I got in an Aston House BC (Backcountry) in Coyote and thought I’d do a quick side-by-side comparison for those who may be looking at both packs or for Connor owners considering an upgrade.
Hill People Gear Aston House BC
The Aston House BC, which measures 21″ H x 11″ W x 8″ D, is a larger pack than the Connor. Spec-wise, HPG says they are the same height and width. They may be but the Aston House seemed a bit taller to me. They do appear to be the same width.
Hill People gear Connor (left) and Aston House BC (right)
The Aston House BC does have a larger harness and a dual stay frame sheet compared to the single stay in the Connor. The Aston House also has a padded back panel for added comfort.
The biggest difference is the depth. The Aston House BC is twice as deep as the Connor; 8″ versus 4″, which equates to an extra 23 Liters in volume.
Both packs are compressed , but you can clearly see the difference in depth when they are laid side-by-side.
Hopefully that will give you an idea on the size difference. I haven’t decided whether to replace the Connor with this new pack. But I’m leaning that way. I like the ability to add external pouches on the BC’s hypalon Aston Panel. I dug out the Zulu Nylon Gear Mega Admin Pouch, which is a past favorite, and mounted it. It’s a perfect complement to the Backcountry if you like external admin pouches. The Mega Admin Pouch is particularly cool because it has its own paracord suspension system.
I also like having extra capacity in the main compartment while keeping the option of compressing things down when I don’t need it. The Connor is a low profile pack, which makes it a bit limited because of its shallow depth.
The Aston House BC has a large main compartment for extended day hikes or overnights.
Obviously, what I’m showing here isn’t my full kit. I need to load up the Aston House BC up to see how it handles the weight. But, if it performs like it’s smaller sibling, then I might just have found a new trail pack.
The Aston House BC retails for $280 and is available here. Stay tuned for a full review!
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