BUILT TO SEND X2 Backpack Review

When climbing an alpine route in winter there are many things that can possibly go wrong and your mental space is a finite resource being fully utilized to process the various sets of actions you must execute in order to overcome each pitch until you reach the summit. There isn’t any bandwidth left for contemplating the logistics of your gear, such as how to load your pack successfully, strap ice axes to the outside, or coil the rope and strap it at the top of the pack. For this purpose, the X2 fulfills all the necessities—simple and practical—nothing more, nothing less. It just works. Perfectly.

When buying a backpack, there is always the bias of beauty. It’s easy to fall for form rather than function. In the case of technical backpacks, it’s often very difficult to get a real understanding of the features and capacity when browsing at your local gear shop. For this purpose, we write reviews to help folks to buy the best fit for their needs. In the case of the BUILT TO SEND X2 an “in use review” is even more relevant. You need to read about how it actually feels to load the rucksack at -10°C with heavy winter gloves.

The story of BUILT TO SEND started in 1996 when a group of friends decided to pursue the goal of climbing every 4000m peak of the European Alps. About twenty years later, with the experience gained by climbing about 70 big peaks (plus rock and ice all over the world), they decided to forge the ultimate climbing pack, aiming to become the finest on the planet.

I became interested in BUILT TO SEND packs after reading the “5 Reasons Why BUILT TO SEND Should Be on Your Radar” article on Carryology.  At that time I was looking for an alternative to the HMG Ice Pack. Something with a similar construction but entirely made of VX42 X-Pac fabric.

Most of all I was looking for an alpine pack engineered to answer all those problems that only people climbing in vertical, mixed rock and ice can truly understand. A pack that doesn’t leave any detail to chance; that defies the trends and is no-frills.

I received the pack in April 2020, right in time for the COVID-19 lockdown in Tokyo. So I had to wait almost one year (winter climbing in Japan starts around January) to fully experience the versatility of my BUILT TO SEND X2.

Design

Looks

The X2 is a simple large roll-top design pack. Externally, it’s very minimal. No bells and whistles—just a set of customizable straps and drawcords to hold your gear. The stealth black X-Pac fabric makes it very humble when commuting from the city to the mountains. The BUILT TO SEND patch logo shines on the ice tool holder and represents the only visible branding on the pack (except a small tag in the back padding and internally). The X series is also available in the white VX42, which is even lighter than the black version.

Construction

The construction of this pack is pure mastery and optimization of the expedition grade X-Pac VX42 single sheet, folded in place to ensure incredible durability and making the pack virtually seamless. The bottom is double layered with the same VX42.

The few seams of the X2 have been triple stitched with V92 bonded polyester thread (which means it meets the military standards for safety-critical equipment).

The VX42—one of the toughest fabrics on the planet—is, of course, waterproof and hard to tear apart. The top load design of this pack makes it easy to use the X2 as a “hauling bag”, with four loops on the pack lips. Or, perhaps, in the kind of situation where you are “bucket-style belaying” and want to flake the rope directly into the backpack.

The foam inside the shoulder straps is a proprietary BUILT TO SEND 10mm foam developed from the same material used in fighter pilot seats. Making these pads the most comfortable cushioning for heavy loads I have ever tested.

The hardware is custom-designed and engineered from aerospace-grade aluminum with a hard-anodized coating for extreme durability. The G-hooks are tailor-made to work perfectly with the webbing system of the pack.

Features

This pack provides the minimum features necessary for the job. The main body, shoulder straps, optional padded waist belt, and sternum strap. The two daisy chain-style webbings on the external side are customizable with a set of compression straps and drawcord that BUILT TO SEND provides within the pack. The ice tool carry system is handy and the loop on the bottom fits my two Cassin tools no problem. The drawcord feels thick and reliable and worked perfectly for strapping my crampons during alpine approaches. A generous internal pocket ensures enough space to carry your small goods like sunscreen, a wallet, snacks, and sunglasses.

The grabbing handle is a wider-than-normal, load-rated version of the conventional system.

Performance

Space

The BUILT TO SEND X2 is a 30L capacity, extendable to 42L in its “overload” form. This means you can keep packing in your stuff but you won’t be able to fold down the closure. Instead, the closure straps that end with the aluminum G-buckle can be attached to the hauling loops, allowing you to effectually overload the pack over 40L. Albeit the overall carry might become slightly uncomfortable and I won’t recommend it for long approaches. The organization of alpine rucksacks is usually reduced to the basics. It’s pretty much up to the user’s ability to pack gear in a smart way. The X series is also available in 25L (the X0), and in 50L (X3). The X1 has the same capacity as the X2 but it lacks the waist strap.

Comfort 

The proprietary 10mm thick foam does a great job; this pack is very comfortable. I would say it’s one of the most comfortable frameless packs I have ever tried. After a long day in the alpines, the extra-thick shoulder straps will be the feature that makes you love your X2 pack.

Under comfort considerations, I would mention the buckle system. I’ve used this pack with thick gloves and I didn’t find any clumsiness when opening the top to grab a puffy jacket or some piece of gear.

Alternatives to Consider

Even though I think the BUILT TO SEND X2 is pretty unique in its handmade niche, I can recommend similar technical alpine packs in the same price range. Check out CiloGear packs, Alpine Luddites packs, the TUFA Mochilla pack, and the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Ice Pack.

Nice To Have

I’m not sure if the lack of color choices can be considered a downside. But I wish this pack was available in other VX42 bright colors like blue, orange, green, and maybe camouflage.

As much as I loved the simplicity of the X2, I have to admit that I can’t use this pack for all my mountaineering trips. Here in the Japanese Alps, we are subjected to long multi-day approaches that force us to bring the bivouac setup as well as climbing gear. Having something like a complementary top lid (sold separately) to use during the long approaches would make this pack even more awesome.

Verdict

In the end, it’s no secret I have fallen in love with the BUILT TO SEND X2. The concept behind this incredibly well-engineered product is enough to justify a not-so-cheap price. This is a simple, honest, robust workhorse to bring on serious alpine ascents.

This article was written by Riccardo Parenti, Italian-born photographer and product designer living in Tokyo. You can check out his work here.