Lowe Alpine Manaslu 55:65
www.lowealpine.com
+ minimal body contact areas; supportive hipbelt; adjustable back length; front pocket
– slightly heavy; less airflow than some; floating lid without extra baffle to body
The 55-65 litre capacity of the Manaslu is supported by Lowe Alpine's Axiom 5 back system. The body of the sack has base, front and top-of-compartment entry and a floating lid. There are side and front stretch pockets with large zipped pockets on the hipbelt and lid. More airflow on the back system and more pockets would improve this pack, but this is a great general package. 5/5
The Manaslu 55:65 for men and the Manaslu ND 55:65 for women comes in one size, but you can adjust the back length by sliding the shoulder straps up and down along runners. The hipbelt also rotates to improve the fit – this allows the pack to hug the body without creating pressure points. 5/5
Some higher-priced packs offer a little more comfort, but this is perfectly wearable. The shoulder straps, hip belt and back system are very comfortable and provide stability thanks to a good amount of padding – all of which makes this pack good for carrying heavier loads. The airflow isn't great, but that's the only potential issue here. 4/5
You may want more external pockets, but personally I like the big lid pockets and the stretch side pockets with compression straps. I’m not the biggest fan of floating lids for use in really wet weather as water can creep in – so that's not a plus for me. Other minor niggles would be that I wouldn't use the front opening to the main compartment and that it's not the lightest of packs. 4/5
Great value for the higher-end features and performance this pack provides. 3/5
If £150 is around your price limit, then this is one of the better options out there for regular backpacking. 4.2/5