The New Beast Series Frame

A frame does a lot for a pack. Responsible for distributing weight from the shoulder straps to the hip, the frame is a key part of any effective suspension system. For a pack designed to wear for long hours, covering long distances, or hauling any real weight- a good frame is the key to comfort.

Matador®’s reinvented Beast Series Packs are just that: engineered to perform for long hours, conquer long distances, and carry weight like they are born for it. Obviously, we had to put a frame in them.

Like you have come to expect, the Flex Frames in our Beast packs are a little different than traditional frame packs. We set out to design a frame that is stable but still flexible, and lightweight but still effective. Our Beast Series relies on a flexible hoop frame suspension that we designed from the ground up. When we say ground up- we mean it. We literally engineered the parts… to make the parts… to make our Beast packs possible.

Most people probably never give a second thought to the parts required to make products, but it’s most of the fun around here. Are you still reading this? Yeah, we thought so. Let us introduce you to the crimp tool that makes the Beast Flex Frame possible.

This hoop crimp tool is engineered to work with a pneumatic production press to close our frame into a hoop. Often, hoop frame packs feature a single sided, U-shaped frame. U-shaped hoop frames afford flexibility and torsion with movement, but they are not necessarily lightweight. We engineered the Beast Flex Frame as a continuous hoop for added stability that lets it transfer more weight to the hip belt with a lighter frame material. Lighter is better- but it meant pioneering a full hoop frame.

So, we went where most brands wouldn’t dare to tread- designing tools. Our frame crimp tool pinches the frame together, encapsulating the ends and fully crimping down on both ends with a relief in the middle. This center relief pushes the displaced crushed aluminum to the middle so that it doesn’t squish out the ends. This is important, because it leaves the final part without any rough edges or sharp points. Further, the Beast frame crimp is designed to compress on both ends instead of just in the middle. This keeps the hoop from pivoting, maintaining dimensional stability in the plane of the back panel. This adds stability to the pack by optimizing the natural, dimensionally stable qualities of the flat stainless loop.

There it is. Inside every Beast pack is this tiny but remarkably important part. The Beast Flex Frame is ultra lightweight but highly effective in distributing load. It also moves with you, keeping you on balance and agile in tough terrain. It took us long enough.

While we are giving away all of our secrets… here’s how we captured the wild photos of the frame. Nothing like some string, a stack of spring loaded clips, and some fantastic studio lighting.

P.S. It’s a Beast pack, of course it still packs down. Twist, fold, compress into storage bag, and get traveling.