Words and Photos by Carl “Professor” Stanfield
I’ve been a part of the long-distance hiking community for just over six years. In that time, I’ve racked up about 16,000 backpacking miles, most of which came in 2022 when I was taking on the Calendar Year Triple Crown. I’ve tried a lot of kits and setups, and I know just what I like to have on my shoulders.
This summer, I was able to get my hands on the HMG Contour 35 to play around with while working my hostel job in Millinocket, Maine. I’ve most notably carried it backpacking the Hundred Mile Wilderness and other trails up here outside the Appalachian Trail corridor. I have only over 100 miles on it so far, but here’s why I love this pack.
SIZE
I find 35L is the perfect volume for my summer kit, and even spilling over a little bit into the shoulder seasons. I wouldn’t call myself an extreme minimalist, but I like to keep a base weight somewhere between nine and eleven pounds. When I’m packing a kit that light, I don’t find I need a frame or hip belt. With a base weight like that (which still includes a stove, a tent, and an inflatable full-size sleeping pad), even loaded up with food, water, and fuel, I’m not much heavier than 20-25 pounds fully loaded out of town.
EASY TO PACK
Efficiency is a high priority of mine any time I’m backpacking. A pack this size means only carrying the absolute essentials for gear, and minimal gear makes for easy packing. I always line all my backpacks with a trash bag–just to be 100% safe and free from worry about water. From there, I always stuff my sleeping quilt in first, just loose into the bottom. On top of/stuffed into that, I’ll then pack my toiletries, first aid kit, sleeping pad, and extra clothes to make one big soft blob.
I then roll up the trash bag and pack my final two items on top–my heavy food bag and then my tent. I keep my water filtration, cat hole kit, and rainwear in the mesh stretch pocket on the face of the pack. Finally, I use my water bottle pockets for exactly that, and then I like to carry my snacks for the day in my shoulder pockets, using the bottom pocket as my trash collector along the way.
EFFICIENT TO WEAR
After an easy pack up each morning, my goal is to only ever open my pack back up once that day at lunchtime. Everything I need for the day is accessible without having to dig around for anything. The excess of pockets is crucial to that. I usually wear a fanny pack while hiking to help keep things handy, but I tried taking this pack out with no fanny pack and found I was still able to keep all my necessities handy on this pack, even without any hipbelt pockets. As long as I can reach my snacks, sunglasses, sunscreen, and headlamp without taking my pack off, I’m a happy hiker.
COMFORTABLE
One of my favorite components in a UL setup like this is the comfort of it. Having a light kit just means less strain on the body, even without the weight distribution from a hip belt. When packed properly within the weight comfort range, I love the feeling of walking around in a pack without one. I feel much more agile on the trail when I’m only strapped in at the shoulders. I know it can’t actually save much time, but it sure feels easier and quicker whenever I need to take my pack off and subsequently put it back on. In seconds, I can pull out my rain jacket or sit down at a stream filtering. It feels comfy when it’s on, and it’s so darn easy to get in and out of when needed.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I know ultralight backpacking isn’t for everyone out there, but for anyone who is, this pack might just be your new best friend. I’ve had the good fortune of getting to put hundreds of miles on quite a few packs over the years, and this is hands down one of my favorites I’ve gotten to play with. It has exactly the efficient features I want and none of the junk I don’t. It’s easy to wear all day and easy to slip in and out of. I’m a big fan of the Contour 35, and highly recommend giving it and the UL load it wants a go.
