Introducing the Vapor Current AirBeam Pack Frame!

We are stoked to announce the product of collaboration between Klymit and Granite Gear: the Vapor Current AirBeam Pack Frame, which is a compatible upgrade for all Vapor Current packs including the Leopard V.C. 46, Aji V.C. 50, and Crown V.C. 60.

Granite Gear’s Crown V.C. 60 recently won received the OE Award at England’s Outdoor Enthusiast Show for the best backpack. We couldn’t agree more considering this combination is the most comfortable set-up we have ever tested.

The Vapor Current AirBeam Pack Frame will be available January 2013. Order one here for shipment in January.

With all the advancements in lightweight backpacking gear, the main source of weight has become the pack frame itself. We have managed to solve this problem by using superlight fabrics and pressurized air. The Vapor Current AirBeam transfers load to the hips even under movement and contortion of the body in a wider variety of conditions. The weight of the AirBeam Pack Frame are 1.9 to 3.2 oz, based on the size. The Vapor Current AirBeam saves three ounces (and we long distance backpackers know that every ounce counts!) over the stock VC frame and improves the performance by increasing vertical load transfer up to 40 pounds.

Unique aspects of the Klymit AirBeam Frame:

1.    This is the first pack frame that has a positive correlation with load. The AirBeam gets stiffer as the backpack load increases up to 40 pounds.

2.    The concept rests that under medium to high pressures (4-10 psi) the AirBeam resists horizontal collapse, allowing for chambers of air to maintain vertical orientation and allow gravity to force pressure downward directly to the hips for optimum load transfer.

3.    This is the first pack frame that is vertically rigid to maximize load transfer, but compliant during motion and conforms with the human body during strenuous activity, and allows malleability for simple tasks such as bending over and tying your shoes.

4.    This pack frame was designed to increase comfort while decreasing weight, and to sacrifice nothing in rigidity and load carrying capability.

Specs:

Weight: 3 oz
Size Short: 11.5″ x 20″ x 0.75″
Size Regular: 11.5″ x 22″ x 0.75″
Size Long: 11.5″ x 24″ x 0.75″

Granite Gear has been bringing innovative products to the outdoor marketplace for 26 years. Our award winning backpacks, extensive variety of storage sacks, lifestyle accessories, dog products and canoe gear offer excellence in design and construction. Located in Northern Minnesota, just minutes from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and the Superior Hiking Trail, we have a rugged and beautiful testing ground for our products.

Coming Soon: Klymit’s Kickstarter Project

You know our lab rats here at Klymit are creative. We’ve sure enjoyed coming up with all the solutions for your outdoor adventures, including the Klymit Inertia sleeping pads, the the new Air Beam and the Kinetic vest line. We’ve used our creative juices to invent technology like NobleTek argon gas insulation, loft pockets and body mapping.

However, new product development is expensive. And while we would love to let our product guys go crazy, we have decided we need to get creative in looking for new funding sources to feed our innovation habit.

We recently decided that Kickstarter could be the perfect answer. Kickstarter is “a funding platform for creative projects.”  Perfect, right!? In the last few years, more than 2.5 million people have pledged more than $350 million to fund more than 30,000 different creative projects around the world.

So, we’re getting ready to launch a project on Kickstarter, and we hope you’ll cheer us on.  We’re trying to get enough support to bring to market a couple of products that are truly game changers.  We don’t currently have the extra cash to actually make these product dreams a reality.  Hopefully, with the help of Kickstarter participants, we’ll be able to bring customers these fascinating products that offer true solutions for your outdoor escapades.

Stay tuned for more details…we’ll let you know when our Kickstarter campaign goes live.

In the meantime, we’ll tease you with the fact that participants will win some great Klymit gear like t-shirts, waterbottles and Cush pillow when they offer different levels of support.