I am opening up the tablet pocket. |
 |
| The is the back. Note the egg crate EVA below the mesh. |
 |
| This is the shoulder strap side that would be in contact with your shoulders. |
 |
| Just nutty flap for covering your zipper. |
0 comments:
Post a Comment