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Built to Explore

ZENN is the backpack of your lightweight backpacking adventure with unique modular system.

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Built to Explore

ZENN is the backpack of your lightweight backpacking adventure with unique modular system.

PAAGOWORKS 

ZENN 35 Backpack

ZENN 35 Backpack

Regular price ¥33,000 JPY
Regular price Sale price ¥33,000 JPY
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For those who truly explore mountains in Japan.

ZENN CONCEPT

With a philosophy of eliminating the unnecessary and refining only what truly matters, we completely reimagined the backpack. Instead of following designs from the U.S. or Europe, we set out to create the ultimate solution for Japan’s mountains today.

ALL SEASON, LONG LASTING

Designed for all-season use, this backpack features a modular system for expandability and a timeless, minimalist design to ensure long-lasting appeal. It strikes the perfect balance between lightweight performance and durability, making it a reliable companion for many years to come.

"ZENN SYSTEM" fits your body always.

FITS EVERY SITUATION

The ZENN SYSTEM was designed to move seamlessly with your body, reducing fatigue and enhancing comfort. Developed through extensive research on backpack fitting, it ensures an ergonomic and adaptable carry. The modular design not only enhances expandability but also improves ease of maintenance, making it a long-lasting and versatile companion for any adventure.

FLEXIBILITY

By lowering the shoulder harness fulcrum compared to standard backpacks, we increased the effective strap length and flexibility, resulting in a superior fit. Even when using the top stabilizer to pull the load closer to your body, the fit remains consistent and secure.

STABILITY

The wide shoulder harness evenly distributes the load across the ribcage, providing exceptional stability. This reduces pack movement while walking and minimizes strain on the shoulders. Inspired by the RUSH series, it offers a remarkably comfortable carrying experience.

ADJUSTABLE HARNESS

The unique back panel design integrates the shoulder harness for a seamless fit. A Velcro-based adjustment system allows for a customizable back length (44–54 cm), ensuring an optimal fit for different body types. The carefully engineered shoulder shape provides a comfortable and secure fit for both men and women.

A design focused on only the essentials

HIGH CENTER OF GRAVITY

Built with a sleek, alpine-style backpack, this pack optimizes load balance by adding volume around the shoulder blades. Inspired by the RUSH and BUDDY series, it features a high center of gravity design, ensuring stability and efficient weight distribution for dynamic movement.

WIDE OPENING

Since the high center of gravity design, this pack features an extra-wide main opening for easy access. Combined with side zippers, it significantly reduces packing stress and eliminates the typical narrow opening issue found in roll-top designs.

SIDE ACCESS

The pack features side zippers that open from top to bottom, allowing for easy access to gear. Not only does it make retrieving items easier, but after packing, you can also open it from the bottom for quick access to your belongings.

SIDE POCKETS

The large side pockets are designed to fit two 500ml bottles, allowing easy access while wearing the pack. The design ensures the bottles won’t fall out unexpectedly. The pockets are made with highly abrasion-resistant stretch material for durability and secure storage.

TOP POCKET

The top pocket is positioned for easy access when the backpack is placed down. It opens with a straight zipper, making it perfect for storing small items that need to be quickly accessed.

HARNESS POCKETS

The shoulder harness includes a pocket designed to hold a smartphone or a 500ml bottle, offering convenient access. This feature is inspired by the RUSH and SNAP series, combining practicality and ease of use for on-the-go storage.

Modular Design will last your adventures.

"ZENN SYSTEM"

The ZENN series features a modular design for the harness and front pocket, allowing users to customize their pack with functional features suited to various needs. These modules enhance versatility for different activities and environments. Additional modules will be released in the future to further expand the pack’s capabilities.

FRONT POCKET

When combined with the 5-liter front pocket and harness, the backpack transforms into a sub-pack. This is ideal for summit attacks from mountain huts or post-hike trip. The design offers flexibility for shorter outings or additional storage needs.

EASY MAINTENANCE

The harness can be removed and washed to maintain cleanliness. Please wash by hand, not use a washing machine. In case of damage, repairs and replacements are easy. The 45L size features a removable foam pad and aluminum frame, which can be used as a simple mattress for extra comfort.

LIGHT & TOUGH FABRIC

The main fabric is made from Extreema Grid Nylon, a lightweight, durable, and timeless material made from ultra-high molecular weight polyurethane fibers. The bottom of the backpack uses ECOPAK, known for its high tear resistance. This combination ensures a long-lasting, high-performance design suitable for various adventures.

FOR ANY SITUATION

Snow gear attachments and fastpacking harnesses are currently in development, expanding the versatility of the backpack for specialized activities.

EXPLORE WITH ZENN

Enjoy your adventures with ZENN!

PRODUCT MOVIE

DESIGNER'S VOICE

What makes a really good backpack?
Lightweight? Durable? Easy to carry? Easy to use? Stylish? Easy to buy? The answer is YES to all of these.

So is there a backpack that can fulfill all of these YES? Probably not. Because the requirements vary greatly depending on the user and the usage environment. The ultimate solution may be a custom-made product, but how can we solve this problem with mass-produced products? I embarked on a long journey to reconstruct the backpack. Using my specialty of completely disassembling the "carrying function" and "storage function".

"Function of carrying on the back." This usually starts with designing the harness, but this time we started with making a torso. We took a mold of the upper body of the new staff member and made a torso out of urethane foam, and used this as a reference point to design the harness. We also collected data using a 3D scanner. This is when we came up with the idea of lowering the fulcrum of the harness. By lowering the fulcrum, the effective length of the shoulder harness becomes longer, making it easier to fit the body. We found that by deliberately making the shoulder curve straight, whereas the mainstream S-shape, it can be made to fit both petite women and large men. This was an exciting discovery!

Next, we considered the "storage function". With the theme of "how to pack without stress", we created countless inverted trapezoidal and wide-opening bags, and carefully considered the size and pocket specifications while packing mountain climbing equipment. We made the front pocket detachable, aiming to be able to expand its functionality in the future.

Finally, we add up the "carrying function" and "storage function." Instead of simply sewing it together like we normally would, we made it removable and adjustable, which allows for comfort, customizability, and ease of maintenance. This is the birth of the "ZENN System," which allows users to freely customize it to suit their body type and how they use it!

...... This may sound very smart, but in reality it was a painstaking journey that took more than two years and involved the creation of more than 30 prototypes. The work of product design is similar to mountain climbing; it's hard, tough, and sometimes you want to give up. But at the same time, it's an exciting and fulfilling training. The name ZENN also conveys the idea of "training to find a backpack that fulfills all your needs." We hope that ZENN will become the optimal solution for Japan's mountains today. Go on many adventures with ZENN.

PACK AND GO!

2025/3/19 PAAGOWORKS Tetsu Saito

Size
560×250×270mm (Max: 750mm)
Minimum Weight
785g
Capacity
35L
Back Length
44-54cm (Height: 155cm-180cm)
Fabric
210D Nylon Extreema Grid
Attachments
A Front Pocket, A Dettachable Hareness and A Hip Herness.