A Backpacker’s Rebellion on Two Wheels
The Tactical 13 Model X-Trek Version 3 isn’t a gadget—it’s a provocation. It dares you to drag 90 percent of your load off your spine, lash it to a pair of 285 mm all-terrain wheels, and stride into the hinterland with lungs that still have something to say at sunset. Forget the slow grind of a 60-liter pack grinding vertebrae into powder; with this ultra-light, carbon-and-aluminum rig flanking your hips, you trade bruised shoulders for a swagger that lasts to camp and beyond.
The Engineering Hustle
- Feather-weight ferocity: At 2.08 kg (just 4.6 lb), the Tactical 13 Model X-Trek Version 3 slices the mass of rival trailer-packs in half without sacrificing backbone. Carbon-epoxy rails and 6060/7075 aluminum joints laugh at rocky mule tracks, then collapse into a bundle small enough to ghost through train aisles or float in a bush plane’s hold.
- Hiking poles as chassis: Telescopic sticks (grab your own clip-lock aluminum pair) slot in as upper frame and tow bars—no redundant metal, no wasted grams, two ready handles when you want hand control.
- Fast flips, zero drama: Trail widens? Hitch the trailer to your belt and stride on, hands free. Ridge steepens? In under a minute the wheels tuck, the frame pivots, and the contraption becomes a regular backpack—only now you’ve got trekking poles to keep you honest on the scree.
Capacity Without Compromise
The Tactical 13 Model X-Trek Version 3 swallows anything from a 30-liter fast-pack to a 110-liter expedition hauler. Load up to 20 kg and still plant just 10 percent of that on your hips; the other 90 percent glides behind on sealed SKF bearings, soaking up washboard vibrations while you daydream about that chilled streamside beverage you finally had room to bring.
Built to Bleed, Not Break
Carbon tubes shrug off UV glare. Stainless-steel screws sneer at salt spray. The X-TREK tires are unbreakable, and each component breaks down for buses, boats, or the chaotic backseat of a hitchhiked pickup. This is kit carved for military medics, mountain guides, rescue crews, and anyone else who measures their days in brutal kilometers, not Instagram likes.
Options for the Obsessive
- Frame size upgrades: Medium rails (+€20) for 60–80 L bags, large rails (+€40) for 90–110 L behemoths.
- MOLLE panel (+€40): Snap on pockets for water, snacks, or a storm shell—grab and go without unpacking.
- Titanium wheel axles (+€40): Shave 50 g if every gram feels like a mortal sin.
- Bike kit (+€180): Clip in, hitch up, and the Tactical 13 Model X-Trek Version 3 morphs into a svelte bicycle trailer ready to chase gravel horizons.
Price of Admission
The smallest Tactical 13 Model X-Trek Version 3 lands at €420 (about US $445), a sane ransom for gear that might save your lumbar discs and expand your range in one brutal stroke. Version 2 lingers at €380 for smaller loads, but Version 3 is the ticket if you’ll be beating on gear week after week.
Who It’s For
If your pilgrimage zigzags from sun-baked fire roads to goat-path switchbacks—photographer, thru-hiker, special-ops trainee, or just a soul allergic to limitations—this rig turns “maybe” into “definitely.” It’s not for the ultralight purist counting paperclips, nor the day-tripper content with granola at the trailhead. It’s for the wanderer who dreams of carrying cold beer, extra camera batteries, and a second pair of boots—because the trail is long and life’s too savage to travel hungry for comfort.
Verdict: Freedom Rolls
The Tactical 13 Model X-Trek Version 3 is more than a trailer; it’s a passport to extra miles and heavier luxuries without the penance. Wheels when you need speed, straps when the mountain demands humility—always light enough to follow you to the ends of the map. Shoulder the future, tow the weight, and step into terrain you used to curse from afar.
Pros
- Shifts 90 % of your load onto wheels, sparing your spine and lungs on long hauls.
- Feather-weight frame (2.08 kg) undercuts rival trailer-packs by half, letting you fly through airline weight limits and alpine switchbacks alike.
- Rapid shape-shifter: under 30 seconds to mount on the bag and < 20 seconds to flip between rolling and carrying modes, so momentum rarely stalls.
- Accepts everything from a 30 L day-bag to a towering 110 L expedition pack with modular side-rail swaps.
- Carbon/epoxy tubes, 6060/7075 aluminum joints, unbreakable X-TREK wheels, and sealed SKF bearings—built to survive rocks, UV glare, dust, and salt spray.
- Collapses small for buses, bush planes, or the back seat of a sketchy taxi; no extra baggage fees or foul looks from fellow travelers.
- Hands-free towing via belt hookup keeps poles free for balance, yet the poles double as tow handles when terrain demands hand control.
- Expansion ecosystem: bike-trailer conversion kit, MOLLE panel for quick-grab gear, and titanium axles for gram-counters.
- Competitive base price (€420) against heavier, less adaptable alternatives.
Cons
- Best on wide, relatively smooth trails; in tight, technical ground the wheels become dead weight you’ll end up carrying.
- Trekking poles are mandatory for the frame but sold separately, adding cost and packing complexity.
- In backpack mode, you’re still hauling the wheel frame—extra mass that ultralight purists will curse on steep ascents.
- 20 kg load ceiling may pinch multi-week expeditions or pros lugging heavy rescue or photo gear.
- Price climbs quickly once you add medium/large rails, MOLLE panel, bike kit, or titanium axles—full setup edges toward boutique territory.
- Large wheelbase can snag on thorny vegetation, narrow bridges, or urban turnstiles; finesse required.
- Conversion, though fast, still means stopping to detach poles and retract axles—no magical on-the-fly transformation.
Verdict
The Tactical 13 Model X-Trek Version 3 rewrites what it means to carry big weight over big distance: glide the flats with 90 % of your burden rolling behind, then shoulder the rig and charge the scree when the mountain refuses wheels. It’s light, rugged, and brilliantly modular—ideal for soldiers, guides, and long-haul wanderers who treat geography as suggestion, not limit. Just know its sweet spot is open terrain; in knotty backcountry you’ll wrestle extra hardware, and the add-on menu can sting the wallet. For those willing to juggle wheels and rails in exchange for painless miles, this is liberation on two tires.
€420
For those seeking a next-level alternative to the Tactical 13 Model X-Trek Version 3, the Dnsys X1 Exoskeleton offers a radically different approach to conquering long trails and brutal climbs. Rather than shifting your burden onto wheels, the X1 straps AI-powered, carbon fiber muscle to your legs, making uphill slogs and distance runs feel almost effortless. Lightweight at under four pounds and intuitively adjustable via a seamless Bluetooth app or on-device controls, this exoskeleton subtly amplifies your natural stride, letting you hike or run farther with less fatigue—no matter your age or fitness level. While the servo whirr is a minor quirk, the X1 delivers a futuristic mobility boost that can transform punishing treks into exhilarating journeys, making it an ideal companion for adventurers, athletes, and anyone who refuses to be slowed down by the limits of their own body—all at a compelling price of $799.
