If you’re after an ultralight backpack for backpacking/hiking in New Zealand or abroad, the Kiwi Ultralight Tui 42 is worthy of your consideration. Note, that’s a minimum 32L internal storage, plus 10L external storage.
Weighing in at 380 grams, this pack is a lot lighter than the well known Hyperlite Mountain Gear Backpacks, granted their 40L packs have a higher weight load capacity. But that gives you an idea, the Kiwi Ultralight Tui 42 is crazy light.
Having used this pack for a few months on many overnight (and a few multi day) hikes, as well as usingit as a primary travel pack, this is my review of the Kiwi Ultralight Tui 42.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Why Did I Buy The Kiwi Ultralight Tui 42?
2. What I Like About The Pack
3. What I Don’t Like
4. The Finer Details About The Pack
5. Where To Buy The Kiwi Ultralight Tui 42?
MY KIWI ULTRALIGHT TUI 42 REVIEW
1. WHY DID I BUY THE PACK?
I became aware of Kiwi Ultralight in early 2023, and liked what they were doing with their product offerings.
I then happened to stumble on their website asking for people to be early testers of their backpack. After a couple of emails, I was offered the chance to purchase the backpack early at a discounted rate to provide social content, feedback, and a review of the backpack.
I had just purchased another backpack, but I was too intrigued not to give this pack a whirl.
TRAVEL TIP: this was the parcel with the Tui 42 inside. If you wanted, you could easily pack it in a bigger backpack/suitcase on your travels.
At 380 grams, it’s so light! And being Made in New Zealand? That’s super cool.
In the few months I’ve had the Tui 42 pack, it’s been hiking with me in Pakistan, France, and the USA. It has also been my primary travel bag for the majority of the time, so its durability has been tested.
2. WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE PACK
The External Stuff Pockets Are Awesome. Both the large one on the back, and the two on the sides are roomy. On one side I usually put my rain jacket or warm jacket pending weather. And the other one with a 1.5L plastic water bottle (don’t judge me, I forgot to bring a water filter to Pakistan). And you can easily get the bottles in/out of the side pockets while hiking.
The Pattern On The Pack Is Subtle. As someone who doesn’t like to be loud in voice or gear, the the pattern of the packs had me a little nervous…would it be crazy, something people would ask about all the time? It’s not! I almost wish more people would comment on the design :p
And this particular design makes the inside of the pack lighter than if it were a dark colour making it easier to see things as you’re searching in the pack.
The Roll Top Is Fine. I’ve never been a big roll top fan, but it’s the best option for light weight packs as zips are heavier. This roll top isn’t annoying, and I like that the strap over the top can be tightened up big time if your load is smaller.
The Hip Belt Pockets Are Awesome. While working at Macpac one of my pet peeves with their packs was the lack of utilising the space on the hip belts. On the Kiwi Ultralight Tui 42 the 550ml pockets are big enough for all sorts of things (*cough* snacks *cough*), and the zips work a treat.
Seems To Be Durable. I’ve been using the bag as my primary travel pack over the last two months, and it’s holding up well. The pack under buses/planes, on top of buses, on the side of the road, everywhere. And it’s been on a fair few overnight/two night hikes.
The shell isn’t showing any wear and tear I can see. I’ve got a couple of holes on the large stretch pocket but that’s not really a surprise. I’m not exactly gentle with my gear, and am not exactly sure when they turned up. The HyperD 300 fabric is working a treat!
Fortunately, I haven’t really had to test its water resistance yet.
3. WHAT I DON’T LIKE ABOUT THE PACK
The Stretch Shoulder Pockets Are Pointless. I didn’t even notice them on the pack for the first few weeks. They’re way to little to have any reasonable purpose. I’ve only ever stuck snack wrappers in them until I take the pack off and put them in the main trash bag I carry. If they were larger like the hip belt pockets that be awesome. Maybe big enough to hold one of these 600ml soft flasks with a filter?
Feedback from the Designers. The shoulder straps are designed for a phone or other small electronics, sunglasses, or snacks. They haven’t designed them to fit soft flasks as the external pockets on the sides of the packs should be fine for most.
Hip Belt Not Fitted Correctly. Before they set out to make your pack, they’ll ask for your torso size to customise the pack. As an early pack tester, I found the hip belt wasn’t fitting well. Having messaged the Kiwi Ultralight team, they’ve mentioned this was not a single occurrence. They can adjust this back at their facilities which I’ll get done when I’m back in NZ. Fortunately I don’t use the hip belt 99% of the time (but do keep it on for snacks).
Feedback from the Designers. They’ve acknowledged there was a calculation error in one batch on the first run. That’s now been fixed and all subsequent packs will be correct (in addition to the adjustable hip belt loops). I appreciate the honesty from them.
4. FINER DETAILS ABOUT THE PACK?
Weight: ~380 grams (will vary based on the torso length and the belt can be removed to save 100 grams)
Capacity: 32L internal + 10L external. The 32L is to the top of the shoulder straps, so it can be increased if you load out the pack a bit more.
Comfort Rating: 10kg (Max Load 12.5kg)
Other:
- Removable hip belt
- Made in New Zealand
- Adjustable chest strap
- Frameless
- Custom fitted to your torso length
- HyperD 300 fabric, a 300-denier polyester diamond grid fabric
- Water resistance (not seam sealed)
5. WHERE TO BUY?
The ONLY place to buy the Kiwi Ultralight Tui 42 is direct from the Kiwi Ultralight website.
As a small local company, it’s not impossible to reach the Founders (Debra and Cody) of the company which is great if you have any special requests. You can message them on Facebook, or email support@kiwiultralight.co.nz.
I’ve really enjoyed how light the Kiwi Ultralight Tui 42 is, and have been more than happy with it. If you’re aiming to keep your gear light and minimal, this pack might be the perfect fit for you.
If you have any questions about the pack, leave a comment below or email jub@churnewzealand.com and I’ll happily help however I can.
READ SOME MORE OF MY PRODUCT & GEAR REVIEWS:
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- MONTANE TRAILBLAZER 30L REVIEW
- SLEEPING IN THE MACPAC BUSH COCOON
- THE MACPAC PISA JACKET: MY FAVOURITE
Hey, it’s Jub here. I’m the guy behind Chur New Zealand, helping you have the best time hiking, trekking, walking…whatever you want to call it…in NZ. I’m based in Queenstown and am always out and about exploring trails, old & new. If you have any questions, reach out.