Jv6509’s Khard 30 Review (lengthy)

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Opening disclaimer and housekeeping: In accordance with Forum rules and FTC rules (as stated in the pinned thread) this is a privately owned pack purchased from Tactical Distributors.

The Arc’teryx Khard 30 (hereafter referred to as Khard) is a 1800 cuin (30L) pack that is best known for its four point entry system and velcro interior so the user can attach LBX of BFG pouches based on the operation.

General Appearance and Design: The Khard was designed to be a highly versatile pack that could carry substantial gear, be used in multiple environments and situations, and be “lightweight but not disposable”.
The main selling points of the Khard are versatility, adaptability, and capability. Upon opening the box I could see that a lot of thought went into this pack and that all the selling points were met. There are three external pockets: one top admin pouch that covers the top and front of the pack (down to the Arc’teryx logo) and two side pockets that run the length of the pack. In the top pocket I usually have a pair of Mechanix gloves, a surefire p2x light, lickies/ chewies, car keys, beanie when in cold weather, and my sunglasses case (oakley gas cans).

There are multiple attachment points on the pack via daisy chains and shock cord (front of pack, side, and top) along with four compression straps.
The distinguishing feature is the “U-zip” style zipper that allows the user to open the pack from either the top, side, or flaying the entire pack open to gain complete access. I personally really like this feature since I could say put toiletries in one of the side interior LBX pouches and have quick access to that or immediate access items when needed.

Oh and all zippers are YKK

Suspension System: The Khard uses C2 suspension which involves a curved rigid interior frame sheet and a pair of lightweight aluminum stays that are pre-curved. I was initially hesitant since everything was already curved but I must say, there is no problem and the pack sits very comfortably. With that said it should be noted that these stays are for rigidity and pack stability rather than load bearing/weight transfer.There are also thin dual density shoulder straps, a sternum strap which may be adjusted (height and length), and a waist strap. Now here is a con to the Khard. First this pack was not meant to handle overly heavy loads (the most I’d carry in there is no more than 25-30 lbs) since the waist strap is not load bearing (it really is just a waist strap to help with stability). Also since the torso cannot be adjusted, the belt, for some users will not sit on the hips. An additional con is that this cannot be removed but I did make some retention straps using 550 cord to keep everything stowed away.

Additional notes:
Shoulder straps have a quick release pull feature but I cannot really see myself ever having to use this. There are four ports for hydration and communication systems (one on each side, and two on top to direct the hose/ cable).

Interior: A key feature to the Khard is the interior velcro for LBX or BFG style pouches. This is a very nice feature since it allows the user to modulate the layout based on the mission.

Final Thoughts: This pack would no doubt be of use to anyone looking for a highly versatile pack that can function in different environments and under different missions. If you are on the fence of getting one I hope this review helps. I highly recommend this. I do not regret purchasing the Khard and after seeing the value of such a pack it was too hard to pass up. So far this pack has gotten a lot of use and will get more as I will be leaving for a 5 day business trip (pictures to follow). Overall I would give this pack a 9.0/10 on account of the inability to remove the waist straps. But other than that, Arc’teryx knocked it out of the park with the Khard. Any questions please ask away.

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