VAUDE Wizard 24+4 Rucksack

RRP £110 Target price: £95

You don’t get further than Vaude’s homepage without seeing evidence of their commitment to ecologically sound practices. Their own gold standard is Green Shape, a sustainability standard created by Vaude themselves as they felt that none of the existing industrystandard labels were rigorous or applicable enough for outdoor kit. To qualify for Green Shape, a Vaude product must meet a range of standards, such as consisting of more than 50% bio-based or recycled materials, using Bluesign-approved manufacturing processes, being washable at low temperatures, having replaceable parts and being fully recyclable. All of this applies to the Wizard pack; its primary and secondary fabrics use 100% recycled polyester made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, and its water-repellent finish is PFC-free. And as a functional walking pack, the Wizard is excellent. Key to its appeal is the Aeroflex Control backsystem: most of the time the load can sit close to your back, but when you want extra ventilation (say on a hard-slog ascent), you just yank the two red straps on the hip-belt. This squeezes the frame, pushing the load away and creating a larger ventilation space. Interestingly there are two equally-sized main compartments. You can look at that two ways: either a good, sensible way to divide your kit if you’re superorganised, or a way of ensuring you never remember what’s where if you’re not. But for stability, adaptability and quality materials put together with a conscience, this particular Wizard is a little bit magic. NH vaude.com

WHAT COULD BE BETTER?

Greater clarity on its own webpage. ‘Climate-friendly and resource-efficient production’ sounds good, but you have to click a lot of links to find out what Vaude mean by it.