Back in 1994, Arc’teryx introduce the Bora Pack with an innovative at the time thermo-molded back panel and hipbelt. Jump forward 23 years, and the Vancouver company gets set to relaunch the iconic pack with a totally revamped yet still unique design. The Bora AR Pack for Spring 2017 is a load-carrying backpack that provides more freedom of movement and comfort thanks to the new RotoGlide hip belt and Tegris back panel.
With the Bora AR, Arc’teryx took Thule’s pivoting hipblet and went one step further by giving you vertical in additional to horizontal motion. Called RotoGlide (rotate + glide), the free moving hipbelt continually adapts to your posture as you climb or descend ruddged terrain — it glides up and down along its track to fluidly follow the lengthening and straightening of your back, and rotates freely along with the natural movement of your hips. These movements allow you to maintain a natural stride while reducing lumbar and hip discomfort.
“Many of my designs are driven by a personal desire not to suffer in the mountains,” notes Larry Reid, Arc’teryx hardgoods designer, “Having a hip belt ride up and down, endlessly chafing while I haul myself up a long hill is something that’s always irked me. Being in the mountains requires a lot of this movement, so I’ve had a lot of time to obsess on the issue. It wasn’t a happy Eureka moment when the idea of the RotoGlide came to me – I was merely trying to minimize the pain of getting to where I wanted to be. The result is a technology that will revolutionize load carrying.”
The Bora AR also introduces a new ventilated, thermo-molded Tegris back panel. Chosen for its thermo-formability, resilience and impact resistance, the Tegris panel is ergonomically shaped to improve fit and carry comfort. The shoulder straps also adjust for both height and width.
The pack itself is made from a combination of fabrics — waterproof nylon on the top and front kangaroo pockets, with a more robust nylon on the main body. Mountaineering axes or trekking poles can be easily attached to the exterior and a side zipper allows for quick access to the core of the pack.
The Bora AR is available in two sizes and in both men’s (50L and 63L) and women’s (49L and 61L) versions. Each size is available in Regular and Tall and all Bora AR models are hydration bladder compatible. Depending on the size, the pack weighs from 4.5 to 5 pounds. Not exactly the lightest but I tried on a loaded pack at Outdoor Retailer and it is super comfortable to move around in — it was only for a few minutes, however, so it will be interesting to see how it feels after a few days on the trail.
The Arc’teryx Bora AR backpacks retail for $499-$549 and will starting shipping in January.