Built to send packs

​Built To Send​

Just wanted to share this company with you all. A bit on the pricier side of things, but they seem to have sweet built quality and materials. I love their use of high end components. They have a lot of the features you folks seem to like on packs as well. Might be expensive to ship over the pond though.

I wish we could sample them out here, they look pretty sick.  The price isn't crazy either, slightly cheaper than my HMG pack.

​Alpine Luddites​ will make you a pack with Dimension Polyant fabrics in the Colonies. 

uses Dimension Polyant too.

Their packs may be good, but the tag on the back screams "poser"

Idk how long they have been around ... kinda looks like they ripped off the mochilla tbh. I also agree that tag line/ patch on the back is lame.

jdejace wrote:
Alpine Luddites will make you a pack with Dimension Polyant fabrics in the Colonies. 

I don't care so much about the patch. Hell, I even seam ripped the HMG logo off of my 3400 Porter.

Tufa is awesome, but he only offers one size. Built to send has everything from a leader pack to a 50-60L alpine pack.

I like how they're more climbing focused in their design and features than Hyperlite (somewhat)

Alpine Luddites is perfect and can do no wrong ($$$)

I mostly like the Built to Send bomber metal hardware, the triglide attachment points, and the 4 reinforced haul points on the roll top. It would be cool if they could do a special order with DP to get the VX42 without the x-ply. (​Similar to this by RSBTR​​​ or ​this pack by Pa'lante) but that's getting pretty picky. ​This video​​​ is focused towards ultralight backpacking packs, but I think it carries over well to alpine packs because of the focus on abrasion resistance.

Chris C. wrote: ....but at what cost 

They are not cheap :-)  though not much different than a higher end mountaineering pack from other reputable companies that don't employ Asian children.

A durable pack from HMG or Cilo (ie the Dyneema or W/NWD models) is comparably priced, and AL makes every pack from scratch to your specs. Any torso length, any feature. I wanted a removable avy gear pocket, he built one to fit my D handle shovel. He's also done quick repairs for the cost of shipping (I broke a clip skiing through some trees).

I can't determine value for anyone else because I'm not the one who has to put food on your table, and certainly a cheaper BD/Osprey/XYZ pack isn't likely to cost you a send, but these packs cost more for a reason. American labor, long lasting materials, built to order. Whether any of that is relevant is up to the individual.

I'd have liked nothing more than to give Hyperlite money (I have a soft spot for Maine), but they won't build the pack I want. AL makes good stuff.

jdejace wrote:

They are not cheap :-)  though not much different than a higher end mountaineering pack from other reputable companies that don't employ Asian children.

A durable pack from HMG or Cilo (ie the Dyneema or W/NWD models) is comparably priced, and AL makes every pack from scratch to your specs. Any torso length, any feature. I wanted a removable avy gear pocket, he built one to fit my D handle shovel. He's also done quick repairs for the cost of shipping (I broke a clip skiing through some trees).

I can't determine value for anyone else because I'm not the one who has to put food on your table, and certainly a cheaper BD/Osprey/XYZ pack isn't likely to cost you a send, but these packs cost more for a reason. American labor, long lasting materials, built to order. Whether any of that is relevant is up to the individual.

I'd have liked nothing more than to give Hyperlite money (I have a soft spot for Maine), but they won't build the pack I want. AL makes good stuff.

Haha that is why the Built To Send packs seem appealing, fairly customizable and about 1/2 the price of the Alpine Luddites or CiloGear packs. I would actually be open to paying the $7-900 price point for a pack (my comment was more of a joke), but the big barrier to me is the fact that they can't really be sampled in person easily. I only bought my HMG pack after trying it at Feathered Friends, and more than being light, it carries loads like a dream.  I honestly believe that the most important pieces of expedition gear are backpack and boots.

Are they customizable? Their "customization pack" is just some extra nylon straps and shock cord. I don't see different sizes listed. I'm missing something on the website maybe?

Agree not being able to try things in person is suboptimal. Maybe Cilo would let you try on a couple of packs in the factory, you're not too far away. But sounds like the HMG is working well for you so no need to fix what's not broken. 

A relatively inexpensive (though not customizable) US built option w/ DP fabrics.

https://katabaticgear.com/shop/eos-30-backpack/

I just ordered the Built to Send X0 after some more personal research. Really awesome stuff. I'll likely make a separate post for initial impressions/photos, as well as a longer term review down the line.
For what it's worth, shipping cost $24.32 USD and they have a 21 day unused return policy.

Caleb Schwarz wrote: I just ordered the Built to Send X1 after some more personal research. Really awesome stuff. I'll likely make a separate post for initial impressions/photos, as well as a longer term review down the line.
For what it's worth, shipping cost $24.32 USD and they have a 21 day unused return policy. 

Be sure to make a video of the unboxing!

Millet. Enough said.