As an avid hiker all of my adult life I have thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in the eastern US and sections of the Pacific Crest Trail in the west. I currently reside in the desert southwest and spend most weekends and all vacations hiking and exploring. I prefer long hikes and traveling with a light pack. My current base backpacking weight (not including food or water) measures about 10 lbs (4.5 kg). My web site Todd’s Desert Hiking Guide contains detailed information, descriptions and photographs of many hikes and canyons in Arizona and Utah.

Manufacturer:

Ultimate Direction (http://www.ultimatedirection.com/)

Style of Product:

Lightweight backpack

Color:

Red and gray

Year of Manufacture:

2005

Listed Weight:

39 oz (1.1 kg)

Weight as Delivered:

Pack - 30 oz  (0.85 kg)
Water Reservoir and Tube - 7 oz (0.2 kg)
Total Weight - 37 oz (1 kg)

Location(s) of test:

The pack was tested in the mountains and deserts of Arizona including the Tonto, Coconino and Kaibab National Forests.

Terrain:

Trips consisted of both on and off trail hikes during which time the pack was subjected to a considerable amount of bushwhacking and brush.

Weather Conditions:

Hot!

Suspension System and Comfort:
Probably the single most important feature for me in determining the comfort of a pack is the suspension system. The suspension determines where the load rides on your body and how it is distributed. There is no doubt a big difference between carrying 30 lbs (13.6 kg) of rocks in a pillowcase versus a high performance backpack. The pack body is merely a cloth sack, like a pillowcase, it’s the pack’s suspension that makes all the difference in how the load carries.

Unfortunately, my opinion of the SpeeDemon’s suspension system has changed very little since my field report. My experience is that the foam stays give the pack some shape and support but do little to support the weight of the contents of the pack and keep the load from being transferred to the hiker's shoulders. The pack, instead, relies on the contents to give the pack form and rigidity. The problem with this design is that the hiker must carry a certain volume of gear in order to fill the pack sufficiently to provide this rigidity. Normally on day hikes, I carry little beyond a rain jacket, food, water, a map, camera and small bag of miscellaneous items (lip balm, sunscreen, spare batteries, etc.). In this scenario, the gear falls to the bottom of the pack and with nothing to support it, the pack tends to fold in the middle and slump onto my shoulders (which, to be fair, is not that big of a deal since I’m not carrying very much weight to begin with).

It should be noted that straps at the bottom and sides of the pack can be used to compress the volume of the pack to help conform the pack to the volume of the contents. These work well for medium sized loads, but not when the load is small as described above.

I’ve also used the pack for canyoneering trips where I typically carry considerably more gear than on a day hike. On these trips I’ve filled the cargo section of the pack with the typical day hike gear, plus the addition of rope, harness, and dry bags. My helmet was stored in the rear pocket (which I’ve found holds it quite securely), and I’ve often secured a wet suit under the bottom compression straps. In this configuration, the pack is considerably more rigid, with the gear providing support to the pack.

When canyoneering I’ve carried up to 30 pounds (13.6 kg) in the SpeeDemon pack and, while not exactly comfortable, have found it to be bearable. My main complaint is that much of the weight is carried on my shoulders. The reason this is the case appears to be due to the fact that the load lifters don’t actually do any “lifting” (they are connected to the pack below the level of my shoulders). The load lifters do add some value by pulling the weight of the pack closer to my body. This helps to transfer some of the weight of the pack to the hip belt, though I have not found it possible to remove all the weight from the tops of my shoulders. The continuous shoulder straps distribute the remaining weight evenly between my shoulders, but, due to an old back injury, I greatly prefer to keep all weight on my hips.

When loaded, the SpeeDemon also pulls back quite a bit, putting strain on the front of my shoulders. For this reason it is necessary to always utilize the sternum strap when hiking with the pack. The sternum strap pulls the weight of the pack closer to my back, reducing this drag. It also pulls the shoulder straps together, since they otherwise tend to sit very wide on my shoulders. Though I typically do not hike with a sternum strap, since I find that it restricts movement in my chest and adds another step to donning or doffing the pack, I find it is more comfortable to use it in the case of the SpeeDemon. Fortunately, the strap is elasticized and does not restrict my breathing in any way, though it does add another clip to deal with when putting on or removing the pack.

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. Since hikers have different types of bodies, having a system that allows for a custom fitted pack is a good idea in theory; unfortunately my experience is that the design used in the SpeeDemon pack does not work in practice. The main reason this is the case appears to be design of the load lifters. Because the load lifters are connected to the pack body (and not part of the Torso Link System) raising the system causes the load lifter straps to fall lower and lower below the hiker’s back. It also routes the straps further and further from the padded straps that go over the hiker’s shoulders. Imagine a pack that has load lifters which connect at a point below the hikers shoulder blades. There’s a reason packs are not designed this way, it simply doesn’t confer any benefit (in fact it actually adds discomfort). Unfortunately, this is exactly what raising the suspension system accomplishes with the SpeeDemon. My experience has been that raising the system causes all the pack weight to hang off my shoulders in an extremely uncomfortable fashion. For this reason I always hike with the system set in its shortest possible position.

Lastly, in my discussion of comfort, I'd like to mention the pack's 3D AirMesh back panel and shoulder straps. I've found the straps to be soft and comfortable, and that they've done a good job controlling moisture build up even on hikes in excess of 100 F (38 C). I have also found that these padded straps don’t soak up a lot of water, unlike some other packs I own. Canyoneering hikes often involve wading and swimming while carrying a pack. Any absorbed water ultimately becomes extra unnecessary weight that the hiker must carry.

Performance and Durability:
Since much of the hiking that I’ve done during this test period has been off trail, the SpeeDemon pack has been subjected to brush, branches, rocks and thorns. The pack has so far held up well under these conditions, and still appears as good as new. The 70D nylon fabric from which the pack is made is quite slick and tends to glide through brush rather than getting snagged and torn. The big exception is the bungee cords on the back of the pack, which tend to get snagged on branches. This has not caused any damage to the pack, but it has caused me to get hung up on several occasions.

Though I have not had the opportunity to test the pack in the rain during this test period I have been able to evaluate the pack in a wet canyon environment. The manufacturer advertises that the hypalon coated pack body and zippers are waterproof. Though they make no claims as to whether the pack is waterproof as a whole, my experience is that the pack provides significant water resistance even when the pack has been completely immersed. When canyoneering the pack has been thrown into deep pools, submerged and worn while swimming. Under these conditions, I’ve found that the pack takes on very little water and what little did get inside drained quickly through the small grommets in the bottom of the pack. I would fully expect the pack to provide water resistance to sprinkles or light rain showers for hikers, though I’d recommend that hikers provide additional protection from the elements for critical items that need to remain dry.

My main complaint with the SpeeDemon pack is associated with the suspension system and load lifters. I find that my back is aggravated when forced to carry additional weight on my shoulders and the suspension system simply doesn’t transfer enough of the pack’s weight to the hip belt to suit my needs. I my not be considered a typical hiker in that by back is somewhat sensitive to do an old injury, though I do not know many hikers that prefer carrying weight on their shoulders as opposed to their hips.

With that said, the SpeeDemon does have many positive features. The pack is light weight, has enough storage capacity to carry plenty of gear and allows easy access to all the most frequently used items (water, snacks and camera) without having to stop and take off the pack. It also appears to be durable and highly water resistant.

• Light weight
• Plenty of storage room for day hikes, could easily be used for light weight overnight trips
• Plenty of hydration options
• Hydration tube fits easily through the hole in the back of the pack
• Hip belt pockets are very useful for carrying a camera and snacks
• The water reservoir is fairly stable when placed on uneven ground
• There is little taste to water in the reservoir compared with other hydration systems I have used
• Durable
• Highly water resistant
   

• The pack's foam suspension is weak, resulting in pack slump when the pack is not completely filled
• Too much of the pack weight is carried on the shoulders
• Load lifters do a mediocre job lifting the pack weight off the hiker's shoulders
• Load lifters are displaced from the pack's shoulder straps when the adjustable suspension system is raised
• The water reservoir pocket is cut too large and is not elasticized, causing it to get in the way of loading gear into the main compartment
• The water reservoir nozzle on both the old and new reservoir doesn't work very well for me
• I'd like to see waterproof zippers added to the hip belt pouches, since I use them to carry my camera
   

• Waterproof zippers are a little stiff to open & close
• When I pick up the pack by a single shoulder strap, the continuous strap slips and it becomes very long and somewhat awkward to carry
• The removable shoulder strap mounted water bottle holsters get in the way of the natural swing of my arm