The Kitanica Scorpion Pack is much like a compact backpack—durable enough for long hikes or rides and practical enough to carry everything you might need for a daylong excursion.
I took this pack for a day’s journey through the rugged New Mexico wilderness but first tried it out on my BMW F 750 GS. The pack has several carrying options, so I was interested to see how it would feel wearing it around my waist while riding.
This pack is certainly usable for a couple of hours of hiking or bike riding, but given its size, 4.5-liter capacity, MOLLE webbing, and compression capability, it’s more suited for a full day’s journey. I packed medication, sunscreen, lip balm, snacks, identification, a cell phone, a map, a small survival kit, water, a jacket, and a small flashlight in case I didn’t beat the sun before getting back. All of the items fit neatly into the zippered expandable storage mesh pouches and horseshoe-shaped main compartment. I attached my main water bottle in a provided auxiliary holster via MOLLE webbing, then tucked a knife into an exterior pocket and compressed my jacket with the provided compression straps. The padding on this pack is ample enough for a small camera or binoculars.
On the motorcycle: The way the pack is weighted evenly around the body, and given the comfortable padding where the pack meets your lumbar area, you’ll hardly notice it’s there when you’re getting on or off the bike or while riding. The Scorpion Pack goes where you go, so there’s no fumbling through a tank bag for items you’ll just end up transferring to a backpack.
On the trail: Since I’m prone to low back trouble, I was curious how my hips and spine would endure a 10-mile hike to the top of the Rio Grande Gorge with a pack resting on the small of my back. I had a lot of weight packed in, and my lower back did start feeling the effects of the weight a couple of miles in. Fortunately, the pack comes with a cross strap for a different configuration, so I put the bag across my torso. This was, without a doubt, the easier way to carry the full pack. Once I had eaten my snack and downed my water, the lighter weight was easier to endure on my lumbar area. You can also sling the pack over one shoulder if cross-body is too much or carry it by its three-layer webbing handle. I preferred the cross-body carry because it freed up my hands to climb over larger rocks.
This pack is more convenient than a large backpack for a day hike or outing. Likely, you wouldn’t fill up a standard backpack anyway, so the extra weight and bulk of a full-size pack is just that—added weight and bulk. The Scorpion was large enough for everything I needed (or thought I might need) but without the added bulk or weight of a larger pack. And even if you do feel you need a little extra, the expandable pockets and MOLLE webbing will accommodate extra gear and even compress a midweight jacket.
The pack is created with military-specification heavy 500 Cordura fabric, aero-spacer mesh, YKK zippers, and open- and closed-cell foams to protect gear.
Kitanica launched the Scorpion Pack via a Kickstarter campaign and is now taking orders through its company website.
preorder.kitanica.com | $85-$105
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