I wasn’t in the market for a touring pack when I first laid eyes on the Pingora Vivid at a winter press event in Boulder, Colorado, last year. But with so much familiar gear around me from established brands, I couldn’t resist testing new equipment from a company I’d never encountered before. That’s why, upon returning home, I picked up a bright green, 35-liter Vivid pack of my very own, and after a season of extensive testing, I’ve reached a verdict: This touring pack is comfortable, durable and clever—one I’d confidently recommend to just about anyone chasing fresh tracks.
Don’t let its playful colors fool you—the Vivid isn’t just for show. The brainchild of Pingora founders CJ Whittaker and Mike May, it’s stuffed to the gills with practical features. I’ll admit that a couple of those features fall short of their potential, but this pack—and Pingora itself—is still in its infancy; the tiny details that miss the mark aren’t cause for concern in the backcountry. After spending time with the Vivid 35 in the Sawtooths, Sierras and Cascades for several months, here’s everything you need to know about this new pack from a brand you’ve probably never heard of.
Price: $200 | Materials: 210D N66 high-tenacity rip stop nylon, 420D high-density weave nylon, EVA foam | Capacity: 35 liters, expandable to 40 | Closure: Roll top | Weight: 1,305 grams | Helmet carry: Exterior webbing
Best for:
- All-day comfort and durability
- Expandable storage
- Wallet-friendly price
Skip if:
- You prioritize weight savings
- You require built-in hydration storage and hose routing
Pingora Vivid 35 Features
Backcountry Basics
I haven’t come close to testing every touring pack on the market, but I’ve spent enough time with a variety of different designs over the years to get a feel for the features that matter in the backcountry.
For starters, a solid touring pack should have a back panel that unzips to easily access gear in deep snow. An avalanche safety compartment that makes accessing your shovel and probe is also a must (and practically an industry standard at this point). And I like having a few small pockets to keep essentials like sunscreen, snacks and extra ski straps organized and easy to grab.
The Vivid 35 (and its smaller sibling, the Vivid 27) checks all these basic feature boxes. The back panel unzips, giving you quick and easy access to everything in the main compartment, even if objects attached to your pack block other pockets. Meanwhile, the avalanche tool pocket is thoughtfully designed with a triple ripstop liner and a big red zipper pull that’s easy to grab, even with gloves on. During an avalanche rescue course, I put the design to the test, competing with other members of the class to see who could deploy their shovel and probe the fastest. Thanks to the Vivid’s well-organized safety pocket with dedicated sleeves for both tools, I was by far the quickest in the group—and it wasn’t even close.
Whittaker and May designed the Vivid to keep everything organized and easy to access. There’s a small hip belt pocket that’s perfect for items like sunscreen and chapstick, while zippered pockets along the shoulder straps are ideal for energy bars or other small essentials. Inside, a mesh pocket on the back panel holds extra straps and field books, and a dedicated goggle pocket keeps your eyewear safe from scratches.
The safety tool pocket on the front panel is spacious enough for your shovel and probe, but it also has room for other gear, like a repair kit, multi-tool or even a set of snow-caked skins (though a compartment in the main pocket also keeps skins separated from dry gear). The Vivid doesn’t have as many pockets as a pair of cargo shorts, but the ones it does have are well-positioned and easy to access.
All-Day Comfort And Durability
A touring pack has to be comfortable, plain and simple—if it’s not, you won’t want to wear it, no matter how many features it has. Thankfully, the Vivid 35 is one of the most comfortable packs I’ve tested.
An internal wire frame gives it a stable shape, so it doesn’t flop around on your back. The padded back panel adds some solid support and prevents gear from poking you in the back. And the various straps let you tighten up the roll-top and squeeze the sides in, so it stays compact and close to your body even when it’s stuffed to the brim. These same traps support A-frame carry, and others tucked away allow for diagonal carry.
I’ve packed the Vivid for full-day tours over 10 miles long, and I’ve never felt a single hot spot or point of discomfort. It feels solid and secure the entire time, like it’s made for the long haul, even though it’s technically a daypack. And when it comes to durability, I think the fact that the fabric still looks brand says a lot about its toughness, but if that’s not enough to convince you, it’s made with a blend of bombproof nylon—210D N66 high-tenacity ripstop and 420D high-density weave—that stands up to wear and tear.
Additional Features
There are a few other details worth mentioning, starting with the roll-top opening. I usually access the main compartment by unzipping the back panel, but the ability to unroll the top for extra space is a total game-changer, even if it adds only a liter or two.
Another detail I love is the vibrant color options for the front panel. In a world where most touring packs are either black or white, the bright colors really stand out and make it easy for others to spot me in low visibility. Given that Whittaker co-founded Cotopaxi, it's no surprise his latest venture embraces bold, eye-catching hues. In fact, it was the pack’s pop of color that first drew me to it back in Colorado—it naturally grabs your attention.
Room For Improvement
While I’m a big fan of most of what the Vivid has to offer, there are a few details that don’t quite hit the mark. For one, Pingora claims the mesh pockets on the shoulder straps can hold 500ml flasks, but I haven’t found a single flask that fits comfortably in either one, and I've tried a number of different styles. Honestly, I don’t even see the point of strapping two water bottles to your chest. One fall could easily cause them to burst, and next thing you know, your layers are soaked in the middle of winter, far from home—not ideal.
On the hydration front, it would also be great to see Pingora add an internal sleeve for a bladder with a pass-through hole for the hose. I don’t mind carrying water bottles, but a bladder would cut down on the number of items I need to pack, especially when I’m hauling two or three liters of water for a long day in the backcountry.
And lastly, I’m not a fan of the helmet carry net on the front of the pack. It’s never caused any problems, but I worry the web-like design could catch on something and rip, rendering it useless. If they could turn that into a single piece of stretchy fabric, it’d bring me a lot more peace of mind.
Final Verdict
Every year, a handful of new touring packs hit the market that garner a lot of attention—packs like the Hyperlite Aspect 32 and the Raide LF 30L. And while these new designs definitely deserve their fair share of praise, the Pingora Vivid holds its own in the conversation. It’s priced at just $200, a solid deal compared to some of the competition, and despite that lower cost, it’s built with care and designed to perform.
It may not be the lightest touring pack out there, and it doesn’t come with the backing of pro athletes, but when I first picked up the Vivid, I had average expectations. After spending an entire season with it, however, I’m genuinely blown away by its comfort and capability. And so, if you’re in the market for a new touring pack, the Vivid is a fantastic option in both the 27- and 35-liter styles. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
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