ECOPAK EPX200 200g/㎡
UX10 White
X-Pac UX10 85g/㎡
3D Mesh 194g/m²
50D PC Coated Ripstop Nylon 69g/㎡
The back panel fabric will gradually transition to 50D PC Coated Ripstop Nylon as the stock of 200D HT PC Coated Ripstop Nylon is depleted.
Standard / Size M 685g
Standard / Size L 718g
Mesh / Size M 660g
Mesh / Size L 694g
Zip / Size M 675g
Zip / Size L 701g
UX10 White
Standard / Size M 557g
Standard / Size L 577g
Mesh / Size M 563g
Mesh / Size L 584g
Zip / Size M 559g
Zip / Size L 581g
Size L 45L
Hip Belt
Reflectable Bungee Cord
Repair Tape
- Introduction
- Built for Japan’s Rugged Mountains
- Product Story
- Tough and Easy to Use
- Form and Function
- Freedom on the Move
- Three Types of Large Front Pockets
- Easy Access
- Anatomy of the THREE
- How to Carry
- Material
- ECOPAK EPX200
- X-Pac UX10
- Size guide
- Notes before use
- Fabric Water Resistance
- Instructions
- Care Instructions
- Repair
Introduction
Built for Japan’s Rugged Mountains
A tough and versatile backpack designed for multi-day hikes, long-distance trails, and even winter mountain adventures.
The THREE is available in two fabric options: ECOPAK EPX200, known for its outstanding strength and waterproofness, and X-Pac UX10, offering excellent durability at less than half the weight.
The large front pocket comes in three variations to match different hiking styles.
Though frameless, the pack is engineered to distribute weight naturally across the shoulders and hips. The minimal hip belt stays out of the way, allowing freedom of movement while comfortably carrying loads around 10 kg—perfect for tackling the steep, rugged terrain of Japan.
Product Story
Tough and Easy to Use
Our first backpack, ONE, was designed to be ultralight, yet internally framed, capable of distributing the load on the waist.
Some years after the release of ONE I began to explore making a comfortable and easy-to-use backpack, that would be a bit more robust, and hence more reliable, but still comfortable and easy to use.
Junki Nakamura, wearing the 2019 version Winter Moss color.
My hiking style also changed over the years and ONE simply became too large in many cases, so I was exploring a downsized version of ONE, that was meant to be released as “TWO,” but I wasn’t fully satisfied with the prototype so abandoned this idea and focused on making a larger version of the MINI that eventually became the Yamatomichi THREE.
THREE is not, however, merely an enlarged version of MINI. I wanted to make a pack as quick to use and comfortable as MINI, but being capable of distributing a larger load on the waist.
The final prototype of the THREE, shown here, features a removable hip belt pad.
Initially, the prototype’s hip belt was padded, which turned out to be restricting the free movement of the waist. After a thru-hiking for product testing in the Northern Alps, I concluded that regular webbing would work just fine to distribute the load on the waist if the pack’s structure was properly designed. Hence, I removed the padding from the hip belt but increased the width of the webbing from 25mm to 38mm for added comfort.
As a result, although frameless, THREE comfortably allows the carrying of a decent amount of gear distributing the load around the upper torso and upper part of the waist. A conventional pack’s firm and the padded hip belt does sit on the waist securely, but it tends to limit the freedom of waist movement. The low-profile webbing hip belt used on the THREE keeps the waist free when on the move.
THREE packed with gear for one week hiking. (Only three days worth of food is packed as many mountain huts in Japan serve meals.)
I tested various closure methods and ended up with a simple water repellent zipper. Although zippers might break, I focused more on usability and adopted a zipper closure that allows quick access to the items than a draw-string. I also like the fact that it can hold the gear up to the maximum capacity, without redundant fabric.
Consequently, the THREE came out as a very unique backpack, different from both the ONE and the MINI. THREE is perfect for ultralight multi-day hiking. I also recommend it for winter hiking with lots of snow gear.
Form and Function
Freedom on the Move
The THREE is designed to allocate the load on the back and waist using only a simple webbing hip belt, which keeps the load closer to the upper part of the waist.
It’s not designed to carry the main load on the waist like more conventional backpacks with heavy hip belts, but its free-waist design liberates the lower body and allows for a comfortable hike. Although THREE is frameless, our test shows that it can comfortably carry approximately 10 kilograms of weight.
Three Types of Large Front Pockets
The large front pockets are available in Standard, Mesh, and Zip, each serving a different purpose. The pocket is large enough to store a tent, groundsheet, rainwear, etc. with plenty of room to spare.
The front pocket is placed in the middle to stabilize the load balance even when the pocket is full of heavy items, allowing the backpack to sit on your hip bones comfortably.
STANDARD
The standard pocket is widely gusseted and made of the same X-Pac material as the main body. The top of the pocket is not lidded, but highly water resistant X-Pac allows for carefree use in light rain.
MESH
Our high volume, wide gusseted pocket made from hard mesh. With mesh, nothing is hidden so you can easily locate what you need. A small tent or rainwear can also be stowed in the mesh pocket even when still wet. Mesh pockets are popular among ultralight-oriented hikers, but in Japan with much rainfall, you will either love it or hate it, depending on your style.
ZIP
We use the same waterproof zipper pocket as on the Yamatomichi MINI. The capacity of the pocket is slightly smaller than that of the Standard or Mesh pocket. The advantage of the zipper pocket made of X-Pac is the water resistance; keeping your stuff dry when raining. In particular we recommend this type of pocket for snow hikers and backcountry skiers.
Easy Access
The zippered main compartment opens and closes much easier and faster than a drawstring pocket, making access to your belongings a breeze.
The firm fabric makes the backpack structured, allowing for easy packing even the zipper is wide open.
Anatomy of the THREE
Every single detail has been carefully designed for ultimate usability, ensuring comfortable hiking.
The THREE is even suitable for winter hiking that requires additional gear. The bottom attachment loops, the bungee cord at the front, and side straps can be used to fix snowshoes and other vital equipment offering superior versatility.
Each elastic side pocket can store two 500ml bottles. To reach your water easier, loosen the buckle at the end of the shoulder strap to lower the pack.
For the Standard and Mesh version, draw the red pull to instantly open the large pocket.
Bungee cords at the front can be easily released by unhooking the clip.
A light sleeping pad can be attached to the bottom attachment loops. It can also be fixed vertically where branches are dense for easy walking.
The gear loops and bottom attachment loops can hold trekking poles or an ice ax without obstructing the use of the front and side pockets.
To fix an ice ax, slide the shaft into the bottom attachment loop and rotate it so the spike faces upwards, then fix the shaft with the gear loop.
After packing everything, draw the compression straps to keep the items closer to your back, increasing the stability.
The side compression straps are lengthened for carrying snowshoes at the front part of the pack.
The back pad is the same foam material as the UL Pad 15+. It can be removed and used as an auxiliary sleeping pad, or switched to other types of pads.
We use buckles on the hip belt and side straps that are shaped to prevent snow and ice from clogging them up.
The Slik Clip can be easily released by pushing the arch part.
How to Carry
- Fasten the hip belt around your upper hipbone.。
- Draw the shoulder straps and position the backpack high at your back so that the bottom of the backpack sits on the curved area of the backbone. If the pack is correctly sized, you will feel the load on your waist.
- Tighten the sternum strap.
- Draw the load lifter straps to keep the pack close to your back.
- If carried correctly, you feel 70% of the load on your back, while 30% waist.
*The load lifters should be released when the backpack is not used to prevent the deformation of the shoulder straps.
Material
ECOPAK EPX200
The ECOPAC EPX2-00 is a multi-layered material consisting of 200 denier polyester and diamond-patterned blue polyester cross ply, combined with 70 denier ripstop on the back. It is made from 100% recycled polyester, offering excellent strength and waterproofing properties.
X-Pac UX10
At 85g/m², UX10 is the lightest laminate in the X-Pac lineup. It features a three-layer construction: a 100-denier, 100% Ultra-PE (Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene, UHMWPE) face fabric with a ciré finish, an aramid X-Ply reinforcement, and a 0.5 mil polyester film backing. This combination provides exceptional strength, abrasion resistance, and waterproofness while remaining lightweight.
Initially, the fabric has a firm, crisp texture due to the ciré finish, which enhances abrasion resistance and repels water, dirt, and stains. With use, it softens to a more flexible feel while retaining its structural integrity.
X-Pac UX10 is significantly lighter than ECOPAK EPX200—less than half the weight—while offering excellent strength. However, the waterproof laminate on the back side may gradually peel or deteriorate over time with repeated use. This is not unique to X-Pac UX10 but is a common characteristic of many laminated fabrics made from 100% UHMWPE. The peeling tends to occur more noticeably in areas that experience frequent bending and movement, such as roll-top closures.
For this reason, when considering long-term durability, ECOPAK EPX200 may outperform X-Pac UX10 in certain cases.
To prevent damage or premature wear, we recommend hand-washing this backpack, just as you would with any other backpack made from technical fabrics.
X-Pac UX10 fabric shown after one month of test use.
Size guide
| Size | M | L |
|---|---|---|
| Weight kg |
42~69 | 67~85 |
| Height cm |
150~175 | 170~190 |
| Back Length cm |
45~54 | 54~57 |
We offer two sizes of the MINI2. In general, we recommend the larger L size if you are over 175cm tall, but as all people are different we recommend you try out the two different sizes before you buy if at all possible.
- The length of the shoulder strap is the straight line from the base of the strap to the end of the core material.
- Please refer to the ONE product page for more information on how we measure the length of the back of our backpacks.
- MINI2 made before 2018 are all size M.
Notes before use
Fabric Water Resistance
While the fabric used is highly water-resistant, the backpack is not waterproof. We recommend using a waterproof pack liner or a rain cover.
Instructions
Care Instructions
- Hand-wash only. Do not machine wash.
- Submerge the product in lukewarm water with a correct amount of neutral detergent, and hand-wash it.
- Do not bleach. Do not use fabric softener.
- Remove any optional parts such as pads before washing.
- Wash off any noticeable stains or smudges with a washing brush or soft sponge.
- Rinse well so that no detergent remains.
- Drain the backpack with the mouth down. Keep dry in a shade.
- Store in a dark, well-ventilated place.
- Do not iron.
- Hand-wash the pad gently, rinse well and keep dry in a shade.
Care Instructions Page
For detailed tips on how to wash, store, and take care of your gear, visit our Care Instructions page.
Payment
- We only accept payment by credit card. We currently do not accept payment via bank transfer from overseas accounts.
- We accept the following Credit Cards: Visa, Master, American Express, and JCB.
- To download your receipt, please click the link included in the Dispatch Notice, which we will send by email as soon as the items are dispatched.
- Bank transfer is only availble for those that own a Japanese bank account.
Delivery
- Order Confirmation will be sent after the order.
- The items will be dispatched within 3 days after the payment is confirmed.
- The dispatch notice will be sent by email as soon as the items are dispatched.
- The delivery may be delayed by unforeseeable reasons such as natural disasters and other logistics issues. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
- We cannot ship multiple orders in one package due to how our delivery system is currently set up.
- We will ship to regions in North America, Oceania, and Europe (excluding Russia) via DHL. For regions in Asia, the Middle East, Central and South America, Africa, and Russia, we use EMS (International Express Mail Service) for shipping.
- Shipping fees and delivery times vary depending on the shipping destination as well as the size and weight of the items.
Size Exchange
- Overseas customers who need to change the size of their order, should note that the time needed for shipping will vary greatly depending on your country of residence.
- We only accept exchanges when the item is unused (except for fitting).
- If you wish to exchange the size of the item, please contact us within seven days of receiving your order.
- Exchanges can only be made for the same color in a different size.
- If the size you wish is out of stock, we will suggest a different color.
- If the product is out of stock, we may simply have to ship the item back to you.
- All shipping costs to be carried by the customer.
- We will only send the exchanged item to you, upon receipt of return shipping cost via PayPal.
- Please be aware that some countries charge customs duties depending on the price of the item.
- We are unable to answer any questions on local customs. Please contact your local customs bureau.
Repair
We accept repairs for all of our Yamatomichi products. For inquiries on repair services including patching the holes, repairing with extra components, or fixing the items damaged over time, please feel free to contact us from the “Repair” section of the SUPPORT page.
Repair Tape
- For temporary repair, please keep the repair tape in your emergency kit.
- The repair tape should be patched up on both the front and back sides of the fabric. The tape must be larger than the damaged or torn part of the fabric.
- If you round the edges of the patch, it will last longer.