TOPO Designs – Klettersack Backpack, Fleece Hoodie, Wool Shirt And Mountain Jacket Review
With a folded flag for a logo, it’s not surprising to see innovative and adventure-inspired gear coming from the Colorado-based company, Topo Designs. Found by Jedd Rose and Mark Hansen, the duo started designing and sewing packs in a Fort Collins basement nearly ten years ago.
Fast forward in time, and you’ll discover more than just their ruggedly well-built packs, you’ll also come across a really sharp mountain-modern, men’s apparel line.
From the Cordura fabrics on their packs to the Prato, Italy sourced merino wool on their shirts, PrimaLoft Black Eco insulation on jackets, and elsewhere, every single piece is built to last. In addition to their devotion to using premium materials, Topo Designs has also stuck by their Made in Colorado, Made in the USA motto.
Factor in the Topo Designs MAP Guarantee which offers a sensible lifetime warranty on packs and apparel, alongside their unique repair program and you’ve got top-notch gear worth every penny.
Beyond durability, Topo Designs has managed to combine wonderfully simple functionality and handsomely stylish looks into one. Though, does it come as any surprise when you consider that the team behind Topo Designs has a rich background in everything fishing, skiing, hiking, and climbing, and so on?
Below, you’ll find my impression and review of their latest Klettersack backpack, men’s fleece hoodie, men’s wool shirt, and men’s mountain jacket.
Quick Highlights:
Klettersack 22L Backpack
- Available in charcoal, clay, khaki, olive, red, navy, storm, red, navy and ballistic black color selections.
- 1000D Cordura exterior
- 1050D ballistic Cordura with Horween leather
- 420D nylon Coated pack cloth liner
- Durable plastic hardware
- YKK zipper
- Natural leather last tabs to fasten additional gear
- Generously sized main compartment
- Flap top with side-release buckle closures
- Internal main compartment drawstring cinch closure
- Accommodates most 15-inch laptops
- Interior zippered security pocket
- Zippered top flap pocket
- Side water bottle compartments
- Dual-size compression straps
- Padded shoulder straps with seatbelt webbing
- Comfortable top carry handle
- Ice axe loop
Men’s Fleece Hoodie
- 100% recycled polyester Polartac 200 micro fleece
- Tailored fit
- Three-piece full hood with stretch binding
- Outer zippered pocket on chest
- Side zippered hand pockets with mesh lining
- Strengthened front yoke and welt details
- Woven chest logo
- Full front YKK zipper closure
- Available in blue, black and red color options
Men’s Wool Shirt
- Oversized snap chest and side hand pockets
- Interior liner accents
- Overshirt straight fit
- Single snap cuff closure
- 65% post-consumer recycled wool from Prato, Italy
- 43% wool, 40% polyester, 15% nylon, 3% other fibers
- State-of-the-art washable merino wool blend
- Available in navy and gray color options
Men’s Mountain Jacket
- Offered in black and blue color options.
- 200g PrimaLoft Black Eco insulation
- Insulation made from 100% recycled plastic bottles
- Relaxed fit with mid-thigh length
- Waterproof 10,000 rating with key areas taped seams
- Full hood with visitor and natural leather toggles
- Protracted collar
- YKK full front zipper closure with snap placket
- Zipper front 1” dimensional top pockets
- Extended dimensional cargo-style pocket with side seam hand pockets
- Snap cuffs
Ballistic Black and Black Leather TOPO Designs Klettersack 22L Backpack Review
With 1050D ballistic Cordura, Horween leather, YKK zippers, and natural leather last tabs, the Klettersack has effortlessly become one of my best friends outdoors. It’s fiercely tough and will take a beating without putting up a fuss about it.
Concerning cargo carrying capacity, this 22-liter backpack offers plenty of room for storing jackets, bottles, laptops, notebooks and beyond. While using it as both an office backpack and outdoor hiking pack, I was really surprised by just how well the pack expanded when filled up with gear.
The exterior front and side compression straps were terrific when it came to compacting the bag down to the actual amount of equipment that I was carrying inside.
For functionality, the drawstring cord closure on the top of the pack makes accessing everything in the main compartment fast.
Exterior water bottle side pockets alongside a very spacious top pocket make grabbing those items you need on the fly a breeze. Now, while there are some zippered areas on the Klettersack, the buckles and straps take the main focus.
In my opinion, the way Topo Designs setup this pack is brilliant. It’s ridiculously simple to use.
Black Men’s TOPO Designs Fleece Hoodie Review
With a 100% recycled polyester Polartec 200 microfleece construction, the Topo Designs men’s fleece hoodie offers a comfortable, eco-friendly apparel option. The exterior is incredibly soft, while the hoodie itself slips on like a smooth glove thanks to the tailored fit.
The divided top and lower section design offer some keen visual interest, while chest and side zippered pockets provide great functionality to match.
Navy Men’s TOPO Designs Wool Shirt Review
The truth is, I love a well-made men’s wool shirt. There’s just something about wool that’s so wonderful.
Perhaps it’s the insulating qualities, distinctive feel, or stylish vintage charm. When it comes to the Topo Designs men’s wools shirt, it’s easily one of my favorite pieces.
Aside from a stunning exterior design with a comfy over straight shirt fit, this wool shirt comes packed with plenty of functionality in the finer details. For starters, the merino wool blend construction features an innovative washable design. You’ll also find a single snap cuff closure, and over-sized snap chest and side hand pockets.
Black Men’s TOPO Designs Mountain Jacket Review
When it comes to technical performance, the Topo Designs Men’s Mountain Jacket is genuinely top notch. With 200g PrimaLoft black eco insulation, a waterproof 10,000 rating, taped seams in critical areas, and a full hood, staying warm, dry, and comfortable is pretty much effortless.
From my outdoor winter mountain hikes to strolling around town running errands, the men’s mountain jacket was a dream to wear. You’ll find pockets virtually everywhere for storing just about anything you can imagine.
Best of all, the bottom pockets aren’t the kind you’d see on a typical jacket, instead, they are giant sized! With a snap button closure, they are super simple to access too.
Of course, the zippered top pockets offered some great piece of mind for storing precious cargo that I wanted to ensure stayed in place. From my wallet to my phone, the double zippered chest pockets are super handy and ruggedly secure.
A snap button cuff with two adjustments makes getting the right fit fast, effortless. Drawstring cord hood adjustments made of paracord were really nice to find as were the beautiful leather accents. Other finer details I came to appreciate were the YKK zippers, Topo Designs branded snap buttons, zippered interior pocket, and contrasting red accents.
Overall, this is one rock-solid men’s winter jacket with a sharp masculine style and brilliant technical functionality to match.
