BACKPACKS ON TEST
Sometimes a 20–25 litre daypack just isn’t big enough for all your countryside adventures. Time to invest in a 30- to 40-litre pack for picnics, trips to the beach or multi-day walks from inn to inn
We test 30–40L trekking backpacks.
Cholatse 32:37,
Lowe Alpine, £125, rab.equipment/uk
The all-new Cholatse is a highly technical four-season pack, with dedicated fixtures for carrying serious alpine equipment, including trekking poles and ice-axe. The easy-to-adjust back system keeps the pack away from your skin and prevents sweatiness, and the harness is highly breathable. Fins on the waist belt hug your hips like a tango dancer, and both feature good-size zipped pockets. The big main compartment houses a pocket for a water reservoir, a Velcro hook and an exit hole for the hose, and there are waterbottle pockets on each side of the pack. The main compartment is accessible from a long side zipper, so you can reach whatever you need without popping the hood and disgorging all the contents. A large outer pocket is perfect for wet gear. The hood has a generous outer pocket and a big inner pocket for valuables. Other features include adjustable sternum straps with a whistle, two compression straps, and an integrated rain cover in its own pocket. The 32-litre volume can be expanded to 37 litres using the extendable lid. With all these features, the overall weight is a fairly substantial 1.53kg.
VERDICT Comfortable and clever, with well-designed and generous storage areas. 9/10
Drift Waterproof Roll-top, Finisterre, £135, finisterre.com Cornish brand Finisterre makes kit for outdoor folk with one foot in the water. This excellent pack is essentially a 30-litre drybag equipped with a sophisticated backpack harness and various other features. Made entirely from PVC-free recycled materials, the Drift is 100% waterproof, so you can take it out in all weathers and any kind of adventure, including canoeing and packrafting. The adjustable harness is backed by a breathable foam board, to cut down on sweating. The pack has mesh bottle-pockets on both sides, and there’s a showerproof pocket on the front.
VERDICT Wonderfully watertight pack for wild days on the trail. 8/10
Talon 36 (m)/Tempest 34 (w), Osprey, £150, ospreyeurope.com Made from recycled nylon and free of harmful PFC chemicals, the new men’s Talon 36 and women’s Tempest 34 are ideal for long days in the hills. The exceptionally comfortable injection-moulded back allows plenty of airflow. Behind this is an external waterbladder sleeve. The waist belt has two hip wings, each with a big pocket. There is easy access to the large main compartment. A front pocket made from robust mesh houses waterproofs, and the side pockets fit water bottles. There are ice axe and trekking pole attachments, but no rain cover. The Talon 36 weighs 1.1kg.
VERDICT A high-performing pack for hill walkers. 8/10
Crosstrail 32, Jack Wolfskin, £110, jack-wolfskin.com
The unisex 32-litre pack boasts an Air Control System, which uses taut mesh across a steel frame to keep the pack away from your back, reducing sweatiness. Both hip fins have pockets. The main compartment is accessible from the front via a long zip; An internal sleeve fits a hydration bladder. A big mesh front pouch is ideal for wet gear and pockets on either side take bottles. The lid has two zip pockets (one inside, one outside). There are hoops for attaching poles, and a rain cover. Made using eco-dying. It weighs 1.18kg.
VERDICT A tried and tested pack with interesting innovative flourishes and eco-friendly adaptations. 8/10
Ozone 30, Vango £80, vango.co.uk
The 30-litre, unizex Ozone is loaded with features you’d expect on far pricier packs. The taut mesh back reduces sweating by keeping the bulk of the bag away from your back. The waist belt has good hip fins, both with decent-sized pockets. A big mesh sleeve pocket on the front takes wet gear, and mesh pockets on either side are perfect for poles or bottles you want to keep within reach. Inside there’s a water-bladder sleeve. Other features include a trekking pole carrying-clip and a rain cover. And it weighs just 980g.
VERDICT Great value, fully-featured and versatile pack for hill hiking and trail strolling. 8/10
Azote 32, Montane, £100, montane.com
Excellent for less technical walking adventures. A one-size-fits-all design, the back system is fully adjustable. The harness is made with breathable mesh designed to reduce contact with your lower back. Behind this is an external sleeve for a hydration pack. The waist belt has comfortable hip fins, with good-sized pockets. A large sleeve pocket on the front takes wet gear, and two large side pockets for carrying bottles are angled so you can reach them without taking the pack off. The removable hood also has an outer and an inner pocket, both with zips. It’s a pretty lightweight 925g.
VERDICT A modest but reliable performer for peak and park. 7/10
Arrio 30, Gregory, £95, eu.gregorypacks.com
This slimline pack weighs only 850g, and features a ventilated back panel made of mesh stretched across a concave frame, which keeps you cool and comfortable. Two large zippable outer pockets are accessible from the sides and are big enough for a map and binoculars. The waist belt is thin, with only small hip fins and no pockets. The main compartment contains a water-bladder sleeve. Other features include a water-bottle pocket on one side, a rain cover and fittings for attaching trekking poles.
VERDICT Lightweight, with excellent access options, this is a highly capable cargo carrier for hikers and hill walkers. 7/10
Deuter Trail Pro 36, £135, deutergb.co.uk
Renowned for robust construction and good design, Deuter packs are now free of harmful PFC chemicals, too. Loaded with features but with an uncluttered look, the 36-litre Trail Pro has a bodyhugging design, with padded ridges that keep the pack off your back. The waist belt has two wide hip wings, each with big pockets. The large compartment can be opened from the front; inside is a sleeve for a hydration bladder. There are two side pockets – one for a water bottle, one long and zipped. There’s a large mesh pocket for wet gear and an integrated raincover. It weighs a substanial 1.49kg.
VERDICT Dynamic, stylish pack that’s ready for anything. 8/10
Alp Trainer 35+3, Salewa, £135, salewa.com
This four-season unisex pack is essentially a scaled-down expedition backpack. The concave back keeps contact with the body to a minimum. Hip fins with large splits reduce sweatiness, but you can feel the harness when wearing anything less than a midlayer, which could become annoying on long days. The main compartment can be divided into upper and lower sections. Other features include internal water-bladder sleeve, pole-carrying loops, rain cover, outer bottle pockets and bungee cords for wet kit. It weighs 1.35kg.
VERDICT Boasts all the features of a full-sized backpack – a good daypack also ideal for occasional overnight expeditions. 7/10