Outdoor gear is known for its bright color palette, so it’s not often you see any of it in white. There’s the odd water bottle, cooler or anything made of Dyneema, but it’s rare that gear sure to get scuffed and dirty lacks any hue. A recent exception is a new, counterintuitively eye-catching edition of a ski touring backpack by the Swedish brand Klättermusen.
Dubbed the Ull Blot (don’t ask us to pronounce it), the backpack is devoid of color for the simple reason that Klättermusen chose not to dye it. The brand’s reasoning for the decision underscores its overall philosophy of environmentalism and sustainability: dyeing processes put a strain on water resources. Mountain Hardwear recently released a ghostly sleeping bag to highlight the same issue.
The sustainability angle is compelling, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that the undyed material – 100 percent recycled Polyamide with Kevlar reinforcement – makes the Ull Blot look abnormally cool. An asymmetrical daisy chain accents the white while providing tons of real estate for attaching gear and tools.
And that’s the other thing about the Ull Blot – it may be devoid of color, but it’s loaded with features for being in the mountains. An easy-access XL opening, another entry point on the side that allows you to reach directly into the bottom of the pack and a separate pocket for avalanche safety equipment top the list.
