Reviews > Packs > Frameless Backpacks and Day Packs > Ultimate Direction SpeeDemon > David Sowards-Emmerd > Initial Report

Initial Report - Ultimate Direction SpeeDemon Race Pack
February 10, 2005

Backpacking Background:
I began backpacking semi-frequently about four years ago, soon after moving to California. I generally take weekend (1 night) trips, and occasionally take 3-4 day trips. Most of my backpacking is at moderate altitude, 6,000'-12,000' (1,800-3,650 m), in conditions ranging from dry desert to hail/heavy snow in the mountains. In winter and spring, I split time between Southern California (SoCal) deserts and snowshoeing/skiing/snowcamping in the Sierra/Cascades. Summer and fall I tend to stick to the high country. I have reduced my packweight down to less than 50 lb (23 kg) over the past year - including food/water and a bear barrel. I'm trying to include more mountaineering, climbing and bouldering in my trips.

Current Packs and Pack Philosophy:
I still have and use the following packs: Gregory Denali Pro, Gregory Whitney, Granite Gear Stratus Access 4500 FZ, Dana Design Bombpack (older model), Osprey Aether 60, Marmot Talus, Gregory Halo, Mystery Ranch Mountain Monkey and a handful of other even smaller packs. None of these (save the Aether) are even remotely lightweight. I much prefer a more comfortable, bombproof-construction pack, built to last a decade or more - even if it means an extra couple pounds.

Product Description

Specifications (as measured by tester):
Weight (total) 2.2 lb (1.0 kg)
Weight (one removable hip pocket) 0.9 oz (26 g)
Weight (one front bottle holder): 0.6 oz (18 g)
Weight (hydration bladder w/ tube insulator) 6.7 oz (191 g)

Initial Impressions:

This is one brightly colored backpack! The combination of the bright red fabric and reflective logo means I'll be pretty visible biking home at twilight. The design seems to be oriented more towards adventure racing than conventional backpacking. The size of the pack is about what I expected from the product description. Overall, the construction it top notch, and I haven't found any problems with seams or stitching.

Materials:

One thing that really struck me is the interesting choice of fabrics for this pack. The red fabric has a hypalon coating and to me looks like fabric used in waterproof/breathable jackets! The manufacturer's claim is that this increases visibility inside the pack and this appears to be true due to the extra reflected light. All of the webbing, except that used on the waistbelt, is very thin compared to the standard thickness I'm used to seeing on packs. The bungee used on this pack has reflective string wound around it, which in addition to increasing visibility also gives it some texture and adds some extra friction for the tighteners. Also, most of the loose webbing ends on the pack have a loop of elastic material sewn onto them so that the extra webbing can be rolled up and inserted into this loop to avoid snags or flapping webbing.

Suspension:

The waist belt, shoulder straps, and hourglass shaped back panel are made of 3D AirMesh. The soft and flexible waistbelt is sewn into the pack and thus can't be removed. Waistbelt stabilizer straps connect to the pack with a 'V' of webbing that can shift freely through a ladderlock buckle.

Shoulder straps attach to the top of the pack with load lifter straps, and connect directly to the adjustable back panel. The bottom connection is a bit more interesting, and I've never seen anything quite like it on a pack! Instead of attaching to the bottom sides of the pack, a single, continuous piece of webbing runs through the bottom center of the pack - around a small rod - and connects both shoulder straps together (see photo). This feels a little funny when putting the pack over one shoulder, because the pack actually slides downward. This also makes carrying the pack using just one strap a bit more interesting - something I do frequently with daypacks. I will comment on this in my later reports.

The upper back panel attaches to both the inside and outside of the pack by hook-and-loop fasteners and I can adjust it up and down to change the effective torso length of the pack. Load support is provided in the form of two hard foam side panels on each side of the pack.

Pockets:

Inside the main compartment is a hydration sleeve that is very large compared to the size of the bladder included with the pack (Possibly to leave room for a sleeping pad for support?). At the top left of the hydration sleeve is a tag stating, ''Sample Not To Be Sold'', and, ''Production Date: July 11, 2004''. So I cannot rule out the possibility that this is a pre-production model and may be slightly different from the models in stores. Access to the main compartment is through a water-resistant YKK double zipper that runs 2/3 the length of the pack on each side (see photo), opening in the clam-shell fashion.

Just above the main compartment zipper is the top pocket which is also sealed with a single, water-resistant YKK zipper. The dimensions of the top pocket are approximately 7.5'' x 10'' (19 cm x 25 cm).

Mesh side pockets are found on each side of the bottom of the pack. These are large enough to accommodate a standard liter/quart size water bottle. A strip of webbing runs across the top of the pocket and tightens with a ladderlock to secure the contents or seal off the pocket.

The front of the pack is dominated by the 'stow-it' pocket. This is a half mesh/half fabric panel sewn into the bottom of the pack and attached with bungee on the sides of the panel. This pocket is large enough to fit my bike or climbing helmet or a large jacket.

Two zippered pockets came attached to the waistbelt. Both are identical except that the zipper directions are reversed. The Pockets are easily removed via hook and loop fasteners from the webbing on the waistbelt and can be attached to a belt, harness, etc., very quickly. These pockets are padded on the side of the attachment point. These are just what I've been looking for in waistbelt pockets and I will also use them on other packs during the testing period! The pockets are large enough to fit my jukebox style MP3 player with ease.

Compression:

There are a handful of compression straps to help stabilize the pack and secure the load. I divide these into two categories: webbing and bungee. In the webbing category, there are two compression straps on the bottom of the pack, allowing the effective volume of the pack to be quickly decreased. Also, the webbing at the top of the two side mesh pockets serve as compression straps. Finally, a third strap connects the top of the 'stow-it' pocket to the pack body. This strap doesn't really serve to compress the pack due to the length and placement, it's really to cinch down the contents of the 'stow-it' pocket. The bungee zig-zagging up and down the sides of the 'stow-it' pocket complement this strap.

Hydration Bladder:

Included in the pack was a 96 oz (2.8 l) hydration bladder. The bladder seals on top with a roll top closure which is held in place with hook-and-loop fasteners. The material the bladder is constructed from has a soft, rubbery feel to it. There are gradations on the bladder to indicate the fluid level, however this seems very arbitrary to me for a flexible bladder. The mouthpiece on the bladder is the new ''Kicker Valve'' system. Pulling out the ''Kicker Valve'' puts it in the open position. Pushing it back in, or pushing it to the side which results in it being pushed back in, closes the valve. Finally, an insulating wrap covers most of the hose.

Other External Attachment Points:

Two removable bottle holders are located on the front of the shoulder straps. These work in conjunction with bungee located further up the shoulder straps to secure the bottle. I've verified that these also secure both Samuel Adams and Sierra Nevada beer bottles quite well - now I just need some straws!

The two ice axe/trekking pole attachment points include the usual loop of webbing at the bottom of the pack as well as a bungee attachment point to secure the shaft of the axe/pole. However, this upper attachment point is on the flap of the 'stow-it' pocket as opposed to the body of the pack (see photo) and does not seem like a very secure attachment point since the flap is somewhat free to move around.

Specific Things to Monitor, Test, and Report On:

• Weatherproofing
• Adjustability/Fit
• Overall Comfort
• Stability/Balance
• Quality/Durability
• Hydration Sleeve/Bladder
• Access
• Breathability/Ventilation
• Use as a Sleeping Pad
• Ice Axe/Trekking Pole Attachment Points
• Versatility of the Stow-It Pocket
• Front Bottle Holders

Potential Concerns:

• Since the pack is constructed of very lightweight materials, I'm concerned about the durability of the pack. Thus I will pay close attention to wear and tear.
• Due to the location of the upper ice axe attachment points, I'm concerned about the ability to carry an ice axe when the 'stow-it' pocket is not full.

Testing Locations and Test Plan:

I plan to test the SpeeDemon on several ski and snowshoe trips (more likely snowshoe than ski since I'm not sure whether it'll carry skis) in the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascades. As I've been gathering more and more compact gear, I will also use the SpeeDemon for a few overnighters. Additionally, I will wear the SpeeDemon around town, for travel, commuting to work by bike, and probably on some training hikes locally. I've already used the SpeeDemon several times biking to work and carried the SpeeDemon on a local 20 mi (32 km) overnighter in the first week I've had it and will describe this testing in my Field Report.

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Reviews > Packs > Frameless Backpacks and Day Packs > Ultimate Direction SpeeDemon > David Sowards-Emmerd > Initial Report