Ridgid 6 Quart NXT Backpack Vacuum Cleaner – A Vac You Can Wear

Ridgid just announced a new backpack vac you can wear. It’s the Ridgid 6 Quart NXT Backpack Vacuum Cleaner. Rather than being tugged along, it takes a ride on your back for easier maneuvering.

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Ridgid 6 Quart NXT Backpack Vacuum Features:

This is the first backpack vacuum that Ridgid has ever made. A backpack vacuum must be compact and light if one would be carrying this for any length of time. Ridgid did just that with a compact vac that weighs 11.6 lbs. This is thanks to its compact size with a rated capacity of 6 quarts. 6 quarts equals 1.5 gallons making it a small vacuum but any bigger and you probably wouldn’t want to haul it on your back. Keep in mind that actual capacity can be considerably less than the rated capacity. The cord is 20 feet long so you can move about freely in most rooms. The hose is 1-7/8″ width by 4 foot length. 4 feet is a good length for arms reach plus you have the added extension wands if you need additional reach.

You get a total of 2 extension wands and 2 nozzles and a master floor tool nozzle. The master floor tool has two add-on attachments with a floor brush and carpet brush.

In the above image, we can see the user side of the vacuum. There we find padded straps with a belt clip at the chest and waist sections. The lower belt clip features on board storage for some of the included attachments. On the right is where we find the easy to reach on/off switch.

Ridgid 6 Quart NXT Backpack Vacuum Performance:

This Ridgid backpack vacuum is rated 153 CFM of suction making it very strong. That means it has stronger suction than their latest 5 HP NXT 3 Gallon Vacuum which topped out at 100 CFM.

Vacuums are typically loud and I wouldn’t want my ears to be close to one. If I had to wear a vacuum, I wouldn’t want it to be loud. Unfortunately, Ridgid doesn’t state how loud or quiet their backpack vacuum is. So I can’t comment on how loud it is. However the good news is that at least the motor vents are at the bottom of the vac as shown in the above image. This should hopefully keep the noise further away from your ears. One of the reviews on the Home Depot site mentions that the “motor is not overly loud” according to a reviewer by the name of Stan.

Ridgid 6 Quart NXT Backpack Vacuum Dry Pickup Only:

Ridgid’s backpack vacuum is a dry pickup only vacuum. What does this mean? It means that it can only pick up dry messes and is not meant for wet messes or liquids. If you need to pick up liquids, this is not the vac for you. Instead, look for a wet / dry vacuum.

Ridgid 6 Quart NXT Backpack Vacuum Pricing & Availability:

It is priced at $249 and it is available for purchase now at the Home Depot.

Ridgid 6 Quart NXT Backpack Vacuum – Who is it for?

Being priced at $249 means that the average homeowner will not be considering this as their next vacuum. Its high performance, small capacity, wearability, and high price make it a more of a specialty tool. This leaves those who will use this vacuum to make money – working professionals.

My Thoughts:

I certainly like the idea and the design of this backpack vacuum. I’m surprised Ridgid didn’t mention loudness which means that it probably isn’t a quiet vacuum. But with the motor vents at the bottom of the unit, it hopefully won’t be too loud. I’m a huge fan of cordless power tools and think that most power tools today should be cordless. This vacuum isn’t and though I’d prefer if it were battery powered. I’m ok with it being a corded vacuum. The main reason being that this unit provides high suction performance. If it were battery powered, it would drain batteries very quickly. Also the price would be even higher as cordless tools are usually priced more than their corded counterparts.

I don’t see these as being mass selling products as a regular sized shop vac will be more practical in most scenarios. Not just for the larger capacity but the fact that they can also pick up wet messes and many can be used as blowers. While also being considerably cheaper. The small tank on this vacuum means that you’ll need to empty the tank often if you use this as your primary vacuum on the job. There are some who will like its form factor. And will enjoy the wearability as I believe it may help getting in and out faster and easier than tugging along a larger vacuum. That plus the fact that since it doesn’t scoot on the floor means it doesn’t have the potential to leave marks on the floor.

Ridgid 6 Quart NXT Backpack Vacuum – They should make a cordless version!

I think that this is an interesting idea and definitely have a market for it. I would also like it if Ridgid came up with a cordless version in addition to this one. They can lower the suction performance to something like 76 CFM. Which is still very strong, and they can do this as their 18V NXT 3 gallon model has that rated performance. And with a 6 quart tank, it wont matter if batteries drain rather quickly as the tank capacity should fill up quick.

Manufacturer features:

• 20 ft. power cord provides more reach and stores easily using cord wrap while the 4 ft. friction fit vacuum cleaner hose can connect to included extension wands for additional length
• Eliminates dragging a vacuum over floors that could lead to scratches, making it the perfect tool for home sellers and movers to quickly clean large areas with reduced chances of marring and damages
• Dual filtration include 2 dry paper filters (VFB600) and cloth filter (VFB102) for easy construction debris cleanup and removal
• Specialized pro vacuum cleaner accessories attach to the locking extension wands for more reach and to create a secure attachment from drum to hose to tool for uninterrupted cleaning
• Full lifetime warranty against material defects and workmanship; for further details on warranty terms, refer to the Owner’s Manual

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