Capra: The Innovative Via Ferrata Backpack

Combining Safety and Convenience for Mountaineers

Capra, designed by Amit Naor, is a revolutionary backpack that combines safety equipment for hikers on Via Ferrata routes. These routes offer a unique mountaineering experience, combining hiking and secure climbing on breathtaking paths. The Capra backpack aims to solve the issue of cumbersome gear extraction and provide a quick and comfortable transition from walking mode to secure mode, all within less than a minute and without removing the backpack or even bending down.

Traditional methods of gearing up for Via Ferrata routes involve stopping, putting the backpack down, extracting the safety equipment, gearing up, closing the bag, and putting it back on. This process can take up to five minutes and includes approximately eleven stages. The Capra project simplifies this process to just five steps, eliminating the need to remove the backpack or bend down. This streamlined approach aims to save lives by making it easier and faster for hikers to gear up and stay secure on Via Ferrata routes.

The Capra backpack is made using high-quality materials such as 210D ROBIC Ripstop Nylon and 1.7 oz MTN XL Hybrid Ripstop Nylon. It features GM CLIMBING 25mm tubular webbing, 100% nylon, and AustriAlpin 25mm/1" Black Cobra Buckle for secure fastening. The backpack also includes an AustriAlpin Black Belt 1.5" Buckle with a D-Ring, offering additional functionality and convenience.

With dimensions of 27cm x 18cm x 50cm and a total capacity of 26L, the Capra backpack provides ample space for gear and essentials. Despite its functionality, the backpack weighs just 1.6KG, ensuring a lightweight and comfortable hiking experience.

The Capra project was initiated in July 2018 during a mountaineering expedition on Alta via 2 in Italy. It was completed in August 2020 in Tel Aviv and exhibited in Holon in the same year. Throughout the design process, Amit Naor conducted extensive research, interviewing mountaineers from various countries and studying Austrian research on Via Ferrata injuries and casualties. The project went through multiple prototyping and testing phases, incorporating feedback from focus groups to refine and improve the design.

Capra has received recognition for its innovative design, winning the Bronze A' Design Award in the Camping Gear and Outdoor Equipment category in 2022. This prestigious award is bestowed upon designs that demonstrate outstanding creativity, technical skill, and a commitment to improving quality of life. Capra's integration of safety gear into a backpack showcases the designer's resourcefulness and dedication to making mountaineering safer and more accessible.