Mountain Hardwear  Kazam 60 Pack

This 60L backpack has pockets in its pockets. There are multiple places to store your gear, and I’m all here for it. It seems to be waterproof, it has the wet bag feature of folding it and clipping it on the top. And there are 3 major pouches, 1 on the front and 2 on the side. There are small storage areas on the hip belt and chest belt. Another plus, it’s extremely light! I have a 40L backpack that I use for 2-3 days backpacking trips and it’s heavier than this backpack. As soon as I put this Mountain Hardwear on I could tell it was light and also very comfortable. The only place that is not super comfortable for me is in the neck area. The straps are too close to my neck and I think it might rub for a multiple day backpacking trip. I used it for some winter hikes and snowshoeing and it worked great. I was able to store my snowshoes if I didn’t need them and it’s definitely waterproof when I had to set it on the snow.

We received and tested a XS/S Kazam 60 which fits my 5’6”/140lb (167cm/63.5kg) wife perfectly. I found the pack a tad small for me as 5’8” 175lb (173cm/79.3kg) man. We loaded up the pack (pictured) with everything one person would need for a 2-3 night backcountry trip (pictured). Our loaded pack weight came out to 24lbs. We loved the deep and generous side pockets on both sides of this pack. It’s simple, it works, and it’s efficient. This design is used in a lot of ultralight bags on the market for those reasons. We stuffed an ultralight backpacking chair on one side and our hiking poles on the other and still had room for more gear. The side pockets have pass-through openings for sliding a water bottle in/out. The body of the pack was a little narrow for me to comfortably reach back and retrieve a bottle but my wife had no issues. We like the rolltop design because you can expand or contract the pack to fit what you’re carrying based on how many times you fold the bag down. However, we found out that the orange compression strap isn’t long enough to reach the attachment point if you’re trying to max out the interior volume like we did (pictured). So we ended up putting a couple of our dehydrated meals in the expandable pocket next to our rain jacket. This wasn’t a deal breaker but an extra inch or two of nylon webbing would have been appreciated. Note that the hip belt design means the hip belt pockets are quite small. We prefer storing our phone in the chest strap pockets better so this wasn’t an issue. It just takes getting used to if you’re accustomed to a traditional design. At 24lbs fully loaded my wife felt like the pack was every bit as comfortable as the traditional pack that she’s been using. This will be her new pack for the multi day trips we take in the summer and fall. Last, the hip belt has good ergonomics that make tightening the belt easier than others we’ve used. It’s hard to describe but you pull forward at the sides of your waist to tighten the belt. Other packs we’ve used had you pull away from your body at awkward side to side angles. We like the Kazam's design best. We do have concerns that the narrow nylon belt strap may be uncomfortable for some people because it runs across your stomach without any padding. We didn’t have an issue with this but feel like this is a pack that you’re going to want to try on in the store and walk around in. Overall the hip belt works well and grabs your hips securely. It just uses less padding than traditional packs. The weight saved will be worth it to a lot of people. In summary, here are four features that make it worth considering and our concerns: Light weight but still comfortable when loaded Giant external pockets add versatility and capacity Pockets on the chest straps are clever Lid is smartly divided into three compartments Concerns: The orange compression strap needs to be 2 inches longer (pictured) Hip belt strap comfort (pictured)

I used this pack on three day hikes totaling about 15 miles with about 1,600 ft of gain over relatively gently rolling terrain with a few steep sections. As this size pack would be used for backpacking, all hikes were done with a 35 lb loadout to simulate a week's load. Main points: - There are a lot of adjustment straps and cords. When I first put it on with weight in it I didn't think it would fit me at all, but after a number of adjustments it fit quite well. It fit me at least as well as, and in several cases better than, four or five packs that I have tried in this size/weight range. - I like the pockets on the removable top lid - two outer, one underneath. They provide easy access to basic items. - The roll top main compartment closure is secure - The two side pockets are quite large. Although water bottles are difficult to pull out/put back without taking the pack off (true of pretty much all packs these days) it is plenty big for a large water bottle. I am transitioning from using a water bladder to a bottle with a hydration hose, and in this case I used a 48 oz bottle in the side pocket. It worked well, swallowing the bottle with a lot of room to spare. - The main compartment is top access only. I put a bear canister (475 size) inside along with other gear to get to 35 lbs. The canister fit inside both vertically and horizontally, though carrying a bear canister inside does not leave a lot of room around it. The compartment diameter is not a lot larger than the canister - I could squeeze a one-person tent and sleeping pad next to the vertical canister. When inside, the canister may complicate using a water bladder in the hydration sleeve, though I did not test this. I prefer to carry the canister inside rather than on top. - The outside shovel pocket is quite large - The hip belt pockets are serviceable, though I wouldn't mind if they were larger - A significant portion of the listed capacity is in the side and shovel pockets, which do not close - The hip belt and shoulder straps have minimal padding and are minimally sized. Wide-wasted or wide-hipped people should try the pack on to see if the belt pads cover the hips. Despite the spartan belt, it carried the weight better than I was expecting, with no sore spots to speak of even after 7+ miles carrying 35 lbs on the last of the three test hikes. I tested this pack in cool weather - 30s to 50s F - so I was not able to see if the belt slides down my hips when I am sweaty. I have relatively narrow hips and this is a common problem for me. - The ventilation on the back is minimal. I don't know how this pack will do in the heat since I only tested it in cool weather. It worked fine in the conditions I saw. Overall, it worked well. It carried the weight well, and it was as comfortable as most of the other packs I have tried in this size/weight range, and better than several. Accessibility is good with the various pockets. It would be nice to have a full open zip for the main compartment, but that would add weight. As with all packs, fit is everything, and this needs to be tried on to see how it fits you.

This pack is HUGE! I've never had a pack this big. My previous pack was only 42 liters. I took this on an overnighter so see how it carried and to see if I got any hot spots from the material or the cut. Parents have a farm on the southern Oregon coast where I walked out with a small tent, a BIG sleeping bag, and some basic cooking essentials. The bag I stuffed in it was an Exped MegaSleep Duo 25/40. I'm a big dude. 6'0" and 300 lbs. so I brought the biggest bag I had with me just to fill out this pack as much as I could. I certainly had the side straps extended out as much as possible, but had plenty of room to go up with the main compartment. And everywhere you look this things has another pocket. The back itself weighs next to nothing thanks to the innovative attachments. By this I mean instead of using buckles to attach things like the sternum strap, they use a high strength, mega thin cord is kind of a daisy chain loop pattern along the shoulder straps, then stitch it just wide enough for the chest strap to be folded and stitched once, then be able to slip through the daisy chain opening but catch on itself so it can't be pulled back through. The outside side pocket was interesting. It's accessible from the top and the side closest to your back. I suppose this is for storing a coat or some other type of layer without having to take the pack off. Pretty cool idea. Didn't really have a chance to use it though. Another thing I dig is that the shoulder straps have two pockets on each shoulder. One zipper and one stretch fabric pocket on each. The stretch pocket is big enough to hold my iPhone 16 ProMax and slip in and out easily as long as you don't have a grippy case on it. As for pockets, the lid has three. Two on the outside and one on the inside. Lid is completely detachable, but has tension straps on all four corners to help the back expand upwards. As for the waist strap, well like I said, I'm a bid dude. At 6'0" and 300 lbs, the belt fit, but the strap was extended all the way out. I do like that the straps are the style that pull from the hip bones towards your center line or belt buckle to tighten super handy. Anyway my pack was a M/L size and fit just right. Plenty of room for someone taller than me to rock it. My only question is how all of the lightweight innovative connections points will stand up over time. So far so good. :-)

Just broke this out for a multi-day jaunt and this is a spectacularly brilliant pack. I've owned so many types of hiking, technical, ultralight backpacks, but the one differential between all of those and the Kazam is the ease of use. The straps are some amalgamation of strap keepers, where if you undo them, you'd never get them back properly. It's a pack that makes sense. 60L at ~1200g and extremely comfortable to boot, the pack does what I want it to do: comfortably carry what I need (~9 or 10kg of kit) into whatever backcountry, trail, hike, that I go on. I'm 183cm tall and the M/L is perfect for my 20-inch torso length. Hip belts are nothing to call home about, but they're comfy. The side pockets are amazingly designed with dual openings on the usual top end and another opening on the edge facing the wearer. Was skeptical about how it would hold my bottles and poles, but there are stays for stuff you want to stay in place and stuff you want to access while wearing. All in all, Mountain Hardware. Top notch job. An lightweight, no nonsense pack with features that make sense and can carry all the weight I need it to carry.

Love the color options, firstly. The lightweight and waterproof features while still being comfortable on my back and hips for an extended wear while on an approach to a climb make this pack worth the purchase. The locations of pockets and zippers are perfect and seem well designed with mountaineers in mind.

This pack is good if you want ultra-lightweight, but for most regular people, the savings in weight ma not be worth the inconveniences. Let’s start with the positive: it looks cool, it is extremely lightweight, the rolltop closure is great for keeping things dry, the hip belt really is comfortable despite how minimal it is, and it distributes weight well. Truly, there’s a ton of space and functionality for such a lightweight pack. If you’re looking to shed as many ounces in gear as possible, I’d recommend this pack. For me, there were a few trade offs that would make it hard for this to be my only backpacking backpack, including no main compartment front zipper. I didn’t love that the rolltop was the only way into the contents of the bag. The side pockets were massive and fit my tent and poles very well, except that’s not what I need quick and easy access to. In fact, not being able to reach my water bottle in the side pockets was a dealbreaker for me. I found the pockets on the hip belt and straps to be too small to be useful - I’d like to be able to quickly reach my phone in one of these pockets, and that wasn’t possible. I will use this pack for trips where every ounce counts, but for more chill trips, I’ll choose convenience of heavier packs.

I originally bought the 45L and loved it so much I bought the 60L, which I've been using since [gave the 45L to my wife]. Both packs seem to be identical in terms of features and construction, just different sizes. I've used this pack on a few trips, some with the kiddos, carrying far more than my share. It handled 40+lbs with ease. The swivel hip belt is surprisingly enjoyable to use and a standout for me - that type of feature is pretty much unheard of on a pack this light. Exterior pocketing has generously large capacity and made of fabric that is much more durable the stretch mesh on my old osprey that inevitably got shredded after a couple seasons. The large roll top entry works great and I love how it can be used with the lid on top for overloading if needed. I tend to pack the lid in the main compartment most of the time and noticed that the front lid straps can be used to attach to the roll top buckles on each side which helps compress the load a bit more if you're traveling lighter and faster. It took me a bit to realize the 'giddy up' side compression system was completely customizable and can be rigged up in so many different ways. i found myself liking it attached to the hipelt with heavier loads so i could pull the load into my hlps and make for a more stable carry. for lighter loads, I liked it attached to just the pack body to free the hip belt for moving faster and lighter. Planning to take it out for some longer missions with the kids later this year!

The Mountain Hardwear Kazam 60 has been an absolute workhorse for longer missions. It swallows gear without feeling like a bulky “expedition brick,” and the suspension carries weight surprisingly comfortably—even when I’m packing heavy for multi-day trips or hauling winter layers, rope, and all the extras. What I love most is how stable and balanced it feels while moving. The pack rides close, cinches down cleanly when the load shrinks, and doesn’t fight you on steep terrain. The design is clearly made with mountain use in mind: it’s durable, no-nonsense, and efficient, with smart access and organization that actually helps you stay moving instead of digging around forever. If you need a pack that can handle big volume, rough conditions, and full-on mountain objectives, the Kazam 60 is a confident 5-star pick. It’s dependable, comfortable, and ready for serious days out.