The Ultimate Ultralight Backpack: Waymark Gear Co. Mile 28 [Review]

The Ultimate Ultralight Backpack: Waymark Gear Co. Mile 28 [Review]

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Design and Features
    • Weight and Capacity
    • Main Pocket and Closure
    • Front Access Zipper Pocket
    • Large Stretchy Front Pocket
    • Padded Back Panel and Compression Cords
    • Shoulder Straps and Webbing Loops
    • Trekking Pole Loops and Bungee Tie-Off
    • Expandable Side Pockets and Sternum Strap
    • Webbing Hip Belt
  3. Performance and Suitability
    • Epic Day Hikes
    • Ultra Light Overnight Backpacking Trips
    • Quick Peak Bagging Sesh
  4. Pros and Cons
  5. Sustainability and Fabric
  6. Conclusion
  7. FAQ

The Waymark Gear Co Mile 28 Liter Backpack: A Durable and Sustainable Ultralight Pack

If You're an avid hiker or backpacker, you know that having the right gear can make or break your outdoor adventure. One of the most important pieces of gear is your backpack, which needs to be Durable, comfortable, and functional. The Waymark Gear Co Mile 28 Liter Backpack is a pack that promises to deliver on all of these fronts. In this article, we'll take a closer look at the design and features of the Mile 28, as well as its performance and suitability for different types of outdoor adventures.

Design and Features

Weight and Capacity

The Mile 28 is an ultralight backpack, weighing in at just 16 ounces. This is achieved by eliminating heavy design features like a frame or bulky padded hip belt. Despite its light weight, the Mile 28 offers a total capacity of 28 liters when you include all the pockets, although the main body is 22 liters.

Main Pocket and Closure

The main pocket of the Mile 28 is big and spacious, with a Roll-top closure up top complete with webbing strap for attaching a sleeping pad or rain shell. However, the opening is designed to be velcroed shut, then folded frontwards and clipped shut again, which is all very secure but not particularly helpful for quick grab-and-go Type gear retrieval that you'll typically experience on a short day hike.

Front Access Zipper Pocket

The Mile 28 also features a front access zipper pocket with organization, which is great for storing items you need to access quickly.

Large Stretchy Front Pocket

There's also a large stretchy front pocket, perfect for storing easy access items like hats or extra layers.

Padded Back Panel and Compression Cords

The Mile 28 has an integrated padded back panel, although it's very minimally padded. There's an ultra-thin layer of foam in there, and compression cords with adjustable line locks on the sides of the bag to secure tall items like umbrellas or tent poles to the sides of your pack.

Shoulder Straps and Webbing Loops

There are nice wide shoulder straps complete with webbing loops so you can attach Waymark accessories like a stretched shoulder pocket for extra snacks or Water bottles.

Trekking Pole Loops and Bungee Tie-Off

There are also trekking pole loops with a bungee tie-off up top.

Expandable Side Pockets and Sternum Strap

You've got your handy expandable side pockets for stashing water bottles of all sizes and requisite sternum strap, of course. Plus, you can add on a one-inch webbing hip belt, which is handy more for stability than actual load shifting comfort but good to have an option.

Performance and Suitability

Epic Day Hikes

The Mile 28 is not designed to be efficient for quick and easy day hikes. It's just too big for that, by which we mean it feels a lot bigger than 28 liters, even bigger than 22 liters, which is what the main pocket can technically hold. On one hike, we took snacks, water, and extra layers, sunscreen, etc., and it all practically got lost in the recesses of the bag.

Ultra Light Overnight Backpacking Trips

However, the Mile 28 is perfect for long haul days in mind, think 20-mile hikes that involve summoning mountains, rounding alpine lakes, tackling significant ups and downs, hikes where you're going to need several layers plus plenty of food, extra gear, more than just a light jacket and some cliff bars. Surprisingly, you could actually pack everything you needed for an overnight in this bag, a summer overnight but an overnight nonetheless.

Quick Peak Bagging Sesh

The Mile 28 is also great for a quick peak bagging sesh, where you don't need to carry a lot of gear but still want a durable and functional pack.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

  • Ultralight and durable
  • Large capacity for an ultralight pack
  • Sustainable fabric made from recycled water bottles
  • Expandable side pockets and trekking pole loops
  • Front access zipper pocket with organization

Cons:

  • Not efficient for quick and easy day hikes
  • Opening is not conducive for quick grab-and-go gear retrieval
  • No padded hip belt for weight distribution
  • Top webbing strap can get in the way of zipping the front access pocket shut

Sustainability and Fabric

The Mile 28 is made from Challenge Sail Cloth Eco Pack EPX fabrics, which are 100% recycled multi-layered and laminated polyester fabric. This material is lightweight, but it's also durable, which is excellent because ultralight fabrics aren't always the most durable. The Mile 28 is waterproofed with PFC-free DWR, and each yard of Eco-Pack fabric contains over 20 plastic bottles and saves over one pound of carbon emissions over virgin materials. Waymark Gear Co is also able to Create less textile waste when cutting Patterns for their packs, which is pretty cool and innovative.

Conclusion

The Waymark Gear Co Mile 28 Liter Backpack is a functional, durable, and sustainable ultralight pack that's perfect for long haul days, ultra-light overnight backpacking trips, and quick peak bagging seshes. While it's not efficient for quick and easy day hikes, it's a solid pack that's made from sustainable materials and designed to last.

FAQ

Q: Is the Mile 28 waterproof? A: The Mile 28 is water-resistant, but the pack seams aren't, so you should still consider a pack liner or cover for wet weather adventures.

Q: Can I add a padded hip belt to the Mile 28? A: Yes, you can add on a one-inch webbing hip belt, which is handy more for stability than actual load shifting comfort but good to have an option.

Q: Is the Mile 28 suitable for heavy gear haulers? A: No, the Mile 28 is streamlined for lighter loads and is not suitable for heavy gear haulers who pack cans of beans and camp chairs.

Q: Is the Mile 28 available in different colors? A: Yes, the Mile 28 is available in a slew of colors.

Q: What is the return policy for the Mile 28? A: You have 14 days to try on the Mile 28, load it with your gear, and ensure it fits after the pack is shipped. If it doesn't, Waymark will let you return the pack and exchange it for a different size.

Most people like

Find AI tools in Toolify

Join TOOLIFY to find the ai tools

Get started

Sign Up
App rating
4.9
AI Tools
20k+
Trusted Users
5000+
No complicated
No difficulty
Free forever
Browse More Content