This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.

The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/davidhateshiking on 2024-08-10 15:32:47+00:00.

As promised a while back in the weekly here is a medium term review of the Aonijie c9111 30l backpack. I have used it for about 350 kilometers on multi day trips and maybe 100 kilometers of day hikes. I’d estimate that I was running with it for about 30 kilometers combined during these outings.

TLDR: A great pack to tryout frameless, vest style backpacks that is also an affordable option for those who don’t have access to the cottage options in the states.

Here are some pictures :)

Comfort and weight limit:

I find it very comfortable even when running with up to 6 kg in it as long as the main compartment is synched down well and nothing is bouncing around on the outside. While hiking it starts getting uncomfortable at around 10/12 kg for me and I have never exceeded 14 kg total pack weight (long water carry). There’s a little hack with using a sit pad cut in half to make the hip belt padded that I only used once but it worked well.

Accessibility:

I absolutely love the pockets on the vest straps. I can fit my phone, my motorola defy, a 500ml soft flask or bottle, my sunglasses, a few small snacks, a buff and some liner gloves in there and use one of the smaller ones for small trash like wrappers etc.

I’m actually able to reach a bottle in the side pockets while moving when i’m trying a little bit and i added some shock chord to the bottom which allows me to access my Foam pad without taking the backpack off. (See the modifications column).

I never really use the zipper on the main compartment when the pack is fully packed but I unzip it from the top to make packing up easier from time to time. the zippered compartment at the front is fairly slim and I use it to store my tent stakes and my toiletries for quick access and so they don’t poke into the rest of my stuff. The stretch pocket on the outside is fairly snug and I mostly keep my first aid/ditty kit and rain gear or additional layers in here. If I’m running I also put my food pouch in here to keep it from bouncing. The main compartment is a typical roll top that works as intended and lets you vary the backpacks volume in a pretty decent range. it rarely feels floppy even with minimal gear. I added a few loops and shock chord for additional storage which I describe later under modifications.

Potential weight savings:

the hip belt is pretty minimal and easily removable and if you prefer to snap the roll top to itself you could cut off the two side straps. The foam backing is easily removable and weighs XXX grams. Here’s a nice post by u/kashew_peenut with additional MYOG modifications to save even more weight.

Wear and tear:

So far the coating of the Fabric has started to delaminate but the fabric wasn’t really that water resistant to begin with. I ripped the sewing in one of the side pockets fairly early on but I was overstuffing it way past its limit. I wanted to sew it up myself but it hasn’t bothered me enough to do so so far. The stretchy material on the pouches has held up great so far. The stitching of the main compartment is starting to stretch out near one of the shoulder straps. I was able to recognize that this is the shoulder strap that I use to swing the bag onto my back and I am going to be a little more careful with that in the future. I overloaded the bag on volume and weight a bunch of times so if you are a little more careful with your gear than I am this shouldn’t happen to you. (If anyone has tips on how to reinforce the area i’d be grateful)

Modifications and Add-ons: Here’s the pictures

I added some straps to the bottom so i’m able to attach a foam pad to the bottom. I didn’t have to sew at all for this modification and I attached the linelocs near the body so you can use them with the pack on your back. I think most people would benefit from this change and it takes maybe ten minutes to do at home.

I added some shock chord over top of the big mesh pocket. As i’ve said the Pocket isn’t huge and the shock chord is perfect to store an additional layer or micro spikes so the don’t poke into anything.

I also added a loop so I can attach my poles on the main body of the backpack.

I often use an additional pouch on the chest instead of a fanny pack. sometimes I manage to fill it with the snacks for the entire day and don’t have to stop to get food out of the bag until I made camp at the end of the day. I use the adjustable loops on top of the vest straps to clip into with the clips linked with the pictures. I absolutely come to love this approach as it frees my hips and still gives me easy access to my snacks (I tend to snack all day instead of eating substantial meals).

I bought a 10 liter pouch from decathlon that i’m going to test out if I need a little bit more volume due to bulky food etc. XXXlinkXXX I’ll report back once I have more experience with it.

Tips:

I found out that you can use the elastic loops on the bottom of the vest straps and your foam pad to quickly store your poles like this.

Use the side Zip of the main compartmented make packing up the bag easier. (especially stuffing your quilt inside)

I actually use a compression bag if i’m using a bulky quilt and am maxing out the volume of the backpack.

If your hardcore and use a torso length pad this backpack lies very flat and can be used under your feet as ground insulation.

I hope this helped and I would love for others to join in with their experiences with the pack in the comments.