What The Cutaway brings to the table may actually be what it leaves behind. This super lightweight pack cuts weight by going without a frame or back padding, and a hip belt is an optional accessory. The running vest-style shoulder straps are covered in pockets, and a large main compartment easily holds all of your ultralight essentials plus many days of food. At the end of a trip, I'm always in awe at how well supported I felt wearing The Cutaway, and how much I enjoyed myself thanks to this expertly designed ultralight pack.
Comfort is somewhat of a mixed bag with The Cutaway. I could comfortably carry this pack just as long as I took the time to optimize my gear. Because of its frameless design, it works best with streamlined load-outs of less than 30 lbs. This shouldn't be a difficult number to hit for seasoned ultra-lighters who already have a base weight down near 10 lbs, but it might be a tough mark for more novice backpackers.
I used the optional attachment system and a small bungee to add my own sit pad to the back panel, and stuffed a partially inflated air mattress along the back. These are the little tricks you can add to your repertoire over time, allowing you to take advantage of lighter, more “expert” packs like the Cutaway. This setup did wonders for enhancing the overall comfort of this pack. I also must highlight the standout running vest-inspired shoulder straps. They not only did an excellent job of distributing the pack's weight, but I was also able to order them at the perfect length for my torso.
The optional hip belt improved comfort to a lesser degree, though it did help transfer some weight off my shoulders. I've taken the Cutaway to its limits on some of my biggest adventures, like a 10-day unsupported thru-hike on the Colorado Trail. Carrying such a heavy load like that will never be optimal with The Cutaway, but it's amazing to me that such a lightweight pack even has this carrying capacity.
The exceptional ultralight performance of The Cutaway does come at a cost: this won't be the easiest pack for more casual backpackers to use to its fullest extent. The lack of an internal frame means that the pack lacks form, which makes it harder to fill up the main compartment. Not only did I have to creatively organize to keep the overall weight low, but I needed to carefully consider what was resting against my back every time I re-packed.
While they may feel like “gotchas,” all of these little compromises contribute to the flyweight of this rig, which is really why I adore The Cutaway. Due to its minimalist nature, I encourage anyone looking at this pack to have some on-the-trail experience and the know-how to pack a bag like this. (Or it should be someone who has an extremely high stoke level and is okay with learning from mistakes made along the way!)
As a true expert-level pack, The Cutaway rivaled many packs I tested for how much gear it allowed me to carry compared to how little it weighed on the scale. Even considering the budget-friendly 210D Venom Gridstop ECO material it's sewn with, this pack only weighed a remarkable 22 ounces.
Alongside the cavernous internal compartment, there is only one main external pocket instead of the more common center and two side pockets. This further reduces weight, while also giving me plenty of options to stow gear. A nearly hidden bottom pocket is a nice complement to stash additional gear, and the six smaller pockets on the running vest-style shoulder straps helped me carry essentials within reach.
I measured a maximum internal volume of 43 liters, and the external pockets can hold approximately nine liters more.
Comparing the advertised volume against the measured weight, it works out to an astounding approximate weight-to-volume ratio of 0.4 ounces per liter. Often, packs putting up these weight-to-volume numbers are made of more exotic materials and tend to cost a fair amount more than The Cutaway.
The ability to customize a pack is a part of The Cutaway's DNA. You'll have the option to choose pack volume, torso length, and even shoulder strap length to really dial in the fit based on your body type. (Don't worry, well-produced videos from Nashville Packs help guide you through the process.) Additionally, you can pick out accessories like a hip belt and back-pad accessory cord – both of which I opted for and highly suggest – and an ice axe attachment kit. If that's not enough and you yearn for something even lighter than the default 4.5 ounce/square yard Venom Gridstop ECO, you may opt for the 2.9 ounce/square yard Aluula Graflyte V98 (for a substantial markup!)
Once your bespoke pack has been delivered, you'll discover an incredible amount of adjustability baked into The Cutaway. The shoulder strap adjustability was a real standout feature on the Cutaway. The custom-cut shoulder straps attach to the frame in multiple positions, and as someone with broad shoulders, the ability to place the straps just a little wider made this pack much more comfortable, without adding any weight.
The roll-top extends out from the shoulders and features a few snaps across the top. Thanks to this design, I could actually close the expanded roll-top, like when my pack was overloaded on the Colorado Trail. For shorter trips, I could roll the extension all the way down to create a more compact pack. And when pack weight didn't necessitate a hip belt, I could easily remove it.
If you're already sold on the idea of a frameless ultralight pack, then The Cutaway is one of the best on the market. Even though it doesn't come with its own back padding, with a little experimentation, I was able to master the fit of this pack fairly easily. However, I feel like it's important to reiterate that this is a pack for expert ultralighters – if you're new to the game of UL backpacking, then this custom pack is likely not worth your investment, at least initially.
