Hill People Gear 'UMLINDI' pack - in-depth review after full season of hiking etc.

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PiterM

Tenderfoot
Jul 7, 2009
85
7
49
Poland
I'm a pack addict, I admit! I need a new pack every now and then, some of them I sell, some stay with me for longer. Umlindi has a good chance to belong to the latter group... got it almost a year now and don't plan to part with it. Purchased it directly at HPG online store, with my own money of course. The details / weight, versions, accessories, etc. you can find at HPG website here: http://hillpeoplegear.com/Products/tabid/762/CategoryID/3/ProductID/9/Default.aspx


Now my review.... enjoy!


Hill People Gear (HPG) is a small company based in Western Colorado. It was founded by brothers Scot and Evan Hill. The Hills are real outdoorsmen, hunters, trappers, and backpackers. They’re also all around great guys who share their passion for designing and making awesome outdoor gear. While the Hills and Hill People Gear are best known for their iconic Kit Bags (chest pistol bags designed for outdoor use), they also have some other interesting packs in their portfolio.


The Umlindi pack (which Scot and Evan designed) is made entirely in United States by one of the most respected tactical nylon tailoring companies, First Spear. Knowing this alone, you can rest assured the quality of the Umlindi ($220) is top-notch and not compromised by cutting corners to reduce cost. That being said, be prepared to pony up as there is no such thing as a free lunch!


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Packs with 20-30 liters of volume are probably the most crowded backpack segment. However, most of the packs follow almost the same construction principles. It’s a sack with two shoulder straps usually with some slight external design differences. So when I came across the Umlindi, which was really very different, I was even more than excited to try it out! This article discusses the pack from the perspective of a backpacker who enjoys the wilderness, mountains, and bushcraft. I also often have my two kids with me during summer family hikes. The Umlindi, which means ‘The Guardian’ in Zulu, was originally designed as a pack for a South African rhino poaching interdiction unit – something a little different from my adventures. If you want all the technical specs on the pack, you’ll find them here.


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The big difference between Hill People Gear packs and everything else on the market is their harness system. In almost all of the other packs, you will find two separated shoulder straps attached to the pack. Hill People Gear decided to go with a one-piece super wide harness, which is connected to the pack at the top central part of the pack and goes around neck and shoulders. I had been carrying a HPG Tarahumara for about a year before getting the Umlindi. I already knew what to expect – pure comfort!


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You don’t have to take just my word on it either. I’ve seen quite a few backpackers using other high-end packs upgraded with a HPG harness. The harness is not heavily padded, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s really wide and spreads the load out over the contact surface, which is considerably bigger than your standard shoulder straps. It all comes down to the physics. A bigger contact area equals lower pressure, which in turn equals less pounds per square inch. The end result of the equation is comfort! The HPG harness includes an adjustable sternum strap and two shock-cord loops on each shoulder (dedicated to carry small items like 0.5 L bottle or energy gel). I use them also for my camera lenses – that gives me quick one-hand access to change my lens on the fly, and it rides really secured. Of course, you have to check it out and decide for yourself.


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The pack itself has a simple but well thought-out construction. It’s a medium-sized sack with just one small internal pocket (which is good for flashlight, spork, energy bars and other quick access items). It is fitted with flat lid and heavy-duty zippered closing. The internal flat pocket is just an open slot. In fact, I don’t recommend it for wallet or other valuables as they may come out. There are two side pockets on the outside of the pack which are dedicated for water bottles, a knife, small hatchet, folding saw, kindling, etc. They are big enough even for 1-QT USGI canteen. Still though, I prefer the lightweight, flat collapsible bottles like the ones Platypus or GSI that don’t push or protrude to the inside along with compromising critical internal storage volume.


All in all, think of the pack as a modern interpretation of a classic klettersack with some additional features and solutions. Inside, on the back, you will easily notice polymer frame sheet with aluminum central stay, which can be bent anatomically to fit your back. There is also a set of 4 internal attachment loops for admin pockets and/or water bladder and hydration port. Pro-tip: with a pair of grimlocks you can comfortably attach admin pouch inside, which gives you all organization you may need. The Kifaru Admin Pouch works best for me.


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The back of the pack is also as simple as it gets. It’s just a hypalon reinforced lumbar area and flat back with some padding, behind which you’ll find one big, flat pocket. The pocket can be used for flat quick-access items such as maps or working gloves. You could even add a short lever-action rifle. I’ll take a Grizzly Custom “The Backpacker Scout” in classic 30-30, please! The lightly padded flat back panel, combined with the unique HPG harness, works surprisingly good as a team in my opinion.


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The pack’s ventilation is not perfect of course, but this kind of suspension keeps the pack’s center of gravity close to the back, which is something that I like a lot. In my last 30 years of my hiking, backpacking, and scouting experience, I found one universal truth – in a hot summer day, no ventilation is ever good enough. You’re going to sweat. For me, in a pack of this size, ventilation is not the key priority, overall comfort and compactness is. If the weather demands any additional layers over my merino t-shirt, the issue disappears completely and is a moot point. So I see it as a conscious design choice. It is a modern Klettersack, remember?


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In the lumbar area, there is a dedicated space for a standard velcro-backed waist belt. HPG offers really nice add-on called the Prairie Belt. However, this is my ‘fast-n-light’ pack so I decided to go without the waist belt. I don’t regret it either as the wide harness distributes the pack’s weight comfortably on my shoulders. Plus, without the waist belt, I have surely better ventilation of my back as well. Again, keep in mind that it’s a small pack. I don’t expect more than 25 lbs on my back when carrying it, and usually it’s up only to 15 lbs.


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Here we get to the key point! The one feature, which really sets this pack apart, is the compression strap system. It’s a FULL SYSTEM, not just your old Klettersack side straps. It starts with a single adjustable strap on top of the pack with a side-release ‘Fastex’ buckle on one side and G-hook plus small keeper on the other. It can be used to strap on a rolled jacket or hat, but I use it often to strap down a 5L waterproof bag with a fleece jacket and merino shirt rolled inside.


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On the bottom of the pack you’ll find a pair of straps with webbing keepers and metal G-hooks (strong and low profile). They are long enough to strap a sleeping pad, small tent or a tarp to the pack. There is also a small adjustable paracord loop at the bottom to attach an ice-hatchet or similar ice climbing tool, which you can then secure with main strap. It would work for a tomahawk as well. Last but not least, there are no drain holes! In my years of experience, they usually just let water in.


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The main compression straps are genius! The unique construction allows you to use the side compressions independently from the back compression sections, but it’s still just ONE long strap. Via a combined system of G-Hooks, loops, and Fastex buckles, you can set the compression/tension of each section separately. Of, if your needs are different, you can combine two sections or all three sections together to strap even the biggest items to your pack. I managed to secure with side straps: water bottles, hiking poles, camera tripod (full size), crampons, all sorts of sticks, side pouches, rolled hardshell, and even a 2-lb outdoor axe. Also, it was no problem with bigger items such as full size recurve bow and quiver, 10-inch Chris Reeve bush knife, and even a bullpup carbine. With the flexibility of multiple configurations, this is the best compression straps system I’ve ever had on any pack!


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I was using this pack day-by-day during the entire 2015 season. It was usually as a 1-day pack for me and my kids when running through the forest around my country cabin. It also got used extensively as a daypack when hiking in wild forest-covered Bieszczady Mountains ,where we stayed for two weeks on the eastern border of European Union.


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When hiking with my family I discovered another ‘funny’ advantage of the Umlindi. When wandering the whole day with my 4 year old son, sometimes I needed to carry him on my shoulders. Heavily padded straps of other packs are not the most convenient ‘seat’ for a little fellow, but the HPG flat harness fits him like a dream. On a side note, do you have kids? Teach them to explore nature when they are young. Show them the real world. If you start early, they’ll prefer mountaineering rather than Play Station. Family hiking is great!


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I also tried using the pack with much success as a classic 3-day-pack during a High Tatra Mountains photography trip in the south of Poland. I know that for some of you the idea of using such a small pack for 3 days may sound like stretching the Umlini a bit too far. However, thanks to the compression and carry straps I was easily able to pack quite a fair amount of stuff. The tent was actually not needed as I was sleeping in a mountain shelter with food supply available. That’s another reason why the Umlindi was a perfect choice for this trip.


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Gear List:
– Source hydration bladder
– sleeping pad
– ultralight hiking poles (Kohla Apex)
– carbon fiber tripod
– sleeping bag
– extra cloths (in the orange waterproof bag) including Fjallraven Barents Pro pants, Fjallraven fleece shirt, extra merino t-shirt, socks and underwear
– HPG cap
– wipes (always handy)
– power bank for iPhone
– spare batts (2) for camera
– Petzl Tactikka headlamp (lightweight and since it has a red filter it’s awesome accesory for night photography) with spare batteries
– Emerson “emergency flask” in protective bag
– Bayonet Belt
– Emerson fixed blade in kydex sheath
– mixed nuts, dried california plums, energy bars (energy)
– dried beef, children’s instant porridge (great stuff for hiking – lightweight to carry, and it’s protein, carbs and vitamin bomb)
– toiletries incl. microfiber towel (all in arcteryx dopp kit bag)
– Guyot silicone bowl (for many uses, usually to collect water from clean mountain streams)
– chemical light (last chance illuminating device, always works)
– custom Titanium Victorinox Farmer pocketknife (by ALM Knives & Tools)
– rain jacket (Outdoor Research ‘Helium 2’)
– full medical / trauma kit in Mystery Ranch IFAK pouch
– additional Fuji Lenses (wide angle prime and tele-zoom)
– Ti mug with mini gas-burner, BIC lighter, Ti Spork and small isopropane screw-on canister hidden inside
– Platypus soft bottle (water backup)


Last but not least, lets talk about protection against elements. Regarding soil, rocks, bark, wood, bush, sticks, sand and other outdoor abrasives – they have been no problem at all for the Umlindi. I don’t usually baby my packs and still can’t find single scratch in the Cordura’s integrity. There is resin and dirt of course, especially after where I’ve been using it, but dirt is fine because my pack is just an outdoor tool for me. What about rain and water? Well, the Umlindi can surely survive light summer rain, but in the case of some more serious downpour – you’re out of luck. The weakness will be in the zippered area. There is a small flap added to create a barrier, the but zipper itself is not watertight. I’m sure your contents wouldn’t be completely wet as you can see from my photos I’ve used my pack in light rain and it was not a problem. I think it’s just more in line with other high-end, tactical Cordura packs. You can always use a standard rain cover available in any outdoor store if it called for rain in the forecast. Or, use a trick I learned from a professional SAR team member and a mountain guide: just put big, plastic trash-bag inside the pack body and put your stuff into it. It’s simple and works great. Not to mention, it’s considerably lighter than a rain cover and also protects your contents also from the bottom as well.


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Are there any downsides of the Umlindi pack? Sure, as always, there is no such thing as a perfect pack! The first one is that the ventilation might be not good enough for some. If you sweat heavily, I would not recommend this pack for the middle of the summer. For me, it’s not an issue, but it all depends on personal preferences. The other disadvantage might be lack of internal organization. If you prefer zipper compartments inside than you either need to add admin pouch or just try different pack. However, keep in mind that each zippered pocket inside means you’re consuming space and adding more weight. For me, I personally think it’s a nice design feature and I actually like the simplicity. One other point is that if you like to carry your backpack on one shoulder only, you can forget the HPG harness. There are much better choices for city or fashion packs! This was designed to be a workhorse.


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In conclusion, the Hill People Gear Umlindi is a great pack for all-round outdoor use. You have to get used to it at first, but as soon as you understand the concept behind the pack and the Hill brothers’ design philosophy, it’s hard to turn back! The list of advantages is too long to summarize in a single paragraph, but I think this review highlights many of them. Are there disadvantages? Sure, but you can work around them. With regards to durability, this pack is made to last a lifetime. They use premium materials are clearly don’t cut corners. The quality of First Spear manufacturing is most impressive, as you would expect. To get a Umlindi, you have to purchase it directly from Hill People Gear website. I know, it’s not a cheap pack, but it is worth every penny – every-single-penny! I highly recommended it! Also, it is also one of the coolest looking bags ever and super easy to customize and make your own. Check out the Star Wars Bounty Hunter logo (below) that I painted on my own bag. So grab a Umlindi, pack up your stuff, and try it out on your next adventure!

BTW, the Mandalorian's logo on my pack is my own "scentil & spray" work :)

(you can find my review also at Motus World adventure blog)
 
Last edited:

Macaroon

A bemused & bewildered
Jan 5, 2013
7,209
362
73
SE Wales
That's a fine review and I like the look of the pack; thank you for taking the time to post this :)
 

bigbear

Full Member
May 1, 2008
1,061
210
Yorkshire
Excellent review, great pictures, I am almost ready to buy one !
On the issue of rain, I do not see the point of waterproof rucksack covers, in the UK if it is wet then as soon as you open your pack, the contents will be wet. Drybags inside the pack for anything that needs to be kept dry is the way I have gone for some time, and it works well.
Thanks for posting this review.
 

Totumpole

Native
Jan 16, 2011
1,066
9
Cairns, Australia
Thanks for that review, it is a great looking pack! I thought I had forked out some big bucks on what would be my last day/overnighter pack but I find myself very tempted by that one!
 

Tiley

Life Member
Oct 19, 2006
2,364
374
60
Gloucestershire
Ever on the quest for the ultimate day pack, I went and ordered an Umlindi, on the basis of this review. It arrived, I tweaked the aluminium stay and I have now used it quite a bit over the last couple of weeks.

It is superb. A little smaller than my customary Munro means that I have to think a little more carefully about what I pack - never a bad thing! That said, it coped with the clutter needed for two nights in the woods with ease. But the very best thing about it is the harness. I was, I admit, a little sceptical about it but it really has been a revelation, spreading the load across the shoulders so effectively that you really do not feel any weight on them at all.

That, along with the quality of manufacture and just general ease of use does make it pretty close to ideal and has got me looking very, very closely at their qui-Ya pack. This last is their big capacity pack and, if the Umlindi is anything to go by, should be an weightless dream on the back. I've just got to sell my Mystery Ranch pack to raise a bit of money...

As ever, I've absolutely no attachment to Hill People Gear; I'm just an increasingly devoted - and impecunious - fan.
 

AndyH

Tenderfoot
Aug 20, 2008
94
28
Shetland
Great review, thanks. I bought an Umlindi in black, having had experience with their Tarahumara pack. The Umlindi is extremely comfortable too, but I tend to overload it to the point where it needs a belt. I wanted the HPG Recon belt in black, but it was out of stock, so I put my name on their notification list, and also for a Tarapocket in black to attach to the Umlindi. They warn you that it could take up to 18 months for the next run to happen, but the kit is that good that you don't mind waiting. Two years later I wrote to ask when I could expect the items to come into stock, but was told that those colours had been dropped, which is a shame as the Tarapocket could have added some overflow functionality and the belt some comfort. They had been taken off the site, but I didn't receive notification of this, which is a bit of a failing on HPGs part as I was on the notification list. I could of course buy the Prairie belt in black, but it seems over the top if I can't also get a Tarapocket in black. I also could buy the Recon belt and Tarapocket in different colours, but that wouldn't suit the way I am.

I can't fault their kit, but my recommendation is to know what you need, and buy it all in one go for fear that what you might want later may not be available to you.
 

Tiley

Life Member
Oct 19, 2006
2,364
374
60
Gloucestershire
Time and experience are stern tutors! Having waxed lyrical about the Umlindi in my earlier post, I have to admit that I have now sold it on and gone for an alternative 'ultimate' daysack.

My reasons? Well, there is no denying the extraordinary comfort of the pack: it really did carry brilliantly. However, I grew to dislike the zipped entry and the minimal flap over it that did little to stop the ingress of heavy rain, which is a characteristic of the U.K.'s maritime weather. The narrowness of the opening made finding kit in the sack awkward and the lack of a viable top pocket proved to be similarly annoying.

I remained baffled by the complexity of the strap system, never quite fathoming out how to use it optimally and becoming frustrated by the metres of tape flapping around rather uselessly.

So, I bid it farewell and went for a more 'conventional' daysack that ticks all the boxes for me and is as comfortable in all sorts of different situations and with different loads.

I hasten to add that the inadequacies are generally mine, rather than the Umlindi's; others may find that HPG's daysack is exactly what they want. I merely hold up my experience as a caveat to U.K. users who have had a lifetime with other, more conventional day packs!
 
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C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
7,355
2,366
Bedfordshire
Time and experience are stern tutors! Having waxed lyrical about the Umlindi in my earlier post, I have to admit that I have now sold it on and gone for an alternative 'ultimate' daysack.

My reasons? Well, there is no denying the extraordinary comfort of the pack: it really did carry brilliantly. However, I grew to dislike the zipped entry and the minimal flap over it that did little to stop the ingress of heavy rain, which is a characteristic of the U.K.'s maritime weather. The narrowness of the opening made finding kit in the sack awkward and the lack of a viable top pocket proved to be similarly annoying.

I remained baffled by the complexity of the strap system, never quite fathoming out how to use it optimally and becoming frustrated by the metres of tape flapping around rather uselessly.

So, I bid it farewell and went for a more 'conventional' daysack that ticks all the boxes for me and is as comfortable in all sorts of different situations and with different loads.

I hasten to add that the inadequacies are generally mine, rather than the Umlindi's; others may find that HPG's daysack is exactly what they want. I merely hold up my experience as a caveat to U.K. users who have had a lifetime with other, more conventional day packs!
When you say "strap system" are you describing everything, or looking more at the suspension or the compression?

I do agree that the lack of a top pocket, or even any mounting points for one to attach one, is a little annoying. I did make something that works quite well for little weight and will try to remember to take and post a picture when I get home.

I still like my Umlindi, but will admit that I have not had it out in much heavy rain. The thing I like about it is that it is designed as part of a system with a removable waist belt, mounting for a compression pocket and for a top-pocket that is also a shoulder back or a lumbar/bum bag. If one just wanted a standalone day bag, I will agree with what you say about it being a bit odd and maybe not best for the UK climate.
 

Tiley

Life Member
Oct 19, 2006
2,364
374
60
Gloucestershire
When you say "strap system" are you describing everything, or looking more at the suspension or the compression?
It was the compression system that perplexed me, something that is yet more baffling on the much larger qui-Ya, with which I had a brief flirtation.

They are good packs, no doubt about that, but I prefer mine to be more straightforward and thus easier to use.

The west of Scotland experiences considerable rainfall and, in such and environment, I found that the Umlindi just wasn't up to it.
 

Athos

Full Member
Mar 12, 2021
253
194
East Sussex
It was the compression system that perplexed me, something that is yet more baffling on the much larger qui-Ya, with which I had a brief flirtation.

They are good packs, no doubt about that, but I prefer mine to be more straightforward and thus easier to use.

The west of Scotland experiences considerable rainfall and, in such and environment, I found that the Umlindi just wasn't up to it.

I’ve got a Qui-Ya, the compression system confused the hell out of me at first but once you know what you’re doing it becomes very useful. It’s one of the most comfortable packs I’ve carried, and it’s great for carrying things externally - tripods, axes etc.
 

AndyH

Tenderfoot
Aug 20, 2008
94
28
Shetland
I have never experienced rain getting into my Umlindi, but I am careful to ensure that the lid, with it's minimal 'fringe' covers the zip. I live in the windiest part of the UK, and we all know that wind will drive rain into the smallest of gaps given the opportunity. Not having a car means that I have to walk to where the public transport runs from to get to and from work, no matter what the weather is throwing at me.

For carrying extra loads that won't fit in the pack I either use an Alpkit 20 litre dry bag or a Kifaru pocket(?) I am not sure of the name but this is best described as a Cordura cuboid, or rather 5-sides of a cuboid with a drawcord to cinch it closed. I will usually use this to carry dirty clothing, cinch it up, turn it upside down, then strap it on the Umlindi with the single top strap. It is really designed to be attached to the bottom of a pack, and I used to use it this way on the bottom of my black Tarahumara, but the top attachment works better with the Umlindi for me.

The compression straps are not normally an issue for me as I am one of those that will fill any available space in a pack, so they remain unused.

All criticisms of my mk1 Umlindi aside, I have to say that the mk2 version is a marked improvement with two straps over the top and the lid pocket. Not enough of an improvement for me to splash out what it costs I will stick with the mk1 for now especially with the difficulty of getting other parts to attach to it.
 

C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
7,355
2,366
Bedfordshire
@AndyH
The Kifaru thing sounds like their "Pod" pouch. I made a couple of similar things for my Kifaru packs, haven't tried using them on the HPG. Regarding sourcing things to attach to the Umlindi, if you mean the HPG pockets, it is possible to make your own which can work pretty well.
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Here is something just for fun. Using the Umlindi to carry a box containing an Aston House, on the way to the Post Office. I like the compression system

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AndyH

Tenderfoot
Aug 20, 2008
94
28
Shetland
@C_Claycomb

Yes, that's the one, a small Kifaru Pod. I think that It was about £40 once I had received it in the UK. That sounds a lot but it has come in really useful though, both on the Tarahumaras and the Umlindi, and will undoubtedly outlast me.

I shouldn't add anything else onto the Umlindi else I will get into the position that without belt support it starts getting miserable to carry, despite the best harnes I have ever had on any pack.

I like the box(es) carrying shots - very good.
 

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