Organization Like No Other: Pingora Outro 40 Backpack Review

I was packing in my living room for a 3-day backpacking trip into Canyonlands National Park. My companion was struggling to stuff gear into his 45L pack, and I glanced at my Pingora Outro 40 pack with trepidation.

Unpacked, it looked small compared to his. I wasn’t sure it would be big enough to fit my stove, sleep system, tent, a couple of jackets for the November temperatures, and all of my food, water, and beer.

It was the first time I’d used this backpacking pack, so I had no idea how expansive it was. As I started loosening the straps, unrolling the roll top, and loading it with my sprawled-out gear, my doubts quickly faded. My backpacking buddy watched me drop everything in easily, packing it without issue.

“I thought my pack was supposed to be bigger than yours,” he said.

I thought so, too, but it didn’t look that way. As a result, we ended up putting more of our tent and our spare water into my pack. But I didn’t mind — I was amazed the Outro could handle so much gear so easily. Now I was curious how it would carry.

In short: The Pingora Outro 40L, diagonal separator divides the main compartment 50/50, making it easy to pack heavier items low and close to your back and leaving upper space for lighter, more compressible items. For backpackers or travelers who want an organized pack that can be used for different trip lengths, the Pingora Outro 40 would be ideal.

Shopping for backpacks? Check out GearJunkie’s guide to the Best Backpacking Backpacks.

Pingora Outro 40 Backpack Review

I first saw the Pingora Outro 40 at the 2024 summer Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City. The pack looked so slick that it stopped GearJunkie Editor-in-Chief Adam Ruggiero and me in our tracks.

We examined the backpack closely, and both agreed that we needed to test it. The pack made our list of Top Picks from the show.

So I was psyched when my testing sample arrived. I had a late fall backpacking trip planned with a friend to visit the Needles District in Canyonlands. It was a perfect opportunity to take the Pingora Outro on its maiden voyage.

First Impressions

A 40L capacity is on the small side for me. I usually prefer 45-55L packs for multi-night backpacking trips. But when I opened the pack and unrolled its roll-top, I realized it was much bigger than I had initially thought. When fully expanded, this pack had a capacity closer to 50 L.

Weight-wise, this pack is light, too. At just 3 pounds, 12.8 ounces, this pack would be the fifth lightest compared to those on GearJunkie’s guide to the Best Backpacking Packs.

Unlike many backpacking packs, the Pingora Outro 40 has a pretty slim profile. It doesn’t bulge out with external pocket space. The bottom is also fairly slim compared to the packs I’m used to. That made me worry that I wouldn’t be able to fit my biggest, heaviest items, like my tent and sleeping bag, easily in.

Thanks to Pingora’s internal organization features, though, I didn’t need to worry.

50/50 Divider

One of my favorite design features in the Outro Pack is its internal divider. The top and bottom halves of the pack are separated by an angled, zippered panel that slants down and toward the front of the pack.

Think of the divider like this: TopBottom, with the bottom segment having more space closer to your back. It creates a large lower compartment, low and close to the wearer’s back for heavier items, and an upper compartment that expands with the roll top. It helps organize things and distribute weight for easier carrying.

This divider can be unzipped from the inside if you don’t want to use it. The back panel of the backpack also unzips (major bonus points, in my book!), so, you can easily access the lower compartment without having to dig down from the top of the pack.

This design is awesome for backpacking, and I think Pingora took a really thoughtful approach.

This design also lends itself well to backcountry skiing. While Pingora makes its own backcountry pack, the Outro could easily double as one. Your layers and essentials can be kept in the lower compartment while avi gear can be stored in the more quickly accessible top.

Pockets

There are two water bottle pouches on either side of the backpack — pretty standard. They fit my Nalgene perfectly. I also used them to store my fleece gloves and hat. I could have fit a light, rolled-up rain jacket, wind layer, or fleece in there if I’d needed to.

Both harness shoulder straps have zippered pockets big enough for a phone or snack bars, as well as stretchy mesh pockets you could use for sunglasses, snack wrappers, small power banks, or other similar-sized items. Inside the pack, there is a zippered mesh pocket on the back panel.

Finally, the hip belt has two zippered stash pockets, one on either side. I really appreciated the double option compared to packs that use just one hip belt pocket.

Pingora also offers the option to add a separately purchased brain-style pocket ($40) to the top of the bag. This pocket can be removed and used as a sling bag for short hikes. I did not test this feature, but it would be useful for anyone who wanted even more storage space and versatility.

In the Field: Pingora Outro 40

As soon as we set out from the car at the Chesler Park Trailhead, I had a smile on my face. Not just because I was excited for the trip, but because I could tell right off the bat that this was going to be a comfortable pack. The weight rested squarely on the lumbar pad at my sacrum, and the padded belt hugged my hips snugly without creating abrasions or pressure points.

The pack also seemed to move well with my body. Some backpacking packs are stiff and won’t flex naturally with your body movements. This one does.

The way the hip belt interacted with the harness was clearly designed to move ergonomically. The wireframe suspension did its job and managed load transfer well.

At the end of the first 12-mile day, my feelings hadn’t changed. I was still really impressed with the way this pack carried its weight. It was still comfortable on my back and hips. That didn’t change after days two or three, either. By the end of that trip, I was thoroughly impressed with how comfortable this backpack was.

I used the pockets for different purposes. My cellphone was in the harness pocket, along with snack bars and empty wrappers. I even had a small power bank and cord in case I wanted to charge my phone for photos. My hip pockets held a bandana, my lighter, AirPods, and car keys. Despite the lack of a brain compartment, I didn’t feel like I lacked storage space with this backpack.

My hydration bladder fit easily in the Outro, but the hose didn’t have an attachment point on the harness. I ended up just sticking it in one of the mesh shoulder pockets, so it didn’t bounce around.

If I needed to access the inside of the pack quickly, I simply unclipped the shoulder harness and spun it around on my hips. Then I could use the back panel’s internal access to pull out my JetBoil or my food bag or whatever else I needed on the go.

Fabrics & Materials Vary

The materials used in the Pingora Outro 40 include high-density UHMWPE and nylon 66 ripstop, and Robic fabric in 100D, 210D, and 420D weights.

However, not all Pingora Outro Packs are made the same. The brand uses various recycled overstock materials, so it notes that the materials might vary by color scheme.

That shouldn’t make a difference in the pack’s on-trail performance, but it’s something to note when you’re buying. If you’re a materials nerd, it might be worth asking the brand what is used in the colors you want.

A Question of Durability

After that 3-day trip in Canyonlands, the Pingora Outro 40 Pack was holding up well. However, in a couple of places where I had set it down several times on the sandstone, the fabric was showing mild signs of abrasion. It wasn’t of serious concern, but if it had gotten worse, it might have created a weak point where the strap that holds down the roll-top connects to the exterior.

I later took this pack on a much shorter overnight backpacking trip near the Flat Top Mountains. There was much less abrasive sandstone and rock around, and I didn’t notice any further damage. So it could have just been that the bag was packed too full, and I set it down too hard on abrasive surfaces, which caused the damage. Either way, I’m keeping an eye on it.

Pingora Outro 40 Backpacking Pack: Who Is It For?

I would recommend this pack for anyone who backpacks and is looking for a streamlined, well-designed, and easy-to-organize pack. The roll-top design makes this an ideal bag for trips between one and four nights. It keeps your on-trail gear separate from your camping gear and simplifies weight management with its 50/50 divider. It looks good, and it feels great when you’re carrying it.

As a bonus, Pingora allows you to customize the fit when you order. The brand uses a unique torso length adjustment system, which makes it easy to dial in a fit for most body types. You can order short, average, or long torso lengths. It also offers small, medium, or large waist belts. I am a 5’11”, 165-pound male, and the average length and medium hip belt worked great for me.

This is honestly the favorite backpacking pack that I’ve tested. For any personal wilderness trip I’m not working and testing gear on, this is the one I will be taking with me. I love this pack.