Field Journal

Stories Behind the Gear: Berghaus
Written by Harriet Folkes

The award-winning Berghaus Freeflow pack combines an ergonomic frame with 3D-printed lumbar pads for exceptional airflow, packing space, and stability while on the move.

We chat to Berghaus’ Senior Industrial Designer, Joe O’Connell, about how they identified a gap in the market to develop the award-winning new generation of Freeflow – a rucksack that delivers the stability and storage of a close-to-back pack with the ventilation of a suspended frame.

A backpack is a cornerstone of hiking equipment. However, traditional designs often fall short, leaving hikers grappling with discomfort. Close-to-back packs trap heat, leading to a sweaty back, while ventilated packs (using a curved frame to create space between the bag and the back) often compromise on stability and storage.

Berghaus spotted an opportunity to combine the best features of the two, developing a new generation of Freeflow. Three years and five rounds of product development paid off as the Freeflow received an ISPO Award for innovation and was voted the best backpack in the 2023 UK Outdoor Industry Awards.

There are three Freeflows in the 2024 series, each tailored to different needs: the 3D Freeflow 30+5L, the Freeflow 30L, and the Freeflow 24L. The 3D Freeflow 30+5L is the flagship product in the range, featuring a design that incorporates 3D-printed lumbar pads to optimise ventilation and deliver better stability, weight distribution, and easy access to your kit.

In an industry saturated with suspended airflow systems (including previous Freeflow packs), what sets the new series apart? Speaking from the Berghaus showroom in the north-east of England, Senior Industrial Designer Joe O’Connell told us: ‘We’re always talking to the end consumer and care a lot about getting it right for them. In doing so, we identified a niche in the market we felt was minimally served. There are many versions of airflow systems which are fantastic at cooling, but they have drawbacks compared to close-to-back hiking systems.’

Instead of looking at the airflow systems that were already in the market, Berghaus turned to different industries in search of the latest innovation. Ergonomic chair manufacturers inspired the shape of the frame, while headphone developers helped inform decision-making behind the lumbar pad foam and seamless mesh design. They even looked at the durable and robust materials used in footwear and helmets for product longevity.

While many bags use aluminium for the frame, Berghaus opted for polypropylene, a type of plastic often used for bottles, yoghurt pots, and food packaging. There are two main reasons for this: first of all, it’s easy to retrace, recycle, and repair, and is sourced from a Bluesign-certified manufacturer. Secondly, by using injection moulding, Berghaus could create a precise ergonomic shape that follows the natural curve of the spine. At the contact point, 3D-printed lumber pads and seamless mesh allow continuous airflow to keep you cool.

Berghaus looked into recycled polypropylene but found that it was more likely to fracture. ‘It was a trade-off, but we decided that the best thing we can do is make a product that lasts and is designed for disassembly and repair. And if we can’t repair it, we know it can be recycled,’ Joe says, referring to Repairhaus, Berghaus’ free repair service, which has been around since the beginning. ‘The repair team are on the other side of the office to me, so we often ask what – if anything – they are seeing regularly as an issue raised by consumers, and how we can address and improve it.’

While Berghaus usually carries out three rounds of product development, for the next-gen Freeflow project they extended the process to five, with testing between each iteration. Thermal imaging at a local university found virtually no difference in cooling whether or not the bag was worn during a 45-minute hike loop on a hot day. But the biggest test of all was letting a local hiking group have their say. Joe says, ‘It’s one thing to prove it works in a lab, but it’s another thing having real hikers say if they like it or not.’

The 3D Freeflow 30+5L is built in a way that allows anyone to enjoy the outdoors. Two frame sizes can be incrementally adjusted, and the hip belt is flexible to accommodate a range of body types.

Like all models in the Freeflow series, the bag is made out of 100 per cent recycled nylon and has a PFC-free PU membrane to protect against wet weather. The standard volume of 30L can be expanded by an additional 5L, allowing plenty of room for equipment during a long day hike or even a minimal overnight trip. It has a large front stash pocket, two deep side pockets big enough for a 1L bottle, and a three-way zip entry for easy access to kit. The bag also features walking pole holders and gear loops for extra kit, and is compatible with hydration packs.

Founded in 1966 by engineer Gordon Davison and marketeer Peter Lockey, Berghaus was an early pioneer in the ventilated pack category. They first introduced Freeflow in 1996, but the brand made its name in the backpack category much earlier than that. They launched the iconic Cyclops, one of the world’s first rucksacks with an internal frame, in the early 1970s. At the time, most load-carrying packs had bulky and uncomfortable external metal frames and minimal padding, but Berghaus set out to change that – and they haven’t stopped since.

Today, Berghaus is still doing exactly what it set out to do. Behind the scenes, product and design teams work hard to continuously improve and question what’s possible, with a decades-long drive to help everyone get outdoors.