Curious ... Help ID old TNF Pack

[Time Zone]

An old The North Face pack was passed down to me awhile back and I'm curious if anyone can help me ID it. I did first try calling TNF and reading some R/N numbers etc off tags, but they were unable to help. Perhaps their database didn't go back that far. Anyway, here are some pix ... I think you'll see the color scheme is one that would get you noticed! ha ha. Mainly I'm interested in any specs (e.g., capacity) that someone may know for the pack. Even its model name would be interesting to know.

It has some interesting design features - and missing some too. The hip belt has no pockets at all, which seems rare on internal frame packs. But this is old. There are no water bottle pockets on the sides of the main body, either. In fact, the main body is just one giant compartment. That has its pluses and minuses, I suppose. There is one external pocket on the backside middle, which can hold as much as a 2L soda bottle (re-purposed for water of course) under shock-cord. There are a ton of straps/ daisy-chain loops on the pack. The collar extends generously upward to provide extra space, and the lid/brain can rise with it. Based on some rough measurements, I'm guessing it's about 40L pack that can extend to 55L, which covers the capacity sweet spots of many. However, I have read that for marketing purposes, capacity is measured another way (some sort of fill).

Anyway, I'd be curious to learn more about it, if anyone recognizes it or knows. Here are the pix:

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[The Kisco Kid]

My best guess is that it's a Snow Leopard. I have one from the early 90's. This looks to be the same model a few years later.

[Time Zone]

Thanks for the first clue! Some googling of that pack does hint at some similarities, but also maybe some differences. E.g., trailspace reviews. There is mentioned zippers that run the full length of the pack, but mine has only 2 zippers, both on the lid/brain and small. Otherwise it's just a large sack with webbing all around it, attached to a frame and hipbelt.

I was mistaken about there being no pockets on the sides of the pack. There is a very shallow, angled one on each side, too shallow for water bottles (except the tiniest, such as those that fit in your palm). One of the two pockets has a small pass-through on it (by design, not a worn hole). The other does not.

It's a strange little bird, for sure.

[ScareBear]

Thanks for the first clue! Some googling of that pack does hint at some similarities, but also maybe some differences. E.g., trailspace reviews. There is mentioned zippers that run the full length of the pack, but mine has only 2 zippers, both on the lid/brain and small. Otherwise it's just a large sack with webbing all around it, attached to a frame and hipbelt.

I was mistaken about there being no pockets on the sides of the pack. There is a very shallow, angled one on each side, too shallow for water bottles (except the tiniest, such as those that fit in your palm). One of the two pockets has a small pass-through on it (by design, not a worn hole). The other does not.

It's a strange little bird, for sure.

I think it is a back country ski pack. The shallow angled pockets are for your ski tails to fit in, the tips form a 45degree angle above the pack. The lash points are for crampons/ice axes. It is fairly recent, judging by the gridstop fabric....

[Time Zone]

Thanks, ScareBear. That would make sense; the original owner was an avid skier.
Thanks to the first clue about Snow Leopard, I started googling for images the various TNF packs that had been reviewed on Trailspace, but which had no picture. That led me to find a picture which looked a lot like my pack, but without the same padded waistbelt. The page described a series of packs which were of varying sizes and "suspension quality" levels, so maybe mine was a step up from their daypack. Here's the page:

http://www.weasel.com/gear_pack_day.html#tnf_polar
(scroll down a bit to see the images of the pack)

In short, the person describes the "Polar Circus" as a 2400 ci (39.3L) daypack weighing just under 2 lbs. They said that TNF made larger and fancier versions called the Jetstream (3000/3300 ci, 49-54L - not sure if that represents 2 different sizes or if that's with expansion), and the Thin Air (4300/4600, 70-75L). Mine weighs about 3 lbs 10 oz empty. Don't know the volume.

Again, thanks for the 2 great leads! I think I'll contact TNF and see if these new clues help them find something.

[Time Zone]

Google found Backpacker from March 1999 - says the Thin Air and Jetstream are very similar in weight (1 oz difference) but very different in volume. Says Thin Air has shovel/shove-it pocket but Jetstream does not. It seems that mine does (see pic above) but not all google images of the Thin Air pack match mine entirely. Sometimes the middle area is red, sometimes black. Perhaps a year-to-year minor design change.

If it is the Thin Air, that's 4300 ci for the regular (mine does say "R") and that's about 70L. Dimensions of approx 27"x16"x10" confirm this. That's without the massive extension collar, which extends 16" (or at least 12" if fully cinched). If you could keep the collar from flopping over when extended (an open question), you could be talking over 100L capacity.

That's a quite voluminous pack for 3 lbs 6 oz (claimed). However, the weasel.com review above suggests some durability issues, at least with the Polar Circus daypack. Mine seems quite sturdy, despite the (relatively) light weight. Perhaps the lack of features and zips keeps the weight down.

[Femadog]

I would have guessed an updated Snow Leopard too. The original I have has a heavier fabric and it doesn't have the shock cord but the size and shape, along with the twin web daisy chains were trademark features. I loved the pack and did a lot of mountain climbing with mine. Of course now my pack, tarp, hammock and quilts combined weigh about the same as just that pack..... My son uses it now. The thing is bombproof

[ScareBear]

I think it is a back country ski pack. The shallow angled pockets are for your ski tails to fit in, the tips form a 45degree angle above the pack. The lash points are for crampons/ice axes. It is fairly recent, judging by the gridstop fabric....

Upon review of those photos, unless the webbing pockets are open at the bottom, they aren't for the skis. The skis would be held to the sides of the pack by the two straps on the sides(the bindings go in between the straps...) The skinny pockets are probably for avy probe poles. I suspect that the hole and cord running through the width of the pack may be a way to secure a snowboard to the outside of the pack. I always just put my skis together and strap on the pack at an angle, but the 45 degree thing is old school...

It would be a great little mountaineering day pack if the volume inside was sufficient...the brain is HUGE!

[ScareBear]

Old School:

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New School:

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[Time Zone]

Here they are. LHS one has a small opening at the bottom, through which I've put a pencil so you can see it better.

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[ScareBear]

It absolutely positively is the Polar Circus! Congrats!

The pack looks minty!

It is a winter climbing specific pack that can be used for ski mountaineering as well.