The SpeeDemon pack was carried on roughly a dozen day hikes in the deserts
of Arizona ranging in distance from 8-20 miles (13-32 km). During these
hikes I typically carried between 7-15
 pounds
(3-7 kg) of gear including food, water, wind shell, rain suit, long sleeve
shirt, camera, and small zip-lock bag of miscellaneous items (spare
batteries, map, compass, small knife etc.). There is not much of a system to
my packing style on these hikes. Usually I'll just put a full water
reservoir in the pouch designed for that purpose, stuff the rain suit in the
bottom of the pack's main compartment, and pile everything else on top. The
exceptions are my bag of miscellaneous items which I place in the top
compartment, and my camera which I carry in one of the handy-dandy pouches located
on the pack's hip belt. On one hike during the test period I carried a spare
water bottle in the removable bottle holster located on the shoulder strap
of the pack.
Suspension System and Comfort:
As described in my Initial Report, the shoulder harness of the SpeeDemon
pack has a unique design by which the lift webbing of each of the two straps
is continuous. The first effect of this design is that when picked up by the
shoulder strap (the typical way I lift a day pack to carry it to the car or
put it on my back) is that the side that is grabbed becomes very long due to
the fact that it takes up all the slack from the shoulder strap on the other
side. When
slung over one shoulder in this fashion, the pack hangs very low and at an
awkward angle. I do not find this to be a big deal, though it is sort of odd
at first. The shoulder harness design also has the result that, when worn,
the pack's shoulder straps rise and fall with the hiker's shoulders as they
walk. This feels a bit unusual when the pack is first worn, but is actually quite comfortable
and it ensures that the pack weight is equally distributed on each shoulder.
Also noted in my
Initial Report, the SpeeDemon does not have a rigid
suspension system. Instead it has a flexible frame
consisting of two pieces of semi-rigid 'S' shaped foam sewn into either side
of the pack. The foam gives the pack some shape and support while still
remaining lightweight. But how does it do in supporting the weight of the
contents of the pack and keeping the load from being transferred to the
hiker's shoulders? Well, the answer depends on how the pack is stuffed. Like
some other light weight packs I've seen, the SpeeDemon relies on the
contents of the pack to provide some of the rigidity required to give the
pack its shape. My experience is that the foam stays are not strong enough to
do the job on their own. As a result, if the pack is not filled to capacity,
the gear forms a bunch at the bottom of the main storage compartment and
does not contribute to the pack's shape. In this case, I have found that the
pack slumps (as can be seen in the photo at right) and a portion of the
pack's weight is transferred to the hiker's shoulders, pulling back and down on them in
an uncomfortable fashion. On the other hand, if pack is filled, the added
rigidity provided by gear keeps the pack upright and a larger proportion of
the weight is carried by the hip belt. This was confirmed during testing when, with the pack
on my back, I simply unclipped the hip belt. I could feel the weight drop
onto my shoulders when this was done, leading me to conclude that much of the weight
was indeed being carried on my hips.
The fit of the pack is adjusted to the user by what the manufacturer
calls its "Torso Link Suspension System". The system allows the upper back
pad and shoulder strap assembly to be raised or lowered relative to the pack
using hook and loop fastener strips located behind the back pad and within
the pack body. To date, my experience with this system has been mixed. With
the suspension set in it's lowest position (configured for a shorter torso),
the connection point for the shoulder straps and the pack's load lifters
both sit below the top of my shoulders. In order for these items to perform
effectively, they should sit higher than the shoulders, optimally at a 45
degree angle. I have tried raising the suspension in the field in order to
better achieve this setting, but have
 found that it produces an
uncomfortable fit and that the higher setting causes the pack to hang back
from my shoulders. This seems to be the result of two design decisions:
1. The connection point for the load lifters are hard sewn to the body of
the pack instead of to the upper suspension system. As a result, when the
suspension system is raised, it changes the angle of the load lifter
webbing. When the suspension is set in a longer position, the load lifter
webbing actually comes completely off of the shoulder straps and passes
directly over the hiker's shoulders at an awkward angle. When tightened in
this position, instead of pulling the pack weight up and off the hiker's
shoulders, it simply causes the shoulder straps to buckle and fold (see
photo at left).
2. Because the foam frame ends just below the pack's load lifters, when the
suspension is raised, there is no support that extends up to the top of the
pack's shoulder straps. Without any support, the pack slumps and pulls back
from the hiker's back, resulting in increased weight pulling down and back
on the shoulder straps.
Since I have only tried a few quick adjustments in the field in an attempt
to achieve a better fit, I am going to reserve my final judgment of the
adjustable suspension system until my final report when I've had more time
to experiment and fine tune the fit. To date, I have found that the shortest
torso setting provides the best comfort for me.
In addition to the suspension system described, the pack has an
adjustable sternum strap which can be raised or lowered along a continuous 6
inch (15 cm) piece of webbing located on the shoulder straps. Typically I do
not use a sternum strap, particularly when carrying a day pack, but I've
found that the shoulder straps of the SpeeDemon tend to ride rather wide. My
experience is that the use of the sternum strap helps to pull the shoulder
straps together, providing a more comfortable fit.
Finally, in my discussion of comfort, I'd like to mention the pack's 3D
AirMesh back panel and shoulder straps. So far, I've found the straps to be soft
and comfortable, and that they've done a good job controlling moisture build
up. The real test, though, will occur in the next few months as we move into
the summer months and temperatures
Arizona rise to well over 100 F (38 C).
Gear Storage:
Gear storage options on the SpeeDemon are in no short supply. The
main compartment and top mounted storage pocket are secured with waterproof
zippers. The zippers work fine, but are much stiffer to open and close than
regular zippers due to a rubberized storm flap that covers the teeth. The
zipper on
the main compartment extends 3/5 of the way down the body of the pack,
making it easy to stuff items into the wide mouth. The inside of the main
compartment is separated by a water reservoir pouch which holds the
reservoir next to the pack's back pad. This pouch is made of nylon (like
the rest of the pack body) and is not elasticized in any way. Without
elastic, and because it is cut rather wide, I find that it does not hold the
reservoir securely. As a result, the water reservoir sort of slumps in the
pocket holding the mouth of the reservoir pocket open, making it somewhat difficult to
get other gear into the main compartment without unintentionally putting it
on top of the reservoir instead of into the main body of the pack.
Though small, my favorite storage compartments on the pack are the two removable hip
belt mounted pouches. They are the perfect size for a snack or a small point
and shoot camera and offer convenient and easy access to frequently used
items (I like to take a lot of photos, so I find easy access to a camera is a very
useful feature). Other packs I've used place a storage pocket on the side of
the pack, which I invariably find I can only access by contorting my arm at an awkward
angle. This is not the case with the hip pouches on the SpeeDemon. My only suggestion for these pockets would be to utilize the same
waterproof zippers and material in their construction as in the main pack
body. I believe this would improve the
water resistance of the pouches, an important feature if you choose to use
them for electronic equipment like I do.
The pack also has a large bungee compressible mesh stow-it pocket on the
back and two mesh side pockets, none of which I've had cause to use to date.
There is no doubt I could carry a lot of equipment if I choose to do so by
taking advantage of all of these storage options.
Hydration Features:
Temperatures during the Arizona winter and early spring tend to be fairly
moderate with highs in the 70's F (low 20's C).
 As
a result, I find a single three quart (three liter) water reservoir is usually sufficient to remain hydrated
during a medium or even long hike, which is what I carried on my first hike
with the SpeeDemon. On returning home from the hike, I noticed that the
bottom of the pack was wet and upon closer examination, found that the water
reservoir had a leak where the drinking water tube was connected to the
bladder. I boxed up the reservoir, marked the leak and returned it to the
vendor for replacement. A few weeks later, Ultimate Direction sent a new reservoir
back to me, however, I was surprised to find that it was an older model
without the kicker valve or neoprene sleeve on the drinking tube. I give the
vendor good marks for the speed of their return but mark them down for not
replacing the defective equipment with an identical item.
Though I only used the reservoir with the kicker valve on one hike, I
will describe my experience. First let me say that I have an Ultimate
Direction water bottle that sports a kicker valve. To take a drink from the
bottle I just pull out the kicker valve with my teeth and squeeze the
bottle. With this back pressure the valve opens wide, delivering a large
quantity of water in a quick burst. Simply put, the system works quite well.
Unfortunately this is not the case with the reservoir. Instead of relying on
back pressure to open the valve as with the bottle, suction is needed with
the reservoir. My experience is that I am not able to generate a comparable
amount of force using suction and, as a result, get very little water from
nozzle. In addition, whenever I took my mouth away from the nozzle a small
amount of air would get in backing the water up the drinking tube. This
resulted in my having to suck out a few swallows of air before getting to
the water next time I wanted a drink.
The replacement reservoir provided by Ultimate Direction has what I believe to
be the older nozzle design, which consisted of
a more typical bite valve. The valve is mounted on a swivel which acts to
turn the nozzle off and on (as illustrated in the photo below). The
bite valve has a groove running along the top and bottom for the user to
place their teeth and two holes in the tip which allow water to escape. With
several hikes under my belt testing this older design, I can say that the new kicker
valve, while not great, is a definite improvement. I am not sure whether the
tooth groove is placed in the wrong location to sufficiently open the holes
or whether the holes are too small to release much water, but I find that I
really have to work (sucking and chewing on the bite valve) to get a drink
from this reservoir.
Lest it is thought that there is nothing about the reservoir that I like,
there are several features that I find quite appealing. I have found that with either reservoir that the
polyurethane construction adds little taste to the water. Some reservoirs
have a strong and distinct rubber or plastic taste to them. The taste added
by the UD reservoir is quite mild. I also like the fact that the reservoir
has a strip of plastic internally which gives it a flattened shape which
tends to keep it from rolling when placed on a slanted or uneven surface. I
am somewhat neutral about the roll top closure system though (similar to a
dry bag, but secured in place with hook and loop fastener). I have found
that the roll top is easy to use, is secure, and does not leak, all of which
is good. I just haven't identified any advantage that this confers over
other reservoirs that have a screw in lid (which are also easy to use,
secure and do not leak).
When filled, the water reservoir is placed in the pack and the drinking
tube routed through a drinking tube port located in the center of the pack
just behind the wearers back. It seems that many manufacturers make the
drinking tube port very small, in order to reduce the chance of rain getting
in and soaking the contents of your pack. While this serves its purpose, it
can be difficult to get the tube through the port. The SpeeDemon pack has a
large port for the drinking tube, making it easy to thread before the hike. UD
has solved the rain problem by placing an elasticized shingle over this port
to protect it from rain. I have not have the opportunity to test whether
this feature does indeed keep water out of the pack, but certainly like how
easy it is to get the tube through the hole. Once outside the pack, the
drinking tube can then be routed through elastic straps that are found on
either shoulder strap. My experience is that this system does a good job of
holding the drinking tube in place over my shoulder and allows easy access
to the bite valve. I've found though that the drinking tube is quite a bit
longer than the last elastic strap on the shoulder strap (and needs to be to
get it to my mouth). The problem with this is that there is about a foot of
drinking tube that hangs free from the last elastic strap. As I walk the
bite valve bounces up and down with the result that it taps me in the
abdomen with each step. Not a big deal, but a minor annoyance. I've since
added an alligator clip to the tube so that I can secure it to a strap so
that it doesn't sway.
Lastly, on one hike I utilized the removable water bottle holster which
mounts on the shoulder strap and carried a 20oz (0.6 liter) water bottle.
The holster held the bottle securely and provided ready access to another
water source besides the reservoir. This might be useful for adventure
racers who might not want to stop to refill, but I found that the weight
pulled awkwardly on my shoulder strap and that the bulky water bottle
somewhat interfered with the natural swing of my arms. For future hikes if I
need extra water I'll likely just place the bottles inside the pack and take
a minute to use them to refill my reservoir when it runs dry.
Durability:
Several of the hikes during this test period involved pushing through
brush and hiking off trail. Despite being subjected to clawing branches and
prickly plants, the SpeeDemon appears as good as new. The 70D nylon fabric
from which the pack is made is quite slick and seems to resist snagging. I
have found that the mesh sides tend to snag, but they have not been damaged
to date.
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