The total weight of this pack is 6 lbs 12 oz with all items included. The list weight is 5 lbs 8 oz. I emailed Tenzing to see what is going on. Hopefully a response will come soon. The frame with suspension and the belt pockets was the listed 3 lbs 8 oz. The sewn parts are made who knows where but the frame is made in the U.S. and is stamped so. I paid 630 shipped with a free bladder. The bladder is actually really nice but not the point.
The 2012 icon 5200 is 6lbs 4oz with belt pockets. The 2013 icon 5200 is listed at 5 lbs 9 oz with no belt pockets. The icon would also be 630 to my door with tax and shipping. The icon for the same money would be approximately a pound lighter with belt pockets. For an extra 100 bucks I could get a kuiu 1850 bag and handle all my hunting scenarios pretty much. With the tenzing I could just drop the main bag and still have probably 1500-2000 cu in the lid pocket, wing pockets, and load sling pocket. The Kuiu setup would still be lighter but more money.
A similar pack to the tenzing would be the horn hunter full curl system which is over a pound heavier but only 300 bucks and I believe U.S. made. (Personally I try to buy U.S. but it doesn't bother me either way).
A Kifaru DT2 would be 6 lbs 12 oz with composite stays and over 630 bucks. Add in a load sling or grab it, two belt pockets, and a longhunter lid and you are over 7 lbs if not pushing 8 lbs and a lot more money. However, it would be all U.S. made and a proven record.
So for argument sake if the tenzing proved usable, comfortable, and durable it would not be a bad buy (to me) for the 630 I paid as you don't really have to buy extra accesories. It comes with three compression straps, the load sling which is a pocket also, wing compression straps with long pockets, a roomy lid with hipbelt, orange safety cover, main bag, and belt pockets. A lot of these items are upgrades or accessories with other packs. So the tenzing design is pretty adaptable to whatever you are doing for no extra cash. A big concern of mine is the duraflex single gate keepers (u shaped hooks with a metal latch on one end). They are how you attach everything together and there is a sh!t ton of them. It should come with extra if you are adjusting something and loose one. Duraflex is well known but I'm trying to find out the load/weight rating of these things and nothing yet.
If these things were 500 they would probably sell a bunch of them but if IF they hold up and carry weight descently I wouldn't considered 630 a bad price. Problem is they aren't proven. So based on price and weight the winner is............ stone glacier
