![]() Aer Flight Pack 3 | Our sternum strap got scuffed up pretty quickly. Sometimes you just want something simple and easy, and these buckles have that in their DNA-they just work. ![]() ![]() The buckles to disconnect the shoulder straps are Duraflex Stealth models, which are small but very capable-they’re also a change from the clips on the Flight Pack 2. The self-locking zippers have a standard YKK hard plastic pull, which is easy enough to use and hides nicely when not in use. The plastic is slippery when wet, but it’s easy enough to grab onto where the paracord feeds into the plastic when the weather takes a turn. The front pocket, main compartment, and accessory pocket zipper pulls are a paracord-like material and end with a larger piece of hard cylindrical plastic. Aer Flight Pack 3 | There isn’t much more satisfying than clipping a sturdy buckle. There’s not much worse than a zipper that slowly opens in transit, and the self-locking technology in these zips is extremely sturdy. The top pocket and interior accessory pocket are both YKK #5 self-locking zippers. The water bottle pocket is a YKK #5 and has a Hypalon zipper pull, which can get slippery in wet conditions. At the end of the day, it’s more of a deterrent than a guarantee, as all zippers will come apart if enough force is applied, but it will slow strangers down if they try to get into your pack. You need to purchase an additional lock, but the addition is nice for added security. The main compartment and accessory pocket zippers are standard #10 models, which open smoothly and are lockable. Aer Flight Pack 3 | YKK zippers everywhere. When we mentioned dirt getting stuck in nooks and crannies earlier, this was one of the worst culprits. The front pocket is Aer’s signature #10 AquaGuard zip, and there are loops on either side of the zip to assist in opening. There are YKK zippers throughout the bag, all of which perform well. The X-Pac has a neat diamond pattern throughout the fabric and an orange interior compared to the gray interior of the model we have on hand. The Black is sleek and minimalistic while the Gray is a little less industrial-looking. We have the Black Cordura colorway on hand, but there are Heathered Gray 700D Cordura and Black X-Pac options, too. Aer Flight Pack 3 | Minimalistic, but lots of features, too. The material is thick enough that it’s difficult for water to penetrate it, and it held up in 30 minutes of consistent rain snow, and sleet. The material holds up well when faced with moisture considering it doesn’t have a DWR coating. The corners and crevices of the pack are a little harder to get clean, but a bit of scrubbing or using a brush from the sink does the job pretty well. The material is easy to clean with just a wet rag if and when it picks up dirt and dust, which is fairly visible on the black colorway. Aer Flight Pack 3 | You can wear the Flight Pack in numerous ways. ![]() ![]() It’s now bluesign approved, too, which means that it’s sustainably sourced. The pack material is 1680D Cordura Ballistic Nylon, which is par for the course for Aer. Starting things off with the materials, we see something familiar from the get-go. We plan to get our hands pretty dirty with this one, so buckle up, and let’s get started. We can’t help but wonder whether the increase in size and addition of new features are enough to warrant upgrading from the second generation to the third, or if the changes are more for looks than functionality. It comes in at 20 liters, a liter larger than the second iteration, and 3.6 liters less than the first. The third installment of Aer’s Flight Pack brings a few new features to the table, but for the most part, keeps most of the staples of previous generations. ![]()
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