The Outdoor Vitals Shadowlight Carbon 60 combines superb comfort, light weight and lots of outside pockets that make it a solid choice for ultralight hikers.
Overview: Outdoor Vitals Shadowlight Carbon 60
MSRP: $274.97, $247.47 for members
Weight: 31.5 ounces for a medium pack and medium hip belt
Capacity: 49 liters for the pack body, 15 liters for the outside pockets
Fabric: Robic nylon for the main body and pockets, UltraStretch for the vertical mesh pockets. PFAS free.
About the Outdoor Vitals Shadowlight Carbon 60
The outside pockets sold me on the updated Shadowlight. I can stash rain gear, lunch, water filter, water bottle, navigation aids, phone, hat and gloves, snack, and outer clothing in the outside pockets, meaning I don’t have to dig into my pack hunting for gear during the day. And if I’ve filled the pockets there’s a unique front of pack zipper that lets me easily access gear inside.
Outdoor Vitals Carbon 60 Carrying Capacity
The top-loading main compartment is 49 liters, a good size for multi-day trips. But it’s the six outer pockets and two large hip-belt pockets—good for 15 liters of storage capacity—that make this pack stand out.
I’ve been frustrated as hip belt pockets seem to get smaller, without enough space to hold my phone, so I was happy to find that I can fit my phone and two snack bars in one pocket. Both pockets have a key clip.
Two expandable pockets attached to the side of the pack above the hip belt hold my water filter and warm hat and gloves tucked into a plastic bag. The pocket openings stretch to get gear inside and then contract to hold the gear in place. Both pockets can hold two one-liter bottles, and I am able to get a bottle out of the pocket but like every pack I’ve worn I can’t get the bottle back inside the pocket. I carry only one thin liter-size water bottle and found that it tips to the side in the pocket, making the pack ride lopsided.
So I put my water bottle, along with my lunch, inside one of the two deep and narrow stretch pockets that run vertically on the outside of the pack. I was surprised to find that the pockets expand enough that I can easily fit my raincoat and rain pants inside one of the pockets.
The top two pockets are smaller than the bottom ones, and I put my navigation aids inside one of them and anything else I want easy access to in the other. The pockets seal with a stretch cord.
The final easy-to-reach storage is the long zipper that opens the front of the pack, which seems to be a love it or hate it accessory. Count me in the love it category.
I use the zipper access to reach extra trail clothing, lunch or anything else I want quick access to. The zipper is hard to open and close if the pack is stuffed and bulging, but I pack light enough that access is easy. All of my gear inside is in separate waterproof bags so moisture through the zipper isn’t an issue, although I didn’t experience any during days of moderate rain. If I used a plastic trash bag to store all my gear inside, I could still put gear in a waterproof bag outside the trash bag and access it through the zipper opening.
All of the pocket cords and zippers use reflective cords to make them easy to see in the dark.
The four outside storage pockets have drain holes so water doesn’t accumulate in the pockets. Over six days on the Long Trail in Vermont when 2 inches of rain fell I did not have any problems with water building up in the pockets.
The Shadowlight also has an inside removable water bladder bag, with an opening in the back of the pack for a water tube.
The Shadowlight is a roll-top bag, with the top of the bag sealed by buckles. The pack does not have side buckles to attach the top straps for compression because of the top pockets. A Y-strap compresses the top of the pack.
The shoulder straps do not have daisy chains to hang gear such as an inReach, but an external pouch with Velcro straps can connect to the shoulder strap.
The pack also has external lashing loops.
What can I fit inside the pack?
My tent, a BearVault 450 bear can, sleeping bag, clothes, electronic gear and first aid kit. Everything else goes in the outside pockets.
Outdoor Vitals Shadowlight Carbon 60 Comfort
The pack is very comfortable carrying 25 pounds, the top weight that I like to carry. Outdoor Vitals says the pack can carry a maximum of 40 pounds.
The Shadowlight comes in three sizes: short, regular and tall. The hip belt comes in five sizes: extra small, small, medium, large and extra large. I’m 5 feet, 10 inches tall and 160ish pounds, and the regular pack and medium hip belt are good fits for me.
The CARBONFLEX suspension system has two carbon fiber frame stays, a redesigned foam back panel with cutouts, and a hip belt with dual buckle straps. The hip belt is attached to the pack with Velcro and can be removed. The foam pad used in the harness cannot be removed.
The result is a comfortable carry with the weight spread across my hips and shoulders. Load lifters keep the pack from pulling against my back.
I carried a bear can comfortably, but did put clothing between the bear can and the pack frame for extra padding. I do the same with every pack when I carry a bear can.
I found that if I tightened the shoulder straps too closely to my body I could feel one of the frame stays pressing into my back, but loosening the shoulder strap solved this.
Pack Material
Outdoor Vitals uses 100D Robic nylon with 200D Spectra ripstop for the pack’s main body and 210D Robic nylon with 400D Spectra ripstop for the bottom panel. All are rugged materials that should last for years.
The long mesh pockets on the front of the pack are made with UltraStretch.
The fabric has a water resistance rating of 1500 mm HH, meaning it should be good for repelling light to moderate rain. I hiked for several days in those conditions and my gear inside the pack stayed dry.
Good to Know
Outdoor Vitals’ warranty covers manufacturing and workmanship defects for the expected lifespan of its products. More information about the warranty and gear returns can be found here.
The sternum strap does not have a whistle, something that has become ubiquitous for backpacks. I have never used it, but I can see that it has a purpose. It’s not a deal breaker with this pack.
Outdoor Vitals members get a deal on gear pricing, free shipping and other perks. More information can be found here.
Shadowlight Carbon 60 Pros
Lightweight: 31.5 ounces for the pack and frame, and light on my back.
Comfort: The carbon stays and foam back pad provide a comfortable carry.
Frame and Hip Belt Sizes: The three frame sizes and five hip belt sizes make it easy to get a good fit, and to mix different frame and hip belt sizes.
External Pockets: The eight external pockets, including the two hip belt pockets, provide enough space that I can carry all my gear for the trail in them during the day and don’t have to dig through the pack looking for lunch or my hat and gloves.
Shadowlight Carbon 60 Cons
No Side Compression: There’s no option to use the top closure straps for side compression.
No Shoulder Daisy Chains: External pockets with Velcro straps can be attached to the shoulder straps but there are no individual rings to attach small gear such as an inReach.
Overall Value
The Shadowlight Carbon 60 is a well-thought-out pack that rides comfortably on my back, and is a strong contender among packs in the two-pound range. I like the outside pockets that let me access gear I need while on the trail without digging through my pack to find it. The price falls within the range of other packs made of similar materials and of a similar size. And an Outdoor Vitals membership pushes the price even lower.
Similar Backpacks
MSRP: $275
Weight: 31.9 ounces for a medium
Capacity: 50 liters
Material: Robic
This product was donated for purpose of review.
