Durston Kakwa 55 review

Buying a backpack for long hikes is difficult. First off, you need to decide how much volume you need. Backpacks with more volume usually weigh more, so you don’t want to buy a bigger backpack than necessary. Carrying comfort is important too, of course, but it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that a heavier, more padded backpack will automatically be more comfortable. One of my first hiking backpacks was the Fjällräven Keb 72, which weighs 2,700 grams (6 lb) – more than three times the weight of my Durston Kakwa 55. I can promise you that it isn’t three times as comfortable.

Even the weight versus volume comparisons are less clear-cut than they seem. If you see two manufacturers selling backpacks with “55“ in the name, you’d expect their volume to be roughly the same, but that’s often not the case. Some include the volume of both the main compartment and the outside pockets in that number, while others only count internal volume. The popular Zpacks uses the former, so the Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 50L has only 37 liters of internal volume. Durston only counts the volume of the main compartment towards the number in the name, so the Durston Kakwa 55 actually has 55 liters of internal volume. Durston has since changed the numbers slightly, and the current version lists 52 liters of internal volume for size large. If Durston were to follow the Zpacks naming scheme, they would call it the Kakwa 70.

You have a lot of time to appreciate good design decisions in a backpack and decry the bad ones when you’re wearing it all day, every day for weeks at a time, so this is a fairly long review. If you’d rather skip the scroll, here’s my verdict: Since buying the Durston Kakwa 55, I have stopped wondering if there might be a better backpack out there for me. It has held up great after three years of use and feels like it will serve me well for many years to come.

If you’re interested in the nitty-gritty, read on.

I bought my Durston Kakwa 55 in size large for my thru-hike of the Swedish mountain chain in 2023. I was on a mission to reduce the weight of my gear ahead of the hike, and switching from the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Junction 55L to the Durston Kakwa 55 saved me about 140 grams (5 oz). It might seem like a small improvement, but those weight savings add up quickly. All in all, I reduced my base weight by about 2,500 grams (5.5 lb) compared to the hiking season before that.

Comfort and carrying

The Kakwa 55 has been my go-to hiking backpack ever since, whether it’s for day hikes in our local mountains or weeklong outings with my fishing gear and the food bag full to bursting. In the latter case, the total weight of my backpack is around 15 kilograms (33 lb) at the start of the hike. My old HMG Junction would quickly become uncomfortable when it was that heavy, but the Durston Kakwa 55 handles it without issues or discomfort. That’s partly thanks to the frame built out of hollow aluminium rods and the load lifters, but the biggest difference between the Junction and the Kakwa 55 for me is the straps.

The S-shaped shoulder straps on the Kakwa 55 sit comfortably on my shoulders and chest, without shifting horizontally while I hike. The dual straps on the hipbelt distribute the weight over a larger area on my hips, which prevents the hipbelt from slipping despite the straps not being cinched down to the point of bruising. Both the shoulder straps and the hipbelt have a lot more padding than you would expect for a backpack this lightweight. Durston says that the Kakwa 55 can comfortably handle loads up to 20 kilograms (44 lb). I’ll have to take their word for it, since I don’t plan on wearing a backpack that heavy ever again.

Durability and features

The Kakwa 55 is made out of a fabric called Ultra 200X, which is described as several times stronger than traditional nylon materials. After three years of heavy use, it’s showing few signs of wear and none of outright breakage. It has a waterproof lamination that works very well in keeping water out of the backpack, even in heavy downpours, but the lack of sealed seams and the inclusion of a hydration port means that water will get into the main compartment eventually. Because of this, I use a Nylofume plastic pack liner inside the backpack. I also pack all of my gear in waterproof pack pods, to make extra sure that everything stays dry.

The main compartment on the Kakwa 55 has a roll-top with a Y-shaped top strap, which can be used to strap down additional gear on top of the backpack. The left side compartment is tall and wide, and a perfect fit for my Tarptent Stratospire Li tent. The right side compartment is a bit shorter and slopes down towards your back, making it easier to access its contents while you’re wearing the backpack. I use it for my water bottle, tripod, and fishing gear. The mesh front pocket fits my rain gear, first aid kit, trash bag, and a waterproof drawstring stuff sack with extra clothing, with room to spare. It’s still in one piece, despite having been through many a willow jungle.

The hip pockets are easy to open one-handed, and large enough to easily fit a smartphone. I store some protein bars, coffee sticks and a foldable cup in one pocket, and some tools, sunscreen and mosquito repellent in the other. Each shoulder strap has a pocket large enough for a phone or a small water bottle. I keep my sunglasses in one of them, and I’ve attached the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Shoulder Pocket over the other to give my phone extra protection from rain and cold winds. I also keep my Garmin InReach Mini emergency beacon attached to the shoulder straps so it’s always easy to access.

Verdict

There are plenty of opportunities for small annoyances in a backpack. The fit can be a little off, the hip pockets tricky to open with one hand, the side pockets difficult to access while you’re wearing it, the shoulder straps a little too wide or too narrow, or the front mesh pocket too snug to fit everything you want it to. Rather than any particular feature, the thing I like the most about the Kakwa 55 is that it is completely annoyance free. That combined with the terrific carrying comfort means that I almost forget that I’m wearing it while I’m hiking. It’s a great backpack.