Backpacks

Arc’teryx Bora 65 Backpack | Review

The Arc’teryx Bora 65 is an extremely comfortable and feature-packed backpack that’s ideal for multi-day trips

Why We Chose The Arc’teryx Bora 65 Backpack: Comfortable, feature-packed, durable

As the 65 litre size suggests, the Arc’teryx Bora 65 is designed to optimise load stability while providing an efficient and comfortable carry for multi-day hikes. The backpack is both water resistant and extremely durable with a few handy features that make it a worthy addition to the Outdoor 100 product guide. Let’s take a closer look at the pack.

Features

A technical hip belt provides the Bora 65 with an extremely comfortable carry. This ‘RotoGlide’ design has been made to move with you, giving you better balance as the pack’s weight follows your body as you rock side to side. It’s certainly an effective way to keep the backpack weight well centred on your back and is something that makes a big difference with a heavily loaded pack.

A ‘Tegris’ internal frame and aluminium stays provide stability and structure to the pack itself, while helping to spread the load out. Tegris, to us, looks like a carbon fibre back panel designed to keep the pack’s overall weight to a minimum while still providing a good deal of load management. The material actually comes from a thermoplastic composite, bringing similar properties to carbon (including looking almost identical), with the added benefit that it won’t shatter on impact, it’s a tenth of the cost and it’s fully recyclable.

Access to the main compartment has been made easy, being either through the large drawcord opening that’s tucked underneath the lid, or via a waterproof side zip. This gives you access to what would otherwise be hard to reach items buried deep towards the bottom of the backpack.

“The whole pack is cut from a toughened 210 denier Cordura fabric.”

Other smaller pockets give multiple areas to stash bits of kit that you might need quick access to. These include the large ‘Kangaroo Pocket’ at the front of the pack which can be unzipped to offer ideal storage for both a rain shell and a midlayer. You’ve also got stretchy mesh stash pockets on the hipbelt and open side pockets, which are ideal for the smaller items on your kit list.

The Bora 65 is fully hydration bladder compatible, with a sleeve offering space to store your bladder and a clip to keep it suspended. The hydration hose simply runs directly from the back of the pack to sit on either the left or right shoulder straps.

Fabrics

The whole pack is cut from a toughened 210 denier Cordura fabric to help it resist any abrasion, while the lid has an integrated ‘Weather Vault’ to provide waterproof storage. Further water resistant protection comes from a DWR treatment that covers the whole pack.

Tester’s Verdict

Will Renwick, editor of Outdoors Magic

“This is one serious backpack; the kind of thing that’s made for proper multi-day missions into the backcountry. From my experience, it’s capable of swallowing a heck of a lot of stuff.

“With it’s high-spec materials and well-thought-through back system, the Bora might be expensive but there’s certainly an attention to detail and focus on quality here – it oozes it.”

“I’m 5 foot 10 and I tried the version with a Regular back length (a Tall back length is also available). Once I’d adjusted the sternum strap a little and tweaked the shoulder straps, the fit was just right, but it’s worth bearing in mind that you can get a couple more inches of adjustment in the back length by moving the harness up and down on the ‘GridLock’ which is pretty simple to use.

“The hipbelt and the pivoting effect it brings is really impressive. You do really feel like this helps your shoulders and hips to wiggle without the pack resisting your movement. It’s pretty handy that the hipbelt can be removed quickly and easily, though I can’t really see myself using a 65-litre pack without a hipbelt.

“Other touches I liked include the waterproof top pouch, the ice axe/trekking pole holders and the fact the lid floats to accommodate extra kit.

“If I was heading off to hike for a week or more through a real wilderness, where I’ll need to be carrying food for multiple days, this would be a good pack to call upon.”

Buy the Arc’teryx Bora 65: £280 at Alpine-trek.co.uk