Berghaus

£80

600g

low weight, cost

small pockets

Capacity: Materials: Closure: Back system: Back length: Hipbelt: Pockets:

Features: Sizes: berghaus.com

The Fast Hike 32 is a very light pack, by far the lightest of any pack of 30 litres capacity and over. The fabric still feels quite substantial, however. The weight saving is in the harness and the minimal features. There’s no frame or framesheet, though there is a single bar across the top of the opening that helps stop it flopping down. There is a foam back pad, which can be removed if you really want to save weight. This is covered by much thinner breathable foam and open mesh, which help with ventilation – though I still get a sweaty back in hot weather. The same thin meshcovered foam is used for the shoulder straps and hipbelt. It’s adequate for the loads likely to be carried in a pack this size, especially as the shoulder straps are wide and (being very soft) mould to your body.

Access to the main body of the pack is via a roll top. The inside is quite wide so getting at gear isn’t too awkward. There are half a dozen pockets on the outside of the pack, all of them small and only one with a zip. The others are open-topped.

This is a comfortable pack at a low cost.