Veilance Nomin V2
This review has been adapted from John’s initial review on SuFu more than 6 years ago. Over the years, the V2 has inspired many other brands and opened many people’s eyes to Veilance. I’ve commuted daily and walked countless times in the rain knowing the contents will be safe. My impression of the Nomin remains largely unchanged it is, quite simply, the best urban pack I’ve handled.
History
There are 4 iterations of the Nomin to date:
V1.0: FW14 420d, top handle sewn to straps
V1.2: SS15 620d ripstop
V1.0: FW16 420d (Ash released)
V2.0: FW17 420d
Materials
Veilance.com lists the Nomin material as a AC2 Plain Weave Nylon Urethane Laminate - 100% nylon face. AC2 (Advanced Composite Construction) is the designation Arc’teryx gives to waterproof bondable pack materials. Traditionally, AC2 features a TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) lining and kiss coated urethane lining at the front. A white urethane lining makes the Nomin’s face fabric waterproof and improves pack interior visibility in poor lightings (read: plane cabin at 2AM). The kiss coat holds the face yarns tight and takes the wear the yarns otherwise would. This is likely why the Nomin “fades”; when the kiss coat is abraded, it likely discolors. Those who do not want a noticeable “patina” should opt for Ash over Black as it ages much more gracefully[1] .
AC2 fabric is heavier than most pack materials but by enforcing 8mm seam allowances and applying seam tape, the Nomin is a remarkably light weatherproof package.
Plain weave refers to the way the yarns of the fabric is woven, a simple basket weave built with durability. The uniform surface area keeps the fabric durable.
While the materials of the Nomin are waterproof, the pack is not. The WaterTight zips will leak if submerged. This is an obvious tradeoff as waterproof TZIPs are heavy and difficult to operate.
Dimensions and Capacity
The Nomin V2 is a 18L pack. While considered traditionally small, the Nomin’s excellent space allocation challenges the limitations of a 18L. Compared to the previous version (26L), the V2 is able to neatly fit just as much.
The pack is divided into two sections: the front clamshell and the back side access compartment. The back zip goes around 180 degrees, from the bottom right to the top left, offering access to two distinct compartments. Unzipping the lateral side reveals a dedicated document and laptop compartment partitioned by a rigid foam panel. I store my laptop in the back since all sides but the top are lined with foam. Yes, it can comfortably fit your 16 inch MacBook. While the foam lining eliminates the need for a laptop sleeve, thinner laptops like the MacBook will rattle around if not cased. The front of the comparted is further divided by a thinner, easily malleable foam sheet. It comfortably fits an iPad or standard 200 page notebook. The simple organization and ease of access makes this the best laptop holder implementation I’ve seen.
Further unzipping the back zip over the top of the pack reveals the top loader pocket. It comfortably packs a Casing Wallet, sunglasses and sanitizer. I’ve seen similar setups with a wallet and Mac charger. There are gussets on both sides of the pocket to prevent spillage.
The front clamshell section is a simple large cavity. It comfortably fits a Mionn or Arris. A grey ripstop pouch is sewn to the top. It is considerably smaller than the black pouch in the V1 Nomin; however, is more secure and the white interior (a feature I enjoy throughout the Nomin) makes locating items much easier.
The strategically placed organization features of the V2 allow me to load the pack to its maximum capacity without worry of items pooling to the bottom of the bag.
Utility
Perhaps the main highlight of the Nomin are the deceivingly comfortable straps. Made from the same materials as the mainline harness program, they utilize Warp Strength Technology. Arc’teryx strips the weft fibres from a piece of webbing, leaving only the vertical warp fibres. They then laminate a soft fabric over. Now that the warp fibres are unconstrained by the weft, when under load, they spread out laterally to distribute the force. From a scientific approach it’s quite beautiful. Pressure is given by Force / Area. When the warp expands over a greater area, the pressure experienced by the user decreases. It is really quite a marvel how comfortable these straps are.
The straps have been redesigned from the V1 and are now much more comfortable. Previously the S-shape of the V1 straps would dig into my pits and cause a great deal of irritation. The new shape does an excellent job mitigating this problem. I feel much less fatigue with the new straps as compared to the V1. Veilance went as far as to conceal the ladderlock under a garage on the strap which rectifies a slippage previous versions suffered from.
Price
There is a lot of criticism over the price of the bag. Yes 800 USD is a lot of money but justified with the V2. It's amazing how effective the bag is at material allocation. The thin straps are incredibly comfortable and pack easily into a plane overhead. If you can justify the Arris, Field or Align then get the Nomin, you'll get much more wear. I suggest checking the bag out in person.