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I discovered the Arc'Téryx brand 8 years ago, during my first Outdoor show, in Friedrichshafen, Germany. The biggest Outdoor brands were present (The North Face, Columbia, Jack Wolfskin, Norrona, etc…) and Arc'Téryx did not differ by the size of its stand (“look who has the biggest”…), but rather by its products. However, it is difficult to stand out among all these brands. Because even if, despite everything, each season the designers manage to find the accessories, the color charts and the technologies that make a significant difference, I would have a lot of trouble, for example, in telling the difference between a Gore-tex The North Face and a GT Black Diamond: without the logo, that seems impossible to me. However, some marks (like that of the prehistoric bird) stand out. By their price, already. But above all by their minimalist style and their finishes. And as you already know, I am very attached to the quality of the finishes: I know that to obtain such a level, you have to tear your hair out for a while and push all the technical processes related to the manufacture of the product to the limit. .
Recently, Arc'Téryx launched Arc'Téryx Veilance: a new range of products for daily needs. It is no longer a question of climbing mountains but of catching up with the bus. A very interesting interview conducted by the Haven Shop team gives the floor to designer Conroy Nachtigall, in charge of the development of the Veilance branch. He explains to us that the objective of Arc'Téryx is to do everything possible so that the user does not think about what he is wearing. Finally, his job is to make us forget that a garment envelops us and that each zip, each seam or each welding must not hinder us in our explorations, even the simplest ones. The idea is therefore to put the technique entirely to the benefit of everyday life, which turns out to be a very beautiful project in my opinion. Well… wearing an Arc'Téryx jacket, I mainly imagine myself telling myself that I'm wearing a jacket costing more than 600 euros, and that I have to be careful not to tear it between branches, but that's another thing history ?
In this new Veilance branch, they have also developed a backpack: the Nomin Pack. We can notice that they used the same technology as on their waterproof-breathable jackets: to assemble the fabrics, they sewed them, then fixed a sealing strip inside. It's a process that works well: the bag is completely waterproof and the seam remains more resistant than high-frequency welding (in the case where very light fabrics are used, as here). You can also see the machine that allows you to apply this sealing strip in the photo opposite. This is what I like so much about this range: I believe that they are among the first to do this type of "transfer" of technology. I doubt that the canvas used is breathable (would that be of no interest, unless the bag is dedicated to the transport of living beings?) but apparently, this fabric could come from a roll that was also used to making one of their jackets.
AND, the suspenders are the most amazing thing left. Here again, they mixed their different technical knowledge and thought of the suspenders as they think of their…harnesses. Their objective was certainly to obtain the best compromise (because it is always a question of compromise) between flexibility, comfort, lightness, minimalism and functionality. A backpack strap is a compendium of features! Succeeding in creating a strap that is both functional and so minimalist was a real gamble... which they, once again, managed to keep. Their zip is an "in-house" design, since it is their WaterTight™ technology (created in 1999), entirely developed in-house. A safe bet, then. Inside the bag, I don't believe there is any real technical feat, but not everyone may agree with me, and if you want to know more to make up your own mind, you can find the complete test of the bag carried out by one of the contributors of the Carryology team. Again, a safe bet? . You should know that 20% of Arc'Téryx's production comes from Vancouver, which may partly explain the price of their items... For once, the Nomin 2.0 bag is indeed made in Canada and its canvas made in United States, we already understand better its price (a little less than 700 euros). Above all, I think that this bag in fact represents a sum of small details, which reduce the aesthetics of the backpack to its simplest representation and which, thanks to the crossing of the company's different know-how, allow an improvement in its various functions. This sum of micro-details therefore places this bag very high in the rating and justifies its price. It is not yet on sale in our shop, but if you wish to buy it, you can do so on the brand's website.
