General overview

The RP80 is a “sustainment pack” (designed for longer challenges – hikes, military operations, and other mountain/snowy/northern environments) developed by the Finnish Varusteleka in cooperation with the also Finnish Savotta.

The idea was to make the pack tall and narrow, keeping the weight closer to the user’s center line and spine, and helping arm movement, e.g. when skiing or on steep climbs, both uphill and on plateaus. Already on the first test this was a completely new experience – running and climbing really were easier than with the usual chunkier packs.

Main features, technical data

A cikk folytatódik a hirdetés után...

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Advantages

• Load distribution: the tall and narrow shape + the well-adjustable frame and hip belt help ensure the load is not only on your shoulders. This matters a lot when you’re carrying several days’ worth of gear.

• Modularity: many attachment points, compression straps, access from top and bottom; it’s easy to get to the items you need frequently.

• Durability: the material choice and build quality are good. 1000D Cordura is strong, and the buckles and stays handle abuse very well. From this perspective it stands out compared to pretty much any other backpack – I show this at the end of the article in a comparison with some well-known “top category” packs.

• Suitability for cold / northern / snowy / winter trips: since it was developed for this, it is comfortable to wear even over thick clothing, and doesn’t get in the way as much when moving in snow or on snowy terrain. In practice there were no issues in summer or even in heat waves either (as I could test here in Central Europe); on a multi-day summer heatwave hike, the ventilation actually performed very well.

Disadvantages / weaknesses / trade-offs

• Weight: at 3,8 kg on its own, it clearly falls into the “heavy backpack” category; if you fill it completely, you’ll be pushing your comfort zone.

• Size + volume: if you don’t use its full capacity, the pack can take up a lot of space and be tricky to pack (especially more fragile items).

• Loading and unloading: whether you use the roll-top or the bottom opening, some items need to be accessed from below, which can be a bit of a hassle if you have a lot inside.

• Price: premium category – the value for money depends on how often and how hard you use it.

• Fit for body height: although it’s sized for users between 160–200 cm, if someone is very short or very tall, it can be difficult to dial in a perfect fit and the ideal load center of gravity. It’s ideal for roughly 165–195 cm body height.

• Buckles: instead of modern shoulder strap buckles you get two “retro-feel” metal rings (an old but reliable solution), which can be a bit annoying: if you don’t lace the webbing properly, under heavy load it can slowly slip! With a bit of attention this can be fixed, but it shouldn’t really be like this in the first place.

Usage tips / recommendations

• Height adjustment: first, take your time to properly set up the shoulder straps and hip belt so that the weight goes onto your hips – this compensates for the heavy overall mass.

• Internal organization: don’t just throw your gear in; use stuff sacks and organizers (e.g. compression sacks, separate bags for waterproof / wet layers) – this way you can easily get to items even at the bottom.

• Avoid overloading: only carry what you truly need; the RP80’s main strength is that it can carry a lot of gear, but every extra gram will hurt if you’re taking it unnecessarily.

• Maintenance / durability: Cordura can take a lot of abuse, but if you constantly drag it through dense brush, over rocks, in wet and snowy terrain, it still needs occasional care; check buckles and stitching, re-impregnate, clean.

• Compatibility with accessories: extra pouches, sleeping mat, tent, tripods… anything you really need – make use of the PALS/MOLLE options.

User experience and field impressions

1. Long-distance hikes

• I’ve used it on multi-day hikes with 30–50 kg of gear (this kind of load when I was leading 10–20-person trekking camps for 10–14-year-old kids). The frame handled the weight well, and the hip belt helped ensure the load didn’t just crush my shoulders. Beyond stability and easy carrying, the biggest advantage of the external frame at such weights was that putting the pack on and taking it off was much easier when gripping the frame, compared to only having shoulder straps to hold onto. I’d already experienced this with other external-frame packs, but the RP80’s frame design is particularly good.

• The tall, narrow shape really is practical in terms of movement: it did not restrict arm swing, and it was easier to use trekking poles or grab holds on steep ascents.

• An important takeaway is that it works best when at least half full, otherwise it can feel a bit “tube-like” and harder to pack solidly. In other words, it’s not worth going on a trip with just a little gear in this pack, because then its advantages don’t really come out and most of them turn into drawbacks. You can cinch down the entire pack with straps, but there will still be a lot of empty space; these straps mainly increase stability when it’s well loaded – which they do very well.

2. Military use

• Finnish soldiers and testers pointed out that it is comfortable even in harsh winter conditions, alongside thick jackets and vests. I can confirm this by testing it in thick clothing – its carry and comfort characteristics did not change: it remained easy to handle and comfortable even over longer periods (though doing this test in heavy clothing in summer heat was definitely not a dream…).

• Thanks to the MOLLE-compatible areas, it is freely expandable with additional pouches – a major advantage in a military context.

• The quick-release shoulder straps were also appreciated: in an emergency you can drop the pack in seconds. This isn’t the modern buckle-based release solution, but rather a system where lifting a webbing loop makes the pack slide off your back, while the strap doesn’t slip out completely, so it’s easy to set up again. Clever and fast, but unusual.

3. Comfort and weight

• Many people mention the weight: 3,8 kg empty is not exactly light. But since it’s designed for longer expeditions and is insanely strong and robust, I find this completely acceptable.

• The hip belt distributes weight very well and comfortably, but it can get quite warm around the waist in summer, as it is wide and heavily padded. A slightly more ventilated belt design would be welcome here (though this is not typical in this category of pack).

• A few friends tried it as well, mainly for sizing: for heights around 170–190 cm it can be adjusted perfectly; below 165 cm many will find it a bit long, while above 195 cm it may not be ideal. But this also depends a lot on body proportions and musculature.

4. Packing and access

• The roll-top at the top and zip at the bottom are a classic combination: you don’t always have to dump everything out from the top, but since the pack is huge, you have to be smart about how you pack it.

• The interior is simple, there are no built-in pockets – therefore I recommend using internal organizer bags (dry bags, compression sacks) – or a military-style packing method.

• As one of my friends said, “it’s like a tube: it swallows everything, but if you don’t organize, your stuff will disappear inside”.

5. Durability

• Besides my own multi-day bush treks, I’ve talked to Scandinavian hikers who also confirmed that the pack’s material and structure did not get damaged by rocks, dense bush, or being dragged on the ground or in snow.

• The stitching and webbing handled the tension well, and the buckles did not break – which can be a problem with many hiking or military packs.

Recommendation, conclusion

• Strengths: brutal durability, high load capacity, good load distribution, optimized for winter and military environments, modular.

• Weaknesses: heavy even when empty, limited internal organization, can get warm in summer, less ideal for shorter users.

  +   what I liked 

• brutal durability

• high load capacity

• good load distribution

• optimized for winter and military environments

• modular

• MOLLE / PALS

• easy to repair

  -   what I didn’t like 

• heavy even when empty

• limited internal organization

• can get warm in summer

• less ideal for shorter users

• if used incorrectly, the strap closure can loosen easily

• no lid (I solved this – as you can see in the photos – with a lid from an ILBE pack)

  *   suggested improvements

• optional lid

• better ventilated hip belt and shoulder straps

• front opening (“front access” or “front loading”) – on a pack this size it would be very useful, though that would already be a different design concept

Technical matrix summary 4.39

VIDEO – Varusteleka Sarma TST RP80

Comparison: Large expedition backpacks

Short evaluation

• Sarma TST RP80
  Best if you move in snowy, cold, winter conditions, or in military / bushcraft scenarios where you need to carry several days’ worth of gear. Its advantage is the narrow profile, its drawback is the high weight.
   Recommended for rough terrain, survival use, and military-style training.

• Savotta Jääkäri XL
  A classic Finnish “lifetime piece”. Less “tube-like”, modularly expandable with MOLLE surfaces. Extremely durable and popular among civilian hikers as well.
   Bushcraft, multi-day hikes, hunting, military use – very universal.

• Eberlestock Skycrane II
  The representative of the American style. Modular system: base + “Little Brother” daypack plus extensions. Heavier, but offers huge flexibility.
   Heavy-load expeditions, American tactical use, hunting, longer deployments.

All three backpacks compared here fall into the category of long-distance, heavy-load expedition packs, but they have different strengths. The Sarma TST RP80 really shines in winter northern environments, with its narrow profile making it very mobile. The Savotta Jääkäri XL is a universal choice, durable and modular, suitable for both civilian trekking and military use. The Eberlestock Skycrane II represents American modular systems: extremely versatile with huge expansion potential, but also heavier. The choice therefore depends on what kind of environment you use the pack in and for what purpose.