Piotr Ma: Khard 30 Config

First of all I must say that it’s a perfect pack for winter adventures in my honest opinion. It has a hard anatomically shaped backside (unpadded) which works great with multi-layer winter clothing, which works like a padding itself. So there is just one soft layer between back & pack, which means the Khard sits close to the body and doesn’t extend the center of mass too far to the back. But the pack sides are padded in contrary for gear protection, which works also great as thermal insulation for your food, water and electronic gear (like camera). So for me – it just works great in the winter.

Now my gear…

Outside Khard:

• Edelrid Ice Hatchet

• Grivel 12-teeth universal crampons

• Kohla ultralight poles

• PDW Hunter Gatherer patch, which I installed with help of Velcro loop under-patch on the shock-cord lacing

Inside Khard:

• Mystery Ranch IFAK kit incl. thermal rescue foil

• Extra beanie (got it from Tom Krein knives)

• Shemagh

• Arcteryx thick fleece gloves to keep me warm when walking

• Invicta snow gloves (for snow climbing) with separate thin liners inside (useful for camera operations)

• 30ft of paracord + BIC lighter +ITS rubber bands (always handy)

• Stainless thermal flask

• SureFire Headlamp (lithum batteries are the way to go in sub-zero conditions)

• Spyderco ‘Slysz Bowie’ folder – what an awesome knife! Finally true ‘Spyderbenza’!

• Carbon fiber monopod for selfies in the middle of nowhere, works so much better than tripod in the snow

• BC4 pouch with spare batteries: 1 for camera, 1 for headlamp

• Mobile phone (fully charged before the hike!)

• Additional merino layer (visible inside the pack) and some energy bars (hidden)

That is all I need for one full day in the snowy Tatra mountains (Poland). Just basic stuff – all I need, nothing I don’t and some first aid stuff.