Introducing the SHADO Pack by PDW
From the moment Prometheus Design Werx took to the stage, the burning question on many lips has been “What will a PDW pack look like?” Well today that is finally revealed…
My biggest fear for this long expected pack was that it would turn out similar to some of Patrick Ma’s (Founder, CEO and Creative Director of PDW) earlier works. Instead what they came up with was a superbly pleasant surprise, with a fresh approach that truly breaks the mould.
The name SHADO highlights its key features right off the bat – S.uspension H.aul A.ccess D.urable O.rganize – but I believe there are a few specific game changers in the design that will make this a stand out pack for years to come.
Firstly, it looks like it has the perfect blend of tactical and outdoorsy features. It has echoes of military pack, without being overly tactical. It has a form of webbing on the optional GearTrap™, but it’s the much lighter laser cut kind that doesn’t require tons of extra straps. Elastic bottle pockets on the side suggest a hiking pack, but the large loop panel on the outside allows for customisation with your favourite morale patches. I believe they’ve settled on an original mix of the two genres of pack without compromising on aesthetics, functionality, durability or weight.
There are also two main compartments. Both have full clamshell openings, which I believe could really open up the possibility for some interesting pack setups.
Another clever offering by PDW is the user is given maximum flexibility when choosing their setup. Rather than a one product fits all package (which I believe will be available for those who want everything!), you can choose to only purchase the main pack, with or without any combination of their accessories, the PDW Gear Trap™, the ToF (Trail or Fight) Belt™ and the PDW EDCO Panel™. This not only allows you to choose a setup based on your activity or funds available, but it lets you to develop and evolve your pack over time as your needs change.
All in all I think PDW have done an incredible job with the SHADO. I can’t wait till my order comes through and I advise everyone to check it out on their site and seriously consider ordering. Just don’t wait around too long if you want to get in on the first batch!
$289.00 is a pretty high price point for their first bag. Especially considering the 28L size.
I initially found myself agreeing, however after dividing other pack costs by the number of litres it works out actually cheaper per litre that some of the comparable Mystery Ranch, Triple Aught Design and GORUCK packs. There will obviously always be cheaper packs out there, but in terms of the design and quality that’s gone into this pack I believe it should be classed alongside these brands and I know it’ll be worth that cost.