Gossamer Gear Kumo 36 vs 3F UL Gear Tutor Ultra 35
Quick take: The Gossamer Gear Kumo 36 costs $5 less; the Gossamer Gear Kumo 36 carries more (36 vs 35 liters); the Gossamer Gear Kumo 36 is lighter (1.25 vs 1.43 lbs).
Which one to buy
$5 separates a frameless woven-nylon pack from a carbon-framed Ultra-fabric one, which makes the Tutor Ultra 35 look like the bargain. The catch is how little 3F UL Gear tells you about it: no torso ranges for its M and L sizes, and no confirmed hipbelt pockets, hydration sleeve or canister fit. Its warranty is a lifetime repair service, with you paying shipping both ways. You're buying a frame and a fabric and taking the rest on trust.
The Kumo 36 is the known quantity. Its sit pad gives the pack its shape, pulls out as a camp seat and comes out entirely for very light trips, though it must be positioned correctly to carry well. Loads much above 20 lb get uncomfortable quickly, which is where the Tutor's frame and its stated 12 kg comfortable carry should pull ahead. The Kumo's published sizes, S 17-19 in and M 19.5-21.5+ in, let you check fit before ordering, and it has hipbelt pockets.
Fabric is a real trade. The Kumo's Robic soaks through in sustained rain and needs a liner, and its 70D panels abrade on rock, but woven nylon field-repairs easily. Ultra100X is the thinner grade of Ultra, so expect less abrasion resistance than Ultra 200X. On paper the Tutor offers more pack for the money; the Kumo offers fewer surprises.
Gossamer Gear Kumo 36
For hikers who want published torso sizes, hipbelt pockets and a long cottage-brand track record, with loads that stay around 20 lb.
3F UL Gear Tutor Ultra 35
Worth a look if you want a frame and Ultra fabric for $185 and can live with unpublished torso ranges.
| Spec | Gossamer Gear Kumo 36 | 3F UL Gear Tutor Ultra 35 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $180 | $185 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Ultralight Pack | Ultralight Pack |
| Frame Type | Frameless | Internal Frame |
| Capacity | 36 L | 35 L |
| Weight | 1.25 lbs | 1.43 lbs |
| Max Load | 25 lbs | About 26 lbs (12 kg comfortable carry) |
| Torso Fit | S 17-19 in, M 19.5-21.5+ in | Sized M and L; ranges not published |
| Material | 70D and 100D recycled Robic nylon | Ultra100X |
| Back Panel | Frameless with removable sit pad | Carbon-fibre frame (back panel construction not detailed) |
| Adjustable torso | No | No |
| Ventilated back | No | No |
| Raincover included | No | No |
| Hipbelt pockets | Yes | No |
| Removable lid | No | No |
| Hydration sleeve | No | No |
| Fits BV500 bear can | No | No |
| Warranty | Gossamer Gear one-year warranty against manufacturing defects | 3F lifetime repair service: free repairs or free repair parts, excluding natural aging of fabric; covers purchases from 3fulgear.com or authorized agents; owner pays shipping both ways |
Pros & cons
Gossamer Gear Kumo 36
- ✓$180 is the cheapest entry to a well-regarded cottage brand on this site.
- ✓The removable SitLight pad doubles as back structure and a camp seat, so it is not dead weight.
- ✓1 lb 4 oz for 36 L (28 L main body plus 8 L of pockets) is an excellent ratio.
- ✓70D and 100D recycled Robic is a proven, repairable woven fabric rather than a laminate.
- ✓Gossamer Gear has one of the longest track records among cottage makers.
- ✓Removing the pad strips the pack down further for very light trips.
- ✓Hipbelt pockets included at this price.
- ✓Woven nylon is far easier to field-repair than DCF or Ultra laminates.
- ✗Frameless, so loads much above 20 lb become uncomfortable quickly.
- ✗Gossamer Gear rates it to only 25 lbs, with 20 lbs as the comfortable figure.
- ✗70D fabric on parts of the body is thin and abrades on rock.
- ✗Not waterproof, unlike the DCF and Ultra packs at higher prices.
- ✗No adjustable torso.
- ✗36 L is too small for a bear canister plus a week of food.
- ✗Requires disciplined packing with the pad positioned correctly to carry well.
3F UL Gear Tutor Ultra 35
- ✓Ultra100X fabric and a carbon frame at $185, roughly half what Western brands charge for Ultra-fabric packs.
- ✓650 g in medium is light for a framed 35 L.
- ✓A stated 12 kg comfortable load is generous for this volume.
- ✓Two sizes, M and L.
- ✗Ultra100X is the lighter, thinner grade of Ultra; expect less abrasion resistance than Ultra 200X.
- ✗3F does not publish torso ranges or pocket layout in readable form.
- ✗Hipbelt pockets, hydration sleeve and bear-canister fit are all unconfirmed.
Gossamer Gear Kumo 36 vs 3F UL Gear Tutor Ultra 35: common questions
Does the Tutor Ultra 35's frame make it carry better than the Kumo 36?▾
Probably at the top of the range. The frameless Kumo gets uncomfortable much above 20 lb, while 3F quotes a 12 kg comfortable carry on the Tutor's carbon frame. Below that, the Kumo's sit pad does the job.
Can I order the Tutor Ultra 35 without trying it on?▾
You can, but it's partly a guess: 3F sells it in M and L without published torso ranges. The Kumo is the easier mail order, with S covering 17-19 in and M covering 19.5-21.5+ in.