Should you buy a 3F UL GEAR QiDian Pro ultralight backpack?❔

Join me on a short 6 mile hike between Milldale and Dovedale in the Peak District where I test out a new ultralight frameless backpack from 3F UL GEAR, the QiDian Pro UL.

I loaded up the pack with my usual wild camping kit, including my tent, sleep mat, down quilt, stove, food and water and took it own the hike to check out the comfort of the rucksack and see how it performed. The total weight of the loaded pack was 9kg.

My usual pack is the Osprey Kestrel 48 so I was able to compare the two. I’ll be using the pack a few more times before I’m able to give a full and final verdict, so treat this as a ‘first look’ or initial review.

Full specs can be found at the product link below 👍

Cheers!

Ben - @daleyoutdoors

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⏭ CHAPTERS
00:00 - 3F UL Qi Dian Pro Review
02:53 - 1 Mile in…
04:29 - Features in detail
08:43 - Eat
09:59 - The Verdict.

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[wr]

I just bought this bugger today just to be able to get into an air plane with only hand bagage. You can't fold backpacks like the Osprey kestrel 48 into the hand luggage sizes. And on what I save by not having to check in 23 kilos I can use to buy whatever the next shiny camping gear comes next.

[AndyWragg]

I have the old version of this bag, and have a video on it on my channel. The 2 x 1" straps you had round the front/mesh pocket, which you described as compression straps are actually meant to secure the ends of the roll top. I also found the pack makes your back sweaty, but every bag I've ever carried has done this. I carried a full Z matt on my tests and found it reasonably comfy, but then I was brought up on metal framed military rucksacks YMMV. Sadly I've never used the bag "for real" as that video was the last time I actually went for a hike with a decent pack weight due to the state of my ankles. It's a budget ultralight pack meant for "thru hikers" so the comfort features that you'd normally expect are sacrificed for loss in weight. ATB Mate.

[eXWoLL]

Frameless backpacks have to be packed in a different way from the regular framed ones! Packing all the heavy stuff at the bottom isn't the way to go with these ones. One has to "give structure" to the whole load, rather than just place the stuff according to their weight and density. People basically hiked with these types of backpacks for centuries with no issues, then the frame come into play making the packing process a lot more forgiving, and everyone just forgot about the right way of packing :).

[colinhalpin]

Good honest review. Seen other reviews where they have had similar experiences. Will be interested to see if you come up with any hacks to improve it.

[francoistexier]

add 300g for the mat and you have a 1.2kg backpack. I would go for the Decathlon Ultralight 50+10 L - MT900 UL and sleep on a real mat instead.

[cmcg]

Very helpful, thanks... Try packing your heaviest gear toward the middle of your back so the burden is on your shoulders and not your lower back.

[SSchithFoo]

I guess this is the issue with any frameless bag unless very well engineered. My Nelson Rigg waterproof backpack kills me even at 1 mile with less than 10 kilos even with both waist and chest straps tightened. Worse is it costs like 2 or more times more than this. Straps just cut into the shoulders and a simple fix would have been to have tapered straps that are much wider on contact areas and thin on others. Back ventilation is horrible so I sweat even in winter. It is designed as a motorcycle backpack that straps to the bike too but anyone buying this would be a someone who wants to park the bike and take a hike so it defeats the purpose.

[garycasey]

When you were taking the pack off the waist belt seemed to have large pockets but you did not mention them, are they of any use? Additionally, you demoed the straps on the pack but did not show the adjustments available to the fit of the pack on your back, were they any use/help?

[pauliusmielinis]

I have this backpack and I use pods to pack stuff. I don't use folding pad either and I rarely have the backpack resting on my back. I find it to be one of the most comfortable packs I have tried. I tried Deuter, Zpacks before.

[andrewgreen]

Looks like a quality bag only down side is its frame lass .I'm sure it's mainly for lightweight hiking whitch to be honest is what I try doing mate but it all comes down too cost it's cheaper then I thought it would be iv looked at alot off gear when it comes too minimalistic hiking and it seems that lighter the gear more expensive it is I could be wrong but that's what iv experience when I go to outdoor shops.great video as all ways 😀

[leonstancliff]

Sorry, but I can not take this as a review. Seriously, when it is 1.8 miles of use and we can still hear the kids on the playground it is not a hard use test of durability, only a guess.

[ufonut]

The back pack was not fitted properly it looked to low down your back

[shabingly]

Sorry dude, I'm probably about to go full-on wall of text here; only because I use this pack for section hiking, not because I disagree.
The last pack I used before this was a metal-framed behemoth in about 1997. I chose this a year or 2 back when I decided to start backpacking again after many years off, and watched some YouTube videos and discovered you didn't need to carry 15kg of metal anymore.
I use it with a 3/4 length exped mat for the support, also tried it with a small sitpad off Amazon. It doesn't work. Not enough structural support, and not long enough to take the weight onto the hip belt from your shoulder straps.
None of the different material versions they make (uhmoweha or whatever, X-Pac) are truly waterproof as they don't seal the seams. TBF, I don't think osprey do that either, they just include a "free" rain cover. I don't use a cover with this pack. Funnily enough, I bought an osprey pack liner and use that 😂
It has a ton of adjustments to it, but not torso size like some fixed frame packs; but I believe you can get it in different torso sizes (but I could be wrong there, I think maybe I am. Best check.)
I also use the pad-frame as a really posh full size sitpad during the day.
There's no airflow for your back. Absolutely none. It's gonna be sweaty. However, while I've never used a pack for proper hiking with supposed airflow, I have used many day packs that have "airflow" to allow "your back to breath". They've never stopped me being sweaty when day hiking. Someone else's milage may vary, though. But imo, your doing exercise. You sweat if your hot.
I guess the most worthwhile comment I can say; I've done a fair amount of 3-4 day hikes with this pack loaded up to 11kg, and loads of 1-2 nighters up to 9 or 10 (yes, I have an 800g pack but do not go ultralight, I am cheap). I've never felt like I wanted to throw the pack away and immediately spend money on a new pack during the hike. Got back Tuesday from doing 30 miles over 2 days (I know, I'm fat and old) in the Dales, and I'm not 100% if throwing an extra ton at my pack would've made it more enjoyable or not.
I will say I have looked at other packs, and have thought maybe the extra couple of hundred grams and maybe another ton of money on top of the 65 quid for this might make my hiking more enjoyable.
Who knows? Well. Let's wait and see what you think.
Cheers mush.

[maidenwigan]

Ey up Ben, I’ve only recently subscribed to your channel and find your videos well worth a watch, im also subscribed to a few others i.e Haze outdoors, Paul messner, East anglian bushcraft, Andrew beavers, TA outdoors, Andy Wardle, the fell wanderer, Summit or nothing to name a few, sorry for missing anyone. None of these channels have done a review on a small british firm called Station 13. I’m soon to be in the market for a new 1 man tent with a budget of £250 and I don’t want to leave any stone unturned or have my pants pulled down.There is one review on YouTube but it isn’t in depth enough for my liking and it’s the wrong tent. It’s the glencoe 1 that needs reviewing, great vid by the way can’t wait for the next one.👍

[cky]

Will you be posting a long term review? How has it performed for you? I see there was some helpful comments posted previously - curious how its held up. Cheers

[johnho]

yes you should buy the bag, for £82 delivered to your door, its a great bag and has many features

[seaslugseaslug]

How can you possibly do a fair review when you haven't bothered to set the rucksack up properly with the full mat in the back support as it's designed, Like having no insoles in your boots and saying they hurt your feet.

[drug]

Did you weight you bag? Cause mine is heavier than 880g. 939g in total. Thats 60g more

[jimmysny]

The stuff you use for the back support could be slightly hacked so that you have an air channel running up the middle of the support from top to bottom? Other backpacks use this method of ventilation, built into the design.

I use an Exos, done loads of long distance multi day hikes, it suits my long back and carries what I want easily.
I think your back support system could be improved, I have one idea in response to a comment earlier.

[pault]

So basically its a 1.4kg bag that makes your back sweaty 😂