Gear Review: Kelty TraiLogic System

Gear Review: Kelty TraiLogic System

Kelty’s TraiLogic Collection Makes Gear Shopping Easy

 

Written for the Washington Trail Association blog

 

Visit the published article here

 

For backpacking beginners, purchasing the big items needed for a night in the wilderness —backpack, tent, sleeping bag, etc.—can be a daunting task. Kelty is trying to change that with the release of its new TraiLogic Collection, an integrated, three-season backpacking system that promises to make gear shopping as simple as grab-and-go.

Does the system make good on its promise? We tested it—in rain and sun, on trail and in camp—to see. Here’s what we found.

TraiLogic Pack

The TraiLogic pack boasts 50L of space from both the 35L main compartment and a 15L detachable pocket—not the roomiest available, but perfect for those introductory weekend overnights. The detachable pocket is one of the pack’s best features for storing snacks, extra layers and the Ten Essentials. Another great feature is the integrated tent pocket that makes packing up a breeze. One of the unique traits on this pack is the roll-top pocket closure—this pack is designed completely without zippers. While the roll-tops work well (even with gloved hands), they took some time to get used to—and we buried valuable items a little deeper inside since the pockets don’t zip shut.

  • Bonus points: One of the most comfortable packs we’ve tested.
  • Price: $200

TraiLogic Tent

This tent isn’t a one-size-fits-all; it’s available in both 2-person and 3-person models. What we really loved was how easy it is to assemble. We first attempted to set up the tent in the dark and without having previously read the directions. It could have been a disaster, but the pre-hubbed poles and color-coded tabs made the process surprisingly intuitive. Once set up, there’s a lot of living space. Think significant headroom and peripheral space, as well as two large vestibules. All in all, we found this to be a roomy tent with a host of great features: two wide doors, small gear pockets at the head of the tent and even vents and windows in the rainfly.

  • Bonus points: The tent comes with a little square packing cube to bundle everything together when it’s time for take-down.
  • Point deduction: The tent is marketed for star-gazing but we found the dense mesh to be somewhat difficult to see out of.
  • Price: $250–$300

TraiLogic Sleeping Bag

The TraiLogic sleeping bag is available in two temperature ratings for each gender: 20 degrees and 35 degrees. Each employs DriDown technology that’s great for damp nights when you need functional insulation. We tested the 35-degree bag on a few 40- to 45-degree nights. While the top of the bag and the toe-box were extremely warm (warmer than other bags we’ve tried), the lofting in the middle of the bag was thin and left a few cold spots. Lofting aside, the fabric was really cozy and soft. (We didn’t get to try the 20-degree bag, so perhaps this one insulates a little better.)

  • Bonus points: The sleeping bag comes with its own compression sack and takes up less space than most other sleeping bags in its category.
  • Price: $250-$300

TraiLogic Sleeping Pad

The TraiLogic sleeping pad comes in two thicknesses—1 inch and 2 inch. Both are mummy-style, which eliminaand weight. But don’t think that means you’ll be sacrificing comfort—we tested the 2-inch model and were impressed with how it performed, especially during side-sleep. It took some very strong breaths to force air into the chambers the first time we inflated it, but deflation and folding were a cinch and will shave valuable time off camp break-down.

  • Bonus points: This is a great pad for the money.
  • Price: $70–$80

TraiLogic Collection: The Verdict

As a complete system, the TraiLogic Collection has a lot to offer. It includes four major pieces of gear: backpack, tent, sleeping bag and sleeping pad. Although the items are designed to work together (for example, the square tent fits perfectly in the pack’s front kangaroo pocket), each item is sold separately and is compatible with non-collection items. We love the fact that you can pick and choose the items you need to customize the kit for individual need or preference, with options for tent size, bag rating and pad thickness. Purchasing all four pieces of gear will cost you at least $770—but that’s not bad when you consider the quality of and synergy between what you’re buying.

Have you tested the Kelty TraiLogic Collection? Share your thoughts below—we’d love to know what you thought of it.

Kelty system components

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