Hill People Gear A3: Review

Hill People Gear (HPG) needs no introduction here. Named after its founders, Evan and Scott Hill, HPG is known around the world for their tough, dependable packs that keep the adventurer on the trail with relative comfort and ease.

There is one pack in their line-up that has seen a few iterations and changes over the years, namely the Aston House. This was a highly compartmentalized pack that seemed to struggle to capitalize on its own volume. Next came the Aston House Backcountry that dropped the internal compartmentalization and was streamlined in many respects. Today we will look at their newest version, the A3 in their new Grouse Blue color.

Tech Specs

	Imperial	Metric
Height	21″	53.3cm
Width	11″	27.9cm
Depth	8″	20.3cm
Capacity	2400 cu.in	40l
Weight	4.1lbs	1.86kg

Quality & Comfort

Produced by First Spear in Missouri, USA, Hill People Gear products are typically some of the best quality bags available. My sample of the A3 showed no issues in this area and lives up to the hard-earned reputation that HPG enjoys. Stitches are straight, material selections are great and the bag simply exudes quality. A bit odd, however was the use of foliage green zippers. The rest of the findings are a grey color.

HPG also carries quite the reputation for carry-comfort. The A3 is built around a pair of 21″ stays, resulting in a stiff and capable suspension. Used in conjunction with on of their outstanding pack belts, the A3 is ready to handle significant loads, though the frame height may be a bit limiting as compared to a taller frame. Carried stand-alone without the belt, the A3 relies on the exceptional shoulder harness that HPG is known for. It is wider and flatter than most shoulder straps and distributes the load well across the shoulders. For day trips outdoors or multi-day travel adventures, the suspension and carry comfort of the A3 are very good.

Organization & Access

The front of the A3 shows off the packs modest organization. There is a smaller zipped pocket at the top for something like a wallet or keys, a larger side access zippered pocket below that is well-suited for a book or other sundries and patch field is included as well. There are webbing loops also visible here that mount the included upper and lower compression straps.

The sides of the pack both feature a large bottle pocket that compresses enough to actually compress the bottom third of the main pack also if needed. Both sides have mounting points for the two included horizontal compression straps and the right side has a carry handle to aide in maneuvering the bag.

The top of the bag is mostly barren, but there is a carry handle as well as a secondary access point to the main compartment that really opens things up. This allows the user to retrieve items from the inside much like a top-loading pack.

The inside rear is lined with First Spear’s 6/12 fabric that will accept PALS or hook-backed pouches or accessories and a single webbing loop for hanging a bladder or the like. This is where one might mount a laptop case to be accessed from the secondary access point described above.

There is nothing on the bottom of the pack, though HPG has thoughtfully included removable compression straps for use in lashing a bed roll or tent to the bottom.

What’s Perfect

• HPG has significant notoriety in the comfort of their kit. The A3 carries on in this tradition, particulally when carried belt-less. The user will be hard pressed to find a more agreeable pack on the shoulder than one from HPG.
• The dimensions are spot on for most carry-on applications. This makes the A3 an ideal crossover pack for the adventurous traveler, especially if a belt is added to the system.
• The combination of the two smaller zipped pockets and the new style bottle pockets bring the A3 to a place of adequate and useful organization. A pack this size doesn’t really require a multitude of pocketing, and HPG did will to include only these features.
• Modularity is another core feature for the Hill brothers. The A3 has removable compression straps and the pack will additionally accept any number of add on pockets available from HPG. It’s really quite versatile.
• The top-access make this a decent larger EDC pack as well. Add a laptop sleeve and this bag will do well in city life too.
• HPG had this custom blue color done up. It’s nice and seems like it belongs in nature.

What’s Not

• The sample pack here had foliage green zippers and wolf grey webbing and loop fields. It looks odd. The author asked HPG about it and was told that First Spear will sometimes use these two colors interchangeably. I was not a fan of these three colors side-by-side.
• While we understand the constraints of carry-on sizing, the A3 does not carry as well belted as a taller pack. We know physics come to play here, but perhaps another inch on the frame height may have helped here? It’s not bad by any means, I just found myself wishing for a bit less weight on the shoulders in this configuration. Other bodies may or may not find this the same.

Wrap Up

I have always been intrigued with the concept of a carry-on sized bag that can handle the rigors of the trail with aplomb, and it seems the HPG A3 is a strong contender. It is built with the burly materials one expects for durability and the bag is undeniably well designed under moderate loads. Add in the ability to reconfigure the bag with accessories and one will see just how many roles this bag can fill. It’s got to be one of the more versatile bags on the market today. Give the A3 a serious look before your next adventure; it may be just the ticket to keep you moving out there.

Disclaimer

The A3 was provided by Hill People Gear as a sample for review purposes, the content of this review was not shared with Hill People Gear before publishing. Our reviews are unbiased and never modified to keep a brand happy.