The Grand Canyon & Lowe Alpine Memories,

Back in 2017 I wrote this piece on the classic Lowe Alpine Expedition, which was the first ever internal frame pack. A year later I posted it on this blog and forgot about it. Until yesterday when I had a request for a brief inteview from a writer for Backpacker magazine in the USA who had come across my article. Corey Buhay really wanted to talk to someone who'd used the original pack but reckoned I'd do as I had used one in the 1980s. As the original came out in 1967 I guess there's not too many people still around who used one.

This reminded me that I did have photos of a Lowe Alpine pack from the 1990s that had an updated version of the original back system that had revolutionised pack design. I'd used this pack on a two-week trip in the Grand Canyon and it had been excellent. I posted some black-and-white photos two years ago on the 25th anniversary of my trip. Now I have an excuse to post them again!

My 1995 pack was a Lowe Alpine Alpamayo with a capacity of 70 litres. I needed a big pack as I only had one resupply and so twice carried a week's food and also regularly carried two gallons of water - the Grand Canyon is a dry place and water sources are far apart. I also had 9lbs/4kg of camera gear. My notes say that my base weight without the cameras was 26lbs/12kg, which doesn't sound bad. However add in the cameras, a week's food, and all that water and my total load reached 66lbs/ 30kg at the start of each section. I needed a pack capable of handling that weight. And the Alpamayo did so comfortably. At 5.6lbs/2.5 kg it was quite heavy in itself but it was made of tough fabric that stood up well to the abrasive stony and sandy terrain and the spiky vegetation of the Grand Canyon. 

Having been founded in Utah by the mountaineers and brothers Greg, Mike and Jeff Lowe Lowe Alpine has exchanged hands a number of times over the years and is currently owned by British company Equip Outdoor Technologies, whose other brand is Rab. Under its various parent companies Lowe Alpine has never stopped making packs. I recently reviewed a recent one for TGO magazine. It's good that this pioneering company is still going.

The Grand Canyon walk was superb, one of the best shorter backpacking trips I've done. The Canyon is unique, extraordinary, spectacular, beautiful. I loved it.

Photography note.I had two film SLRs - a Nikon F801 I used with Fujichrome colour transparency film and a Nikon FM2  I used with Ilford FP4 Plus black-and-white film. My lenses were Nikkor 24mm, Nikkor 75-150mm and Sigma 28-70mm. I also had a Gitzo Loisir tripod.

I photographed these prints with my Sony NEX 7 camera with Sony E 35mm lens and processed the raw files in Lightroom. For this piece I processed the raw files again in DxO PureRaw and then Lightroom. The reprocessed images are sharper and less noisy, though this isn't really noticeable in the low res images posted here.

When (if) I locate the negatives I may be able to get better results.One day I will also scan some of the colour images.

Packs I've Used On Long-Distance Walks

The North Face Back Magic II, Pacific Crest Trail, 1982

This is an updated feature that first appeared in 2018. I've made some edits, added some new words, a new pack, and a few different pictures.

Thinking about the packs I’ve used over the years, especially on long-distance walks, I realised that the big change has been in capacity and weight – as gear in general has got more compact and lighter so have the packs I use. However, despite all the developments in materials and designs the packs I used over forty years ago would be fine today. Over the years I’ve gone from external frame to internal frame to, briefly, frameless and back to internal frame. Here’s a run-down of the key packs.

After a couple of poor choices when I started backpacking – a cheap external frame that broke and a better quality one with no hipbelt and a difficult to use packbag – my first good pack was the Camp Trails Ponderosa, which came with an external frame called the Astral Cruiser. I bought this because it was recommended in the first backpacking books I read, Teach Yourself Backpacking by Peter Lumley and The Backpacker’s Handbook by Derrick Booth (much later I pinched the last title for one of my books). The Ponderosa was a classic external frame pack of the time. In 1976 I used it on my first walk longer than a weekend, the Pennine Way, and found it a little unstable on rough terrain though very comfortable on good paths. However, the hipbelt ripped off towards the end of the trip and I had to sew it back on. 

Berghaus Cyclops Scorpion, Pacific Crest Trail, 1982

That failure meant I wanted a new pack for my first really long walk two years later, Land’s End to John O’Groats. Berghaus, then still a fairly new company, had recently launched their internal frame Cyclops pack and they looked tough, so I picked one of these, the 80 litre Serac. This proved comfortable and survived the walk so for my next long trip, the Pacific Crest Trail in 1982, I went for a bigger Cyclops model, the 100 litre Scorpion, reckoning I’d need the extra capacity. I did and could have done with more. At one point I carried my heaviest every load – 23 days supplies plus ice axe, crampons, snowshoes, and extra clothing. The pack almost disappeared under all the gear on the outside. 

The ridiculously heavy load, Pacific Crest Trail, 1982

The Scorpion performed well but after around 1500 miles the frame snapped – probably weakened when I let it bounce down a steep snowy pass in the High Sierra. As the frame was sewn-in to the padded back and was an unusual asymmetric X shape I couldn’t replace it. Unable to find an internal frame pack big enough I replaced it with an external frame one, The North Face Back Magic II. This had an equally unusual frame, an asymmetric hour-glass shape. It handled the last 1000 miles of the PCT fine but developed a slight bend in the frame on the airplane on the way home. I still have it. Maybe I’ll try it again soon.

The North Face Back Magic II, Pacific Crest Trail, 1982

Next came my 1985 Continental Divide Trail walk. After the broken Cyclops frame I looked for a different internal frame one and ended up with the Karrimor Condor 60-100, another huge pack with the biggest side pockets I’ve ever seen. This lasted around 2000 miles and then one of the shoulder straps snapped. It had rubbed against the hard plastic reinforcement in the hipbelt and slowly weakened – if I’d spotted this I could have padded it. After that I checked packs more often. I replaced it with an even bigger 125 litre Gregory Cassin, bought because it was recommended by Colin Fletcher in the latest edition of The Complete Walker. It was very heavy but also the most comfortable pack I’d yet used.

Karrimor Condor 60-100, Continental Divide Trail, 1985

I went back to the Karrimor Condor 60-100 for my 1988 walk the length of the Canadian Rockies but the hipbelt design had changed and I couldn’t get it comfortable – I obviously hadn’t tested it at home adequately. By this time I was reviewing packs for magazines and so had quite a choice of models. Lowe Alpine, who’d invented the internal frame pack, had sent me a prototype for their first external frame model called the Holloflex. This had the most massive padded hipbelt I’d ever seen plus a plastic frame that was said to be extremely tough. With sore hips from the Condor I fancied that hipbelt and had the pack sent out to me. It did prove superbly comfortable but the hipbelt began to part from the frame towards the end of the walk and ended up being held on with duct tape. The Holloflex never went into production due to the costs. It was the last time I used an external frame on a long walk.

Gregory Cassin, Yukon Territory, 1990

Two years later I went back to the Gregory Cassin for a walk the length of the Yukon Territory and again it was fine though by the end of that trek it was looking rather worn so I decided it wasn’t up to another long walk. By this time New Zealand company Macpac had arrived in the UK and their packs, made from a canvas like polyester/cotton fabric, looked really tough so I took the 90 litre Cascade on a 1992 walk the length of the Scandinavian mountains. Most of the way it was fine but towards the end of the walk the buckles on the hipbelt and shoulder straps started slipping annoyingly often.

 

 

 

Dana Designs Astralplane, Cairngorms, 2021

During the 1990s I led many ski tours, including camping expeditions to places like Greenland, Spitsbergen, the Yukon Territory, and the High Sierra. For this I needed a monster pack that was very stable as well as comfortable. A bit of research and I discovered the 115 litre Dana Designs Astralplane. I bought one and it was superb, the most stable huge pack I’ve ever tried. It proved very tough too. Indeed, I still have it and it’s in fine condition. I’ve never used it on a long-distance walk, however. I did take it on a two-week walk in Yosemite National Park in 1995 and have used it a few times for one and two night trips with bulky gear I’m testing, most recently in December 2021. It's indestructible.

Aarn Natural Balance, Munros & Tops, 1996

The packs above all weighed in the 2.5 -3.5kg range. That’s heavy. The ultralight gear revolution had begun in the early 90s and there were now frameless packs that weighed less a kilo. I didn’t find them comfortable with more than a very light load. For my next walk I did want a lighter pack though. Climbing all the Munros and Tops in one walk meant far more ascent than on any previous long-distance walk so I wanted to keep my load as light as possible whilst still being comfortable and functional. I tried a few of the new lighter packs but wasn't convinced by any of them. Then Aarn Tate asked me to try some prototype Natural Balance lightweight packs. As I’d be able to change packs quite easily this being a walk at home rather than abroad, I agreed and ended up using several models in the 65-75 litre range. When these packs were being shuttled around I used a 70 litre Lowe Alpine Alpamayo, which was fine, or an Arc’teryx Bora 60, which was very comfortable but unstable when scrambling as I discovered on the Aonach Eagach. This was the only walk I intentionally planned on using several packs though as I’ve shown above having one pack last a whole walk was rare.

Gregory Shasta, Arizona Trail, 2000

Whilst the Aarn packs were good with medium loads I needed one that would handle much more for the Arizona Trail, which I walked in 2000, as I knew I’d be carrying large quantities of water at times. Still not convinced by lightweight packs I returned to Gregory and the 82 litre Shasta, which survived the walk and carried the weight well.

GoLite Pinnacle, Pacific Northwest Trail, 2010

During the first decade of this century the development of lightweight packs moved fast and soon there was quite a choice of models that would handle quite heavy loads. Having used one of the lightest ones, the GoLite Pinnacle, on several two-week TGO Challenge crossings of the Scottish Highlands I decided on one of these for the Pacific Northwest Trail, which I walked in 2010. The 72 litre Pinnacle had no frame, just a lightly padded back, and a fairly minimalist hipbelt. However, the curved shape meant it was surprisingly comfortable. The PNT was too much for it though. After three weeks the shoulder straps began to deform and feel uncomfortable. Holes started to appear in the fabric too. GoLite replaced it with the heavier though still lightweight Quest which had a frame, and which was excellent for the rest of the walk. I reckon the Pinnacle was probably a rogue model that had slipped through quality control.

GoLite Quest, Pacific Northwest Trail, 2010

Whatever the reason for the failure I decided that my experiment with frameless packs for long walks was over. The comfort of the Quest, which was still far lighter than the packs I’d been using not many years before, was a key factor in this. 

Lightwave Ultrahike, Scottish Watershed, 2013

In 2013 I chose the internal frame 1.23kg 60 litre Lightwave Ultrahike for the Scottish Watershed, partly because it was far more water-resistant than most packs and I thought the walk could be quite wet, as indeed it was. The Ultrahike was excellent, but the shape wasn’t right for my next walk. In 2016 I walked 500 miles from Yosemite Valley to Death Valley with an internal frame ULA Catalyst pack because I could fit a bear-resistant canister in the top, which I couldn’t do in the Ultrahike. I carried heavier loads than recommended in this pack – I had eleven litres of water at one point in the desert – and it was fine. 

ULA Catalyst, Yosemite Valley to Death Valley, 2016

I’d planned on using the 1.4kg Catalyst on my next long walk – it is one of my favourite packs – until I was offered a much lighter pack to test, the 60 litre internal frame Gossamer Gear Mariposa, which weighs 945 grams and handles 15kg loads well. After some initial testing I really liked the design and the comfort, so I took the Mariposa on the GR5 Through the Alps walk from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean Sea and was really pleased with it. I loved the massive pockets in particular. I then took the Mariposa on the fortieth TGO Challenge in 2019. Unfortunately, one of the load lifter straps ripped out and whilst I managed without it, the pack wasn't as comfortable.

Gossamer Gear Mariposa, GR5 Through the Alps, 2018

My next long walk was on the southern part of the Continental Divide Trail in Colorado, a section where I'd been forced by snow and storms to take a lower route in 1985. On this I took another new test pack, the 1.2kg internal frame Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor 40-60, which proved comfortable and stable. I did miss having a front pocket but discovered that the flat zipped lid meant I could lay out gear in the top of the pack and have quick access to it. I did overload the pack with ten days food at one point and the hipbelt did slip a little under the extra weight but with five to six days food it was fine.

Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor, Colorado Rockies, 2019

My final words on this piece were “for my next walk? Probably the Catalyst, Mariposa (which is away being repaired), or the Flex Capacitor. Unless, of course, a new pack arrives to test that I like.” Well, one did arrive last autumn, the 925 gram Atom Packs The Mo EP 50 (review here) and I may well use this, though more likely the 60 litre version. 

Atom Packs The Mo EP50, Cairngorms, 2021

 

Ten Lightweight Packs for Long-Distance Walking

The ULA Catalyst on the Yosemite Valley to Death Valley walk

With the long-distance walking season approaching I’ve gathered together reviews of the best ten lightweight packs I’ve used in recent years. These reviews first appeared in The Great Outdoors. I’ve edited them for this post.

I’ve set 1.5kg as the maximum weight, regardless of capacity, plus a minimum volume to weight ratio of 20. The latter is the volume in litres per 500 grams of weight. The bigger the number the lighter the pack for the capacity.

I’m happy to recommend all these packs. Which is best depends on how well they fit, the weight and bulk you’ll be carrying, and the features you like.

Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60               935 grams                              £280

Capacity                             60 litres, including pockets             

Materials                            100 & 200D Robic nylon        

Closures                              fold-over lid    

Compartments                    1        

Back                                  wire frame, removable foam pad

Sizes                                  3

Hipbelt                               padded, stiffened   

Pockets                             stretch mesh front, 3 side, zipped top, 2 zipped hipbelt, inner

                                         hydration sleeve

Features                            ice axe trekking pole loops, multiple attachment points

Volume to weight ratio         32

Max. recommended load     16kg

www.gossamergear.com

With a big capacity and a supportive harness  the Mariposa is suitable for loads up to 16kg.  For trips where many days food has to be carried or you have extra gear for severe weather or other reason (camera stuff in my case) the extra space and comfort is welcome. 

The support comes from a U-shaped wire frame that locks into the wide, stiffened, and well-padded hipbelt.  This provides excellent weight transfer to the belt. There’s also a thick foam backpad with an eggbox shape to reduce condensation. This pad fits into two stretch mesh sleeves and is easy to remove and replace when the pack is full making it an excellent sitmat. The shoulder straps are quite wide and firm too. 

The Mariposa has an unusual combined roll-top and buckled lid. It took me a little while to get used to this but once it was familiar I really liked it. The zipped pocket on the lid holds a surprising amount. The other pockets hold everything you might need during the day. I like having a long pocket on one side – it’s big enough for a tarp or light solo tent - and two smaller ones on the other. There are plenty of attachment points for other gear including loops for compression cords and D rings on the harness for clipping on items like sunglasses. 

The pack is made from two different weights of Robic nylon and should last well.

With loads of 10-15kg I’ve found the Mariposa comfortable and stable.  I used it on the GR5 Trail Through the Alps and it was fine even with a few more kilos than this.

Six Moons Design Fusion 50        1.2kg     £200  

Capacity                                   50 litres

Materials                                  420/210 nylon Robic

Closures                                   rollover top with two buckles

Compartments                          one

Back                                        adjustable, framesheet with single stay

Sizes                                       2 shoulder yoke, 3 hipbelt

Hipbelt                                     padded, stiffened, detachable

Pockets                                   stretch front, 2 stretch side, 2 hipbelt

Features                                  side straps, lower straps, ice axe loops

Volume to weight ratio               27      

www.sixmoondesigns.com

Unlike most lightweight packs no limit is given for the maximum weight the Fusion 50 can handle. Instead Six Moon Designs says it will ‘comfortably carry whatever the pack will hold’, a bold claim. To this end the Fusion 50 has a back system with a tapered framesheet with a central metal strut. This transfers the weight well to the hipbelt, which I think is key to the carrying comfort. This hipbelt is stiff and wide and very supportive, being more like those found on bigger, heavier packs than most lightweight ones. On a TGO Challenge crossing of the Scottish Highlands I carried 15-18kg and the Fusion 50 handled it well, my hips and shoulders never feeling sore. The pack proved very stable on rough ground too. 

The Fusion 50 is made from  Robic, which is said to be even tougher than Dyneema. The pack design is good for organising gear as it has six pockets. It’s wider at the top than the base too, making it easier to find stuff and keeping the weight higher in the pack, which is better for comfort and stability. On the TGO Challenge I just managed to get all my gear inside plus five days food.  (Then it was called the Fusion 65. Now that names is given to a bigger version). 

As it is the Fusion 50 is one of the best lightweight packs around, especially if you sometimes carry more than 15kg.

    

Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus 55L    $235  

Capacity                                55 litres

Materials                               Dyneema

Closures                                rollover top with three buckles & stud fastening

Compartments                       one

Back                                     plain

Sizes                                     3

Hipbelt                                  padded

Pockets                                mesh front, two mesh side

Features                               side straps, ice axe loops, base volume adjusters, front shockcord

Volume to weight ratio            35        

www.mountainlaureldesigns.com

The Exodus really is an ultralight pack, at 510 grams for the basic model (there are optional add-ons), as it has no frame or back padding. I used it for filming Terry Abraham’s Backpacking In The Lake District With Chris Townsend DVD and it was fine with loads up to 11kg, the maximum recommended by Mountain Laurel Designs.  The pack has roomy pockets, a roll-top that fastens with studs and buckles, and plenty of attachment points for the provided shockcord. Optional hipbelt pockets and a lid are available – these are well worth having.

The pack is only available direct from Mountain Laurel Designs in the USA. If you want a comfortable ultralight pack for loads up to around 12kg it’s an excellent choice.

          

Lightwave Ultrahike 60      1.23kg      £179   

Capacity                            60 litres

Materials                           420d Dynatech nylon/300d micro-ripstop polyester               

Closures                            lid with 2 buckles                

Compartments                   one              

Back                                 pre-curved 7001-T6 aluminium frame/moulded foam                

Sizes                                 2                 

Hipbelt                              padded, stiffened                

Pockets                            1 lid, 2 side stretch mesh                

Features                            taped/welded seams, side shockcord compression, two ice 

                                         axe/trekking pole loops         

Volume to weight ratio         24                 

www.lightwave.uk.com

The Ultrahike has a more traditional look than many lightweight packs due to the standard style lid, the lack of a front pocket and the material, which doesn’t have the grid look of Dyneema or Robic. Lightwave says it’s suitable for loads of 12-15kg, with 30kg as a maximum. I’ve found it handles a little over 20kg quite well. I used it on my Scottish Watershed walk when I sometimes carried over a week’s supplies and it was always comfortable. The stiffened hipbelt is wide and quite thick. The curved frame is rigid vertically but allows sideways twisting, making for good stability.

The Watershed walk showed that the pack is tough with little wear visible at the finish. As parts of that walk were very wet I found the sealed seams very useful. Very little rain ever got in the pack even though the seams between the body and the back panel aren’t sealed. With just small mesh side pockets and a lid pocket the design is fairly minimalist with most of your gear going in the roomy main compartment. The volume was more than adequate for the summer Watershed walk and I can fit everything inside for a two-night winter trip. As 60 litre packs go this is one of the bigger ones!

Osprey Exos 58      1.2kg   £150  

Capacity                        58 litres

Materials                        high-tenacity nylon       

Closures                        detachable lid with two buckles         

Compartments               one         

Back                             curved aluminium hoop, tensioned-mesh panel         

Sizes                            three         

Hipbelt                          mesh, padded          

Pockets                        external & internal lid, 2 stretch mesh side, 1 stretch mesh front, 2

                                    hipbelt, internal hydration          

Features                        top flap for use without lid, trekking pole attachment, side straps, base

                                    strap, ice axe loop          

Volume to weight ratio     24           

www.ospreyeurope.com

The Exos 58 is unusual for a lightweight pack in having an airspace behind the frame and a mesh backband against your back. This makes for excellent ventilation of course and Osprey has enhanced this with open mesh over perforated foam for the shoulder straps and hipbelt. If you hate getting sweaty this pack will keep you drier than most others. The rigid frame transfers the weight to the hipbelt well. The latter is quite thick but not stiffened and the foam is quite soft. It supports loads up to 15kg okay though, which is fine for a pack this size.

I’ve found the Exos 58 comfortable to carry but not quite as stable as a close-fitting pack. I prefer a body-hugging pack but for most backpacking this design shouldn’t be a problem. Only if you’re going scrambling or mountaineering might it be significant.

The Exos 58 is a pack for those who like multiple features but don’t want the weight that usually goes with them. Eight pockets and numerous attachment points make the pack very versatile. The lid can be removed if not needed. There’s a flap with buckles underneath to cover the load. Base straps can be used for a foam pad. Osprey call them sleeping bag straps but that’s not somewhere I’d want to carry my bag. The fabric  seems quite tough though probably not as durable as Dyneema or Robic.

ULA Catalyst                  1.4kg             £320   

Capacity                           75 litres inc. pockets

Materials                           210 Robic/Cordura/210 Ripstop 

Closures                           rolltop with three buckles       

Compartments                   one       

Back                                 framesheet with twin alloy bars, foam pad  

Sizes                                four back length, five hipbelt   

Hipbelt                              padded  

Pockets                            2 side pockets, 1 front mesh pocket, 2 hipbelt pockets, internal

                                        hydration, internal zipped 

Features                           front shock cord, side straps, 2 ice axe/trekking pole loops, water

                                        bottle holders, handloops

Volume to weight ratio       27                       

www.ula-equipment.com

I’ve had a Catalyst for over 15 years. I used the original model on quite a few long walks including the GR20 in Corsica (a good test for stability) and the TGO Challenge and always found it very comfortable. I used the current version on my Yosemite Valley to Death Valley walk. The pack is made from Robic, which feels a little stiffer and more solid than the Dyneema of the earlier version. The mesh on the pockets feels tougher too and should resist abrasion and tearing better (there are several holes in the mesh on my original Catalyst).

The key to the comfortable carry of the Catalyst lies in the fairly stiff back and the wide, well-padded hipbelt. Together they are very supportive and easily handle 18kg loads (the maximum recommended by ULA). The pack is very stable too, as I found in Corsica.

ULA says the volume is 75 litres. This includes all the pockets and the extension collar however. The main compartment is more like 50 litres (ULA says 42 but I think that’s an underestimate). The pockets are very roomy though and I found the Catalyst suitable for a winter trip in the Cairngorms with fairly bulky gear.

The Catalyst is quite expensive compared to alternatives but it is one of the toughest packs tested and should last well.

Nigor Zero G          1.1kg                  £195 

Capacity                          53 litres

Materials                         Dyneema/nylon ripstop      

Closures                          lid with two buckles       

Compartments                 one      

Back                               padded, wire frame     

Sizes                               2      

Hipbelt                            padded      

Pockets                          external & internal lid, 1 zipped front, 2 stretch mesh side, 2 hipbelt,

                                      internal hydration

Features                         lid & base volume reduction clips, side compression straps, 2 ice axe

                                      loops     

Volume to weight ratio      24                         

www.nigor.eu

The Zero G has a stiff frame and a thick padded hipbelt. The stiff frame transfers the weight to the hipbelt and I’ve found the pack fine with 15kg. It’s close-fitting but not too sweaty as there’s a thick mesh covering the foam back pad that allows some airflow. Stability is excellent.

Rather than a mesh pocket the Zero G has a huge zipped pocket on the rear. This pocket does have drain holes but wet items won’t dry as well as in a mesh pocket. Against that they are better protected. As with any rear pocket I wouldn’t put heavy gear in it as this could pull the pack away from the body making it less comfortable and less stable. I suspect there’s more temptation to put heavier gear in an enclosed zipped pocket than in a mesh one as it looks stronger and more secure. The angled side mesh pockets are roomy enough for litre size water bottles and can be accessed when wearing the pack. The hipbelt pockets are roomy two and have two compartments.

When I tested the original Zero G I had one small complaint, which was that the lid flopped down if the pack wasn’t full and the strap buckles were set so high on the pack that tightening them was impossible. This has been remedied on the current model and the buckles are much lower down.

The capacity is said to be 53 litres for the Large size I tested. I reckon that’s just the main compartment with the pockets adding at least another 5. This is quite a roomy pack.

Berghaus Lite Hike 45             925 grams                                            £95

 

Capacity                               45 litres              

Materials                              Robic nylon        

Closures                               roll top       

Compartments                      1        

Back                                    alloy frame, mesh/foam backpad

Sizes                                   1

Hipbelt                                 mesh/foam  

Pockets                               1 stretch mesh front, 4 stretch mesh side, 1 stretch hipbelt, 1

                                           zipped hipbelt, 2 stretch mesh shoulder strap, 1 zipped inner

Features                              twin ice axe/trekking pole loops, twin front/side straps, daisy chain

                                           loops

Volume to weight ratio           24  

www.berghaus.com

Berghaus’s first ultralight backpacking pack is functional and comfortable and the price is surprisingly low. It has a wire frame that runs across the top and down the sides of the back and helps transfer weight to the hipbelt. The latter is quite wide though the padding isn’t very thick. There’s a thick back pad in a sleeve with space behind it for a hydration bladder. This foam pad can be removed but it’s not that easy to replace it, especially when the pack is full, so it’s not something to do regularly. The shoulder straps are wider than usual to help spread the load. The back, hipbelt and shoulder straps are covered with an open mesh to minimise condensation build-up. There’s only one back length, 51.5cms, which is a little short for me.

The pack design is excellent. There’s no lid, just a roll top with clip buckles. Inside the main compartment there’s a detachable zipped pocket for valuables and small items. Other than that, it’s just one big compartment. Outside there are enough pockets to hold everything you might need between camps so there’s no need to open the pack during the day. The stretch pockets are all roomy – a wet tent can be carried in the front one. Berghaus gives the capacity of 45 litres. With all the pockets I’d say it was closer to 55-60 litres. There are plenty of attachment points for more gear too, including compression straps that run right round the sides and front , daisy chain loops, and loops for ice axes and trekking poles.

Berghaus doesn’t give a suggested weight limit for the Lite Hike. I found that with 10kg in the suspension system started to sag and the pack didn’t feel as comfortable, so I reckon that’s the absolute maximum. With 8kg it feels fine.

ULA CDT                                   735 grams                                              £170

Capacity                             54 litres              

Materials                             210 Robic nylon        

Closures                              drawcord sleeve    

Compartments                     1        

Back                                   removable foam pad    

Sizes                                  4

Hipbelt                                padded    

Pockets                              front stretch mesh, 2 adjustable side, 2 zipped hipbelt, inner zipped stash,

                                          hydration sleeve

Features                             side compression straps, ice axe/trekking pole loops, hand loops, 

                                          water bottle holsters

Volume to weight ratio          37

Max. recommended load      8.2kg

https://www.ula-equipment.com

The CDT is astonishingly light even for an ultralight pack. Partly that’s because it doesn’t have a frame, just a padded back, partly it’s the simple design, and partly it’s because it’s not quite as big as it might seem. The main pack has a capacity of 34 litres. The 54 litres is when you add on all the pockets. Overall, I’d say it’s a little smaller than the Berghaus Fast Hike. For the loads it’s designed to carry, up to 8kg, the size is fine. It’s made from a tough thick Robic nylon that should prove really durable.

The removable foam back pad is inside the pack and so not one to remove while the pack is loaded. In camp it can be taken out and used as a sitmat as it’s easy to replace. Whilst it helps stop hard objects poking you in the back gear needs to be packed with care or uncomfortable lumps can form. I found using my sleeping pad as extra back cushioning makes packing easier. The pack shouldn’t be jammed tight either or it can form an uncomfortable barrel shape. The hipbelt and shoulder straps aren’t very thick, but they are quite firm and support the load well. They’re covered with mesh for sweat control but the back of the pack is nylon, so a damp back is unavoidable on warm days.

Closure is via a simple drawcord sleeve with a strap over it.  It’s wise to fold the sleeve over a little when it’s wet or rain can enter. The pockets are roomy and can carry all you need during the day. The side ones don’t stretch but have drawcords so they can be pulled in tight around the contents. The huge front pocket easily holds a tent.

Carefully packed, the CDT handles 8kg fine.

Osprey Levity 45         760 grams                     £220   

Capacity                               45 litres          

Materials                              NanoFly UHMWPE Ripstop x 100D HT Nylon, 30D Siliconised 

                                            Nylon       

Closures                               lid with twin buckles     

Compartments                      1         

Back                                    wire frame, tensioned mesh backband

Sizes                                   3

Hipbelt                                 mesh/foam    

Pockets                               1 outer lid, 1 bellows front, 2 side, inner hydration          

Features                              side compression cords, daisychain loops

Volume to weight ratio           29.5

www.ospreyeurope.com

  

The Levity 45 is in many ways an astonishing design. Ultralight packs at this weight and less have been around for a while but they usually have fairly simple back systems, often with no frame or padding. However the Levity has a curved frame and a tensioned mesh backband, not something I’ve seen in a pack anywhere near this light before.  The frame is quite stiff and supportive too. The shoulder straps are well-padded but the hipbelt is quite thin and the wide sections don’t come far round the hips. I found the pack comfortable with loads up to 10kg. Above that and the weight started to press uncomfortably on my hips. 

The weight of the pack is kept down by the fabrics and the components. The main part of the pack is made from silicone nylon that’s so thin that it’s translucent. This is protected by the pockets and the lid which are made from thicker fabric and which wrap around much of the pack. These pockets are quite roomy but they don’t stretch. The lid has a roomy pocket too. It’s fixed in place and only just covers the pack when it’s really full.

For ultralight backpacking the Levity is a good pack.