Reflective material on shoulder straps and daisy chains
Granite Gear Tepex 3D Frame
Engineered
Zones of Flexibility
A frame
that flexes like your back, but never “washes out”.
Unlike a system with aluminum stays that can only flex evenly from
top to bottom, our Tepex® framesheet is engineered with zones
of flexibility from top to bottom. They flex easily in the area
from the lower spine up into the lumbar so when you cinch your
belt this zone automatically fits to your lower spinal shape. The
lumbar zone is downright springy, absorbing the shock of each step.
They flex laterally to accommodate your natural hip rotation. The
mid back zone is semi-rigid transferring weight evenly downward
toward the belt. The upper zone and head-room pocket are rigid,
allowing the load lifters to pull the whole load close to your
back while guaranteeing enough head-room. The Tepex® frame
always returns to it’s original shape—never deforming
like aluminum stays frequently do.
Even
Load Distribution
Nimbus
framesheets are molded to follow the vertical and horizontal curves
of your back, eliminating pressure on your lower back muscles.
Better Blood Flow and Oxygenation Through Your Back Muscles: Our frame distributes
pressure more evenly over your back putting less pressure on individual areas,
allowing for increased blood flow and oxygenation to your back muscles.
Outside Magazine
Gear of the Year Winner
From day hikes in canyon country
to soggy treks in the Cascades to dusty runs in New Mexico, more than a dozen
testers carried loads big and small-and everything in between-to find the
best packs of the year. In every category, we discovered daypacks and overnighters
that strike a near perfect balance between weight and performance: No pack
that made the final cut weighs more than 4.5 pounds, yet none requires TLC
when the going gets rough. Exhibit A: Gear of the Year winner Granite Gear
Nimbus Meridian, which is as comfortable as it is tough.
By Dennis Lewon
and Justin Nyberg
Comfort: Go ahead, try and overload it. On treks
in New Mexico's Pecos Wilderness and even ski touring in the Tetons, testers
were unanimous: The Meridian carries like a champ. Credit the firm yet
flexy composite framesheet that moves with your body, dual density foam
in the hipbelt that cushions luxuriously, and a precision fit (both torso-size
and interchangeable suspension parts) that you can dial in with a few turns
of a screwdriver.
Versatility: It's light enough to use as a weekend pack yet big enough for a week's worth of supplies-and you won't feel you're compromising in either case. How? An array of compression straps means you can under-and overload to your heart's content, a panel zip allows instant rummaging in the main compartment, and the top lid converts to a lumbar pack for basecamp duty. Stretchy side pockets will accommodate a small sleeping pad.
Durability: The Meridian may weigh less than four pounds, but there's nothing gossamer about the construction. There's no easily abraded mesh to be found, and its big-toothed, water resistant zippers are sturdy and easy to operate. Siliconized ripstop nylon shaves ounces and makes the pack extremely weather-resistant-while a few key high-stress areas, like the bottom and compression panels, are made with tough 210-denier Cordura.
"Asuper-sweet lightweight pack," raved our map editor after repeat trips into Colorado's Never Summer Wilderness. Despite its minimalist look, this durable midsize handles 45-pound loads. "The hipbelt and framesheet are a lot more supportive than most packs in this category," he wrote, "so don't be afraid to carry 5 days' worth of food and gear." The shoulder straps bolt individually to a series of holes in the full length molded framesheet, offering a good 3 inches of torso adjustment in each size. That gives the Nimbus excellent stability and channels weight right to the hips, where you want it; the system also permits plentiful (though slow) adjustments for torso length and shoulder width. The removable top pocket comes with a preattached hipbelt for dayhiking. A heavy-duty vertical zipper accesses the main packbag. You can cinch loads down tightly, or lash on extras with compression straps located on both sides and the front of the packbag. Two deep, stretchy bottle pockets keep trail necessities secure and handy; we stashed our water in the internal hydration pocket.
