Test
series by David Wilkes
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Deuter Speed Lite 24 backpack
Tester
Information
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Name:
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David
Wilkes |
E-Mail:
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amatbrewer@yahoo.com
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Age:
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52 |
Location:
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Yakima
Washington USA |
Gender:
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M |
Height:
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5'11"
(1.80 m) |
Weight:
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210
lb (90.7 kg) |
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Biography:
I started
backpacking
in 1995 when I moved to Washington State. Since then, I have
backpacked in all seasons and conditions the Northwest has to
offer. I prefer trips on
rugged trails with plenty of elevation gain. While I continuously
strive to lighten my load, comfort and safety are most important to me.
I have finally managed to get my basic cold weather pack weight, not
including consumables, to under 30 lb (14 kg).
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Product
Information
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Manufacturer:
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Deuter |
Year
of Manufacture:
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2019 |
Manufacturer’s
Website:
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https://www.deuterusa.com/ |
MSRP:
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$110.00
USD
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Listed
Dimensions:
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55 / 29 / 18 (H x W x D) cm
[varified by tester]
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Weight:
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Listed: 770 g / 27.16 oz
Measured 741 g / 26.15 oz
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Product Image
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Product
Description:
The
Deuter Speed Lite 24 is one of seven different size packs from their
"Speed Lite" series of packs. It is intended to be a very light weight
but feature rich pack for fast hikes or alpine outings. It is available
in 3 colors; black, cranberry-maroon (what I received), and
navy-alpine green.
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Initial
Report
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July 30 2019
Prior
to receiving the pack I had researched its features and so upon
receiving the pack was surprise at how light it is despite the numerous
features and giving the impression of a well constructed and durable
pack. The pack is constructed from "100D PA HIGH TENACITY" yarn to be
very light weight while also durable. The construction utilizes a very
tight weave to assist with abrasion and tear resistance. The pack is
given structure with a "Delrin U-frame" to help with stability and
load distribution while adding a minimum of weight. The back panel and
shoulder straps are ventilated for comfort and to further reduce
weight. The back panel is also textured to increase airflow. The
shoulder straps include load adjustment straps, a sternum strap and a
feature I have not seen before a small elastic loop for securing my
glasses when not in use (NICE!). The hip belt features ventilated and
light weight "hip fins" with zippered pockets but no padding. All of
the zippers on the pack utilize cord zipper pulls which is something I
like as I find them easier to use with stiff cold hands and less likely
to be damaged. The pack consists of one main compartment which is
accessed by way of a double top zipper which extends down about
2/3 the length of the pack. Inside the main compartment is a
hydration
pouch which the manufacturer says is compatible with 2L and 3L
hydration bladders. The hydration bladder pocket includes a bright
orange hook-n-loop securing loop to keep the bladder secure. (Another
nice detail!) Note that the single opening for the hydration hose is on
the upper left side of the pack. Along the top of the pack there is
also a smaller inner "valuables " pocket (sometimes called a goggle
pocket) that is accessed via a smaller zipper opening in the top of the
pack. The material for this inner pocket is printed with some emergency
signaling information and inside of the pocket is a strap with a small
plastic clip for securing something like a key ring. There are three
external pockets. On either side are stretch mesh water bottle pockets
and on the back is a large pocket with stretch mesh ventilation panels
on both sides. The top of this pocket can be secured utilizing the
upper two compression straps. There are two daisy chain strips of
webbing on either side of the large external pocket for attaching gear
as well as two ice ax (or trekking pole) loops at the bottom along with
adjustable elastic loops at the top.
One
notable feature of this pack is that the 4 compression straps can be
connected to each other to provide additional compression or to greatly
reduce the pack volume. This looks like it should help to make the pack
stable and secure for a large assortment of loads from totally full to
almost empty, but I would note that the lower straps pass on the
outside of the water bottle pockets. This could be advantageous in
helping to secure whatever is in the pockets but also means that
should I have a water bottle in one and remove it, it will likely
reduce the effectiveness of the compression straps. I can see pros and
cons for this and so will plan to report on how it actually performs
during my testing. The last feature I will mention here is that there
is a small tail light strap built into the bottom of the pack which is
a nice feature for bike riding. This is a feature I am quite excited
about.
My first impressions are that this is a very well
constructed pack with far more features and a much more durable 'feel'
than I would expect given its weight. This pack seems to achieve a very
nice balance between useful features, construction, and weight. The
only possible drawback might be the compression straps passing over the
water bottle pockets but that is only under the assumption I don't end
up finding that to actually be an asset.
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Field Report
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November
17 2019 |
Use:
- Day Hike x3 - Sand Lake – Washington Cascades ~5mi / ~8km
- Day Hike x2 – Pacific Crest trail maintenance scouting, Central Washington Cascades ~8mi / 13km
- Day Hike – White Pass Ski resort
With
one exception the weather for all of the outings involved warm weather
and sun. The Sand Lake trips were causal recreational trips along one
of my favorite trails. I carried my 10 essentials (I subscribe to the
REI version of the essentials), and about 1L of water in two water
bottles. For the trail maintenance trips I carried some additional snacks but otherwise carried the same load. The
last outing was a hike up the access road from the base of the White
Pass Ski area up to the summit of the ridge. The forecast was for temps
just above freezing and a chance of rain. In addition to my basic kit I
carried my full patrol aid kit, some additional clothing and a coat for
my dog. While it did not rain, at the summit it was about freezing with
light winds. The trail was a mix of gravel road, mud and sections of
compact snow/ice. On the way back, about half a mile (.8km) or so we
took a detour to descend down a section of snow that the resort had
made the week before. Footing was tricky with thin ice crust with soft
snow under it, and I was not wearing the best footwear for that.
The
pack has been quite comfortable. I have not experienced any issues with
rubbing, pinching or chafing from the pack, and so far the harness and
hip belt straps have been easy to adjust for comfort regardless if I am
wearing only a thin shirt, or a base-layer and jacket under it. I have
worked up a bit of sweat on
some of the hikes and the pack seems to provide some air flow between
it and my back. The gear I have carried has not taken up more than
about half to 2/3 the volume of the pack so I have utilized the
compression straps during every trip. The compression system has
allowed me to ensure the gear in my pack remains stable and does not
shift. This was important for the last outing because my footing was
tenuous at best and had my pack shifted it would have made things more
dangerous (I know because many years ago a shifting backpack caused a
fall which resulted in me breaking a bone in my hand. And my kids tease
me about it to this day).
I
have tried a few different configurations with what gear I packed and
what I attached to the outside. On one trip I carried one of my
trekking poles strapped to the outside of the pack, and on another I
attached one of my knives to the shoulder harness. The assortment of
straps and attachment loops makes the pack quite versatile. I have used
the side pockets for water bottles (1 and 0.5L sizes) as well as for
snacks and other items I might want easy access to. I have found it
difficult to get my water bottles in/out of the pockets while I am
wearing the pack, but as this is something I experience with most packs
I believe this has more to do with my flexibility (or lack of) than the
pack.
Since my intent is to use this pack this year as my patrol
pack I loaded it up with my patrol gear for our annual refresher
weekend. While organizing my gear I discovered that the sunglasses loop
on the chest harness is just the right size to hold my examination
light and the small upper pocket of the pack does a nice job at holding
the assorted small items that I want quick and easy access to. And the
external daisy chain loops provide an exelent place to attach my tape holder. All my
gear fit nicely and was easy to access during our training scenarios. I
look forward to using it when the season starts.
So far I really like this pack for its
comfort and versatility, and have not found anything that I don't like
or might want to change.
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Long Term Report
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Feburary 9 2020 |
Since
the Field Report I have used this pack in place of my old Ski Patrol
pack. I used it for our annual “on the snow” (though there was not much
snow so we had not opened for the season yet) refresher where we
practiced treating simulated injuries and 5 patrol duty days (these
include about 4+ hrs of Nordic skiing and other duties such as trail
maintenance and interacting with the public). Temperatures ranged from
just above freezing to well below (16F/-9C) with strong winds (gusts up
to 60mph/96kmh), and snow on most of the days (rain for the refresher).
For patrolling I put my primary first aid gear in the main compartment
along with my personal first aid kit, and my own version of the “10
essentials”. In addition to that I carry an emergency blanket (small
tarp, red on one side and reflective on the other), spare gloves and
hat, and my show shovel. On at least one outing I also stuffed my down
puffy into the pack and on another my rain shell. I found the upper
“valuables” compartment is a convenient place to store the small items
that I might need immediate access to (exam gloves, tubes of glucose,
compression bandage, hand warmers, etc). The size/shape of the pack
made it a bit difficult to pack my shovel blade, but I found with a bit
of effort I could get the blade to fit in the outer pouch of the pack
thereby avoiding putting a snow packed shovel into my pack and getting
everything wet. I store the handle in one side water bottle pocket or
the
main compartment. I would note that while this pack is not waterproof,
despite use in light rain as well as lots of snow, the contents
remained dry. I have considered purchasing a rain cover but so far I
have not found that I need it.
The compression straps have made
it easy to adjust the pack so that my bulky winter gear, which can be
different for every outing, fits snugly and does not shift. While the
quick release buckles and large top opening allow me to get quick
access to my aid gear. For Nordic skiing it is very important that my
pack not shift or move during use regardless of what I am carrying, and
as I am removing and donning my pack frequently in the course of my
patrol duties I often don’t use the hip belt with my patrol pack and
that has not been a problem with this pack at all. Even with just the
chest strap buckled the pack has performed quite well. I also found
because of the pull loops the zippers are quite easy to operate even
with gloves on. Throughout the testing I have yet to experience any
difficulties with the zippers (no sticking, snagging or opening on their
own), straps or buckles and no loose threads.
As
for durability, I can say I am quite impressed with this pack. My
shovel, being aluminum and having been used heavily (ice, rock,
concrete, etc) has some sharp edges. But despite shoving it into and
pulling it out of the pack multiple times it has not snagged or damaged
the pack material at all. Further, and this is a bit embarrassing, but
one particular icy day I managed to crash hard on a long icy slope and
ended up sliding on my back (with the Speed Lite 24 between me and the
ice/snow) for about 20 yards/meters. After getting up (and verifying
that no one saw me) I inspected the pack but found no signs of damage
whatsoever! I would also mention not a single item came loose or
fell out including my water bottle that was in the side pocket. After
inspecting the pack for the writing of this installment I could find no
obvious signs of wear or use.
I really don’t have any complaints
about this pack. It fits well, can comfortably accommodate a wide range
of loads (from stuffed full to virtually empty), and has all those
little details mentioned previously in this report. As of the end of
this test this pack has officially replaced my old pack for ski patrol
(I have already attached the iconic white cross to it), and is now my
‘go to’ day pack. (Don’t tell my wife but it has got me thinking of
maybe replacing my old multi-day pack with a Deuter…)
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This
concludes
my Report.
I would like to thank the folks at Deuter and BackpackGearTest.org
for the opportunity to test this product.
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Read more reviews of Deuter gear
Read more gear reviews by David Wilkes
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