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Reviews > Packs > Internal and External Framed Backpacks > Lowe Alpine Centro > Test Report by Thomas VickersLowe Alpine AirZone Centro 35
Day Pack
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Thomas
Vickers |
Tester Background:
I grew up in the piney woods of southeast Texas. Camping was a quick trip into the
mosquito-infested woods behind the house. My style has evolved and over the last 4 or 5
years, I have begun to take a lighter weight approach to hiking gear (I still use sleeping
bags and tents, just lighter versions). While I have flirted with lightweight hiking, I
feel that I am more of a mid-weight hiker now. My philosophy is one of comfort, while
carrying the lightest load possible.
Initial Report
January 5, 2008
Manufacturer
Information: Manufacturer:Lowe Alpine Website: http://www.lowealpine.com Sizes available: One size fits all Year Manufactured: 2007 MSRP:
NA |
Information From
Tester: (all measurements approximate) Color/pattern: Terra Cotta/Slate Grey Weight : 3 lb 2.5 oz (1.43 kg) Dimensions: 24 x 12 x 7 in (41 x 23 x 18 cm) Tester's torso length: 19.5 in (50 cm) |
Initial tester expectations:
I was not sure what to expect from this pack. There was no information about it
on the website, other than the generic information on how to adjust the torso length using
the Centro harness system. Other than the fact that the AirZone Centro was a 35
liter (2136 cubic inches) daypack with an adjustable torso/harness system I had little
information to go on.
Description from the manufacturer:
"• AirZone breathable
back maximising airflow. • Torso Fit Centro, adjustable back length/AdaptiveFit
hipbelt ensuring the perfect fit and hence most comfortable carry, • Easy access side
entry - gives maximum access whilst ensuring the contact areas of the back stay dry and
clean, • Large front pocket and expandable volume - giving versatile storage options,
Raincover, sternum strap with whistle, side compression, internal zippered pocket,
versatile front elastic stowage cradle, secure ice axe/walking pole attachment system,
hydration compatible, key clip, large mesh side pockets."
Tester's Description:
The AirZone Centro 35 is a mid-sized day pack that seems packed full of features.
There seems to be just too many items to just outright list, so I am going to
attack this description in parts.
Centro adjustable length torso:
From what I can gather from the website, the Centro 35 has the ability to adjust to meet
the torso length of different wearers. Located at the top of the rear of the pack is a
strap. To pull the strap allows me to shorten or lengthen the suspension to better fit my
torso. The strap itself has markings to indicate how far the strap should be pulled
or loosened based on your torso length. So all I have to do is figure out if I am a small,
medium, or large torso and then tug on the strap till the S, M, or L appears. I have
just played with this feature, but I am hoping that I get everything adjusted correctly
before I hit the trail for the first time.
Airzone back system:
From looking at the pack and reading about the system, the Airzone back system utilizes
mesh on the front of the pack (part against my back) to create ventilation and limited
points of contact with the wearer. This means that rather than lying flat against my
back, the Centro 35 will only make contact with me via the mesh back panel and will allow
air to circulate between my back and the pack. This sounds really nice for my climate and
I am looking forward to putting this one to the test.
Framesheet:
I didn't see this listed anywhere as a feature, but the front of this pack is stiff and
from knocking on it I get the feeling that there is a framesheet inside the Centro 35.
The front of this pack is extremely stiff at all times and I am thoroughly
convinced that something is in there.
Shoulder straps:
The shoulder straps start out 2.5 in (6 cm) wide at the top and taper to 2 in (5 cm) wide
at the bottom. They are thinly padded, which isn't a problem since I don't expect to
be carrying huge loads in this pack. At the top of the shoulder straps are load
lifter straps which allow me to adjust the way the pack carries while I am wearing the
pack. I do like the fact that the load lifter straps are gray and easy to distinguish from
the shoulder straps and other straps on the pack. For lack of a better word, there is a
'rail' that runs down the center of each shoulder strap. The sternum strap attaches
to this rail and the system allows me to slide the sternum strap up and down in order to
find the best location for me. What I like about this system is that I don't have to
unsnap and rethread a strap. It is a simple sliding move that can be done while the pack
is being worn.
Hip belt:
The hip belt starts out 5 in (13 cm) wide and tapers to 3 in (8 cm) wide where
the quick release buckle attaches to it. The hipbelt is interesting because rather
than being one solid padded belt, there is a cut out that runs down the center of each
side of the hipbelt. I am assuming that this cut out is present to improve
ventilation and to help reduce pack weight as well.
Shove it pocket:
The shove it pocket on the back of the pack is attached to the main pack body by a fold of
cloth on both sides. This makes it more of a true pocket and not a floppy piece of
material added so that I can shove something into it. The top of the shove it is attached
to the pack by a length of shock cord. The top of the shove it can be tightened by
pulling the shockcord through a toggle located at the top center of the shove it pocket.
There is also a zippered pocket built into the outside of the shove it. The
pocket is accessed via an 8 in (20 cm) long zipper. I am going to be very interested to
see how useful this extra pocket is when the shove it is full of a jacket or other items.
Top lid:
The inside of the top lid has a "mountain distress signal" panel. This
panel gives instructions on how to call for help using a whistle, or if there is an air
search going on. It also lists emergency phone numbers for Europe, the UK,
United States, New Zealand, and Australia. Under the distress panel is an interior
pocket on the top lid. This pocket is accessed via a bright orange zipper and
measures 7.5 x 6.5 in (19 x 17 cm). The inside of this pocket contains a lanyard for keys
or other small items. The exterior of the top lid has the "Lowe Alpine"
logo sewn into it and contains another storage pocket. This pocket is also accessed via a
zipper on the front (facing my back) of the top pocket. This pocket measures 9
x 8.5 in (23 x 22 cm).
Main compartment:
The main compartment of the Centro 35 has a mesh side pocket on both sides of the main
pack bag. They can not be cinched closed and are topped by a piece of elastic. On
the left hand side (while being worn) of the main compartment is a crescent shaped zipper
that runs down almost the entire side of the pack. This is for side entry to the main
compartment without having to open the compression straps and pulling the top lid out of
the way. The top of the main compartment is accessed/sealed with a length of shock
cord and a plastic toggle. On the right side, near the top, of the main compartment
is a hydration port. Inside the main compartment is a hydration pocket and above
that is an access point for the suspension. When I opened the flap I saw portions of the
Centro suspension and the framesheet that I felt from the outside of the pack.
Rain cover:
A great surprise for me was what I found on the outside of the main compartment, at the
bottom. There was a pocket closed by hook and loop fastener and when I opened it, I found
that the Centro 35 has a built in rain cover. The cover is bright orange and pulled out to
cover the entire pack very well. It can not be removed from the pack, but it tucks very
nicely back into its storage pocket. If I hadn't been going over this pack so closely, I
would never have even known it was there. This was definitely a good surprise.
Impressions:
I had expected much less out of this pack. After going over it really carefully I am very
intrigued. Lowe Alpine appears to have taken full sized packs full of nice features and
found a way to transfer these features to a series of day packs. What this means is
that rather than being a 'bag with shoulder straps', the Centro 35 is a well thought out
and full featured day pack that is well engineered. Most importantly to me, the over
engineering of this daypack all seems to be for one reason and that is to increase my
comfort while wearing the Centro 35. I will be very interested to see if the Centro
35 lives up to its engineering and design expectations.
Test Strategy:
I will assess the AirZone Centro 35 based on
the following criteria for
each load:
1. Load Contents
2. Load Weight
3. Length of Hike
4. How the load was packed in the pack
Here are some additional questions that I plan on using as a guide for my testing of
AirZone Centro 35:
Fit:
1. How easy is it to adjust the harness system to my torso?
2. Is there a wide range of adjustment for the harness? Is the Adjustable back
length/adaptive fit hipbelt good for a wide range of sizes? Does it fit me?
3. How well does the AirZone carry a small load? Does it compress to a manageable size
when empty?
4. How wide are the chest straps?
5. How thick is the waistbelt?
6. Is there a sternum strap on this pack?
Use:
1. How easy is it to pack the AirZone Centro?
2. Can I use stuff sacks or will too many "lumps form" and make the AirZone
Centro uncomfortable?
3. How well does it load without stuff sacks? I prefer the "Stuff it all in"
method which doesn't use any stuff sacks.
4. How well does the suspension work/feel under heavy loads (25-30 lbs/11-14 kg) that are
still within the recommend weights for this pack?
5. How well does the AirZone back panel ventilate? Will I still get a sweaty back in
cooler temperatures with this pack?
6. How does this pack feel and respond while loaded? Does it feel "heavy" or is
it comfortable to wear?
7. How easy is it to get this pack on and off while loaded?
Durability:
1. How well do the zippers work? Are they really water resistant or do they leak?
2. How durable is the fabric used on the Centro?
3. Will the pack material abrade from normal use? Will it hold up for the entire test
period?
4. How well do the buckles and sliders on this pack work? Will they crack or break after
prolonged use? How easy is it to work the buckles with gloves on?
Field Test Report
March 11, 2008
Test location: W.G. Jones State Park
Testing Activities: Dayhiking
Days used: 6
Temperatures: 40 - 65 F (4 - 18 C)
Miles carried: 22 miles (35 km)
Fitting it right:
The first thing I did was adjust the torso length on the Centro to medium, which
is the recommended setting for my torso size (19.5 in/50 cm). It took
some tugging and pulling, but I got the strap in the center of the pack to adjust. It was
a difficult thing for me and being cautious was probably part of the trouble. The last
thing I wanted to do was break the Centro before I ever got it out on the trail. After I
got the torso adjusted I put the pack on and played with the shoulder, waist and sternum
straps. The waist and shoulder straps were easy to adjust and went without any
issues. The sternum strap was a different story though. I have a 38 in (97 cm) chest
(circumference) and the sternum strap was not easy to adjust. It was tight against my
chest and as I raised it to make it fit better, it reached a point where I felt it was too
high up on my chest. After a few moments though, I soon figured out that
there was plenty of extra webbing in the strap and I could loosen the strap till I could
wear it low enough and loose enough to be comfortable. Sometimes I just need to
think and look a littler more rather freak out when things don't go my way instantly.
Getting outside:
Weather and illness have conspired to keep me from any overnight trips so far in this test
and that is more than annoying to me. The good news is that I was able to get out and
start getting in shape for serious hiking weather by loading the Centro up and hitting the
trails for several short (3-4 mile/5-6 km) hikes.
My load has varied and it was based more on the weight that I wanted to carry rather than
what I needed or could fit in the pack. If I felt pretty good about the weather and
my health, then I stuff a sleeping bag, hammock, cookset, rain gear, water filter and food
into the Centro and off I went. My loads varied from light(10 lb/4.5 kg) to heavy
(15 lb/7 kg). The goal here was to get the pack out on the trail with different
weights in it to see how well it was going to handle. Since my schedule is slowing
down and there will be some overnight trips on the next phase of the trip, I will pay a
lot more attention to what I carry in the Centro as opposed to how much.
Pack on my back:
The good news is that the Centro fits like a charm and felt great on my back. I am firm
believer in framesheets and the Centro's feels great. It gives the pack some shape and
support and I never felt like I was wearing a limp sack on my back. The framesheet was
sturdy and gave me just the kind of rigid support along my back that I really enjoy. It
also kept any pointy items from poking my in my back while I hiked. I definitely have to
give the Centro's framesheet a big thumbs up.
The shoulder straps and waist belt also felt good while on the move and didn't bite or dig
at any time. I came away pretty unscathed as far as bruises or pinches are concerned which
is a good sign. I had no trouble adjusted the pack while it was on my back, no matter if I
was adjusting the waistbelt or shoulder straps. When moving quickly (usually how I am with
daypacks) I have a bad tendency to yank all the available straps down tight to secure the
pack and off I go. This leads to a hunched over posture before too long and a lot of
soreness and pain if I don't catch on quickly. I probably did this every single time
I wore the Centro because it feels so good cinched down tight against me, but after awhile
I learned that I could easily relax the load lifter straps, let the pack ease away from my
back, and I was walking upright and comfortably without any waggle in the pack. It
is nice to see that a pack is engineered well enough to be easily adjusted while on the
move, especially when it allows me to get around some of my bad packing habits.
Pockets:
Without any detailed system or pack plans I can say that I like all the various pockets on
the Centro. I have successfully loaded my water filter and rain gear several combinations
of the back shove-it zipper pocket, mesh side pockets, and top lid pocket. While the
pockets are not large, they do allow me to carry one item or so in them without having to
shove or mash anything to an extreme level in order to get it into the pocket. For a
pack of this size, the pockets are more than adequate and I couldn't ask for anything else
from them.
And now:
This is the part that I hate the most and that is probably why I am saving it for last.
There are some items that I do not like about the Centro. The first are small
'gadget' pockets. There are no small pockets on the waistbelt or shoulder straps of
the Centro. This isn't a huge flaw, but it does mean that I have to carry my digital
camera, headlamp, or GPS in my pants pocket if I need quick access to them. It also means
that there is no convenient place to store snacks, which means that I have to stop and dig
in the pack if I want a quick snack while on the move. The other thing is the
weight of the Centro. At 3 lb 2.5 oz (1.43 kg) it is a bit heavy in my view for day
pack. I am guessing that the trade off for the extra weight is its comfort and full
list of features that don't normally come with daypacks. So, despite two nit-picks,
I really do enjoy wearing and using the Centro 35 Day Pack.
To wrap things up:
I love the framesheet on this pack. It makes it extremely comfortable to me and also makes
the pack easy to wear and handle. I also like the two padded spots that are located
at the very bottom of the Centro (on the front of the pack) that ride right in my lower
back. These two pads feel great when I am tired. They contribute (along with the
framesheet) to what I consider to be the Centro's most important selling point; an
extremely comfortable fit.
In the next phase of my test I will concentrate on going longer distances, detailing
exactly what I carry and where I pack it, and taking pictures. Hiking in the
mornings before sun up is not the best time to be taking digital photos, especially when I
am under time restraints. I will hopefully also get the Centro out in really warm weather
to test the AirZone suspension system and see if it keeps me cool in the Texas heat.
Things I like:
1. Framesheet
2. Load lifter straps
3. Padding on the lower back area of the pack
Things I don't like:
1. Weight
2. No small 'gadget' pockets on waist belt/shoulder straps
3. Torso was a bit stiff/difficult to adjust
Long Term Report
May 6, 2008
Test location: W.G. Jones State Park, Sam Houston National Forest
Testing Activities: Dayhiking and overnight (1 night/2 day) hiking trips
Days used: 12 days (8 day hikes and 2 two-day (one night) trips)
Temperatures: 40 - 84 F (4 - 29 C)
Miles carried: 46 miles (35 km) - 24 miles (36 km) dayhiking and 22 (35
km) miles 'overnight'
Day hike: (8 lb 11 oz/3.95 kg total)
Top pocket: Water Filter Car keys Total weight: 1 lb 5 oz (595 g) |
|
Side pockets (mesh): GPS Digital camera Headlamp Fuel bottle Total weight: 1 lb 10 oz (448 g) |
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Shove it pocket: Rain pants Total weight: 6.75 oz (193 g) |
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Shove it: Rain jacket Total weight: 9.75 oz (267 g)
|
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Main compartment: Food bag Cooking/eating kit: Hydration system (full) Total weight: 4 lb 12 oz (2.15 kg) |
Most of my day hikes were fast moving affairs. I had a few hours
extra so I hit the trails and put a few miles on my legs as fast as possible. My load
varied a bit from what is shown above, but the basic load was always the same. What I have
discovered about this pack that I really like is that it rides very well. It stays in
place and doesn't move around no matter how fast or slow I am moving or if I am climbing
up a creek bank or down a creek bank. Once I get it adjusted correctly it stays put.
I also liked the fact that the Centro carried well when I wasn't carrying a huge load.
This makes it manageable as a daypack, but at this point I real feel that the Centro is a bit
large for a simple daypack. It has too many features and too much weight for me to look at
it and consider it as something I want to carry every time on a dayhike, especially if I
want to be moving quick or bushwhacking.
Spring is here:
Spring means warmer weather and that is something that I really wanted to get into with
the Centro. Temperatures have peaked here at around 84 F (29 C) and that means that
I put the ventilating properties of the pack to the test. I still sweat along my
back when I wear the Centro, but I did discover that the mesh panels that hold the pack
off of my back did provide some good ventilation. I never felt that the pack was squishing
into my back and making a giant sweat pudding as I hiked. I also discovered that
when I took the pack off after a vigorous and warm hike, the back panel was not soaked
with sweat. It would be damp to my touch, but a combination of the mesh panels, lack of
padding, and the framesheet kept it from being completely soaked like most packs I use.
This was a definite plus. There was no putting a soaking wet pack back on after a rest
break and getting my back wet again without even taking a step. I give the
ventilation system a big thumbs up for this reason. I was concerned that the mesh
back panels would not hold up to heavy use, but so far they have held their own against
me, the forest, and the Texas heat.
One concern that has popped up for me on several occasions is the lack of storage areas on
the hip belts or shoulder straps. I have had to carry my digital camera and GPS in
the mesh side pockets, which often meant I had to take the pack off to get to them. I have
long monkey arms and I can usually reach things in side pockets, but if I cinched the side
straps on the Centro down tight to secure the main compartment, then I had to take the
pack off so I could loosen the side straps that stretch across the mesh pockets. If
I am meandering through the woods with plenty of time this isn't and issue, but if I am
moving fast or need to get to my camera quickly, it is a serious issue for me.
Overnight hike: (13 lb 4 oz/6.01 kg total)
Top pocket: Water filter Car keys Total weight: 1 lb 5 oz (595 g) |
|
Side pockets (mesh): GPS Digital camera Headlamp Fuel bottle Total weight: 1 lb 10 oz (448 g) |
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Shove it pocket: Rain pants Total weight: 6.75 oz (193 g) |
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Shove it: Rain jacket Total weight: 9.75 oz (267 g)
|
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Main compartment: Food bag Cooking/eating kit: Hydration system Hammock (includes stakes) Sleeping bag Total weight: 9 lb 4.7 oz (4.22 kg) |