Product Information

Name and Model: Deuter ACT Lite 50+10 backpack
Maker: Deuter Sport & Leder
http://www.deuter.com
Year of manufacture: 2004
Product Type: Top loading, internal frame backpack
Options: None available
Color: Steel/ash (blue/gray)
Ships with: Two hangtags
Size tested: One size (universal fit)
Specified Volume: 50 liters/60 liters using extension collar (3,050/3,650 ci)
Specified weight: 4 lbs (1.8 kg)
Measured weight: 4 lbs, 4 oz (1.94 kg)

Tester Information

Tester: Rick Dreher
Email: redbike64(at)hotmail(dot)com
Male
Height: 6 ft (1.83 meters)
Torso Length: (using Gregory fitting jig): 19.5 in (49 cm)
Weight: 175 lb (79 kg, 12.5 stones)
Age: 50
Location: Northern California, USA
Years backpacking experience: 37
Backpacking skill level: Mid to advanced
Style of backpacking: Lightweight, but not ultra, alpine and subalpine travel (see bio at end of report)

Report date: October 1, 2004

Introduction

Is there a major piece of backpacking gear that comes in as great a variety as the backpack itself? Probably not, given the several hundreds of available models we have to choose from, a good percentage of which are new introduced each season. From this vast wealth of choices, it’s safe to say the coated-nylon, top-loading, single-compartment, single top pocket, internal-frame backpack is the most common backpack form. This test pack more or less fits the description. I’ve probably used two-dozen different internal frame backpacks over the years--all have had their strengths and weaknesses. Because there’s no such thing as a perfect pack (still awaiting that antigravity gizmo, thank you) I’m always game to test a new one!

Howdy Deuter.

Deuter, a German firm well established in Europe, is making a foray into the very crowded and competitive American backpacking marketplace. The test subject—the Aircontact (ACT) Lite 50+10—could be said to represent the middle of that portion of the Deuter line being brought to the States (not all Deuter packs are listed for sale here at present). At about $150 retail, it’s middle sized and mid-priced, and offers a solidly-designed, well-made backpack at a competitive price. The Lite editions of the ACT series have a simpler, lighter frame and padding, and likely use lighter fabrics in places than their heavier brethern. While it’s from a German company, the test pack is made in Vietnam.

The ACT Lite 50+10 is part of the Aircontact pack series (comprising at least ten models). The ACT Lites have gone through a weight-reduction program, and all the Aircontact packs stress back ventilation. (Note: this pack differs significantly from the Aircontact 50+10SL also being tested in this BGT series.) To reduce weight, Deuter uses thick but narrow open-cell foam pads faced with wicking mesh fabric to hold the pack away from the wearer’s back. The idea is to both carry away sweat and leave a chimney-shaped void between pack and back, to increase airflow and reduce heat and sweat. Deuter is proud enough of this technology that the pack’s larger hangtag has a sample section of the foam and fabric pad glued to its face, and displays thermographs showing two people’s backs: one with significant heat buildup without Aircontact and a much cooler one with Aircontact. Deuter claims the system drops back temperature as much as 5 deg. C (8 F) and reduces sweating 15%. The other hangtag is more of an inventory tag, giving the pack’s specific model and color but not any description of the pack’s features or user tips, such as fitting and packing. For these details, one must access either the main Deuter website or that of Deuter USA.

Deuter describes the ACT Lite 50+10 as “A large trekking pack built in a light design.” When packed it presents a relatively slender profile, especially when no water bottles are in the side pockets. A narrow pack without a lot of external features can be a boon to hikers who travel brushy areas or have to do some off-trail scrambling to reach their destination. The ACT 50’s main compartment is slightly pear-shaped, being wider on the bottom than on top, which subtly affects packing. (More on this later.)

Product Description

The top-loading ACT Lite 50+10 (ACT 50) has a single main compartment that’s also dividable into two sections using a zippered fabric flap about a quarter of the way from the bottom. The main compartment had two drawstring top closures: one at the top of the compartment and a second atop the extension collar (delineated by different fabrics). A crescent-shaped zippered flap gives access to the main compartment’s bottom section from the front. If the internal divider is used, this is how you’d access a sleeping bag or other items kept on the bottom. A zippered pocket is sewn into the flap’s inside face.

Pockets Aplenty

The ACT 50 has a sewn-on top pocket. The pocket’s position can be adjusted to accommodate the extra pack height when using the extension collar, meaning the pocket can always be centered atop the opening for best balance. The top pocket has two additional pockets sewn in: one on top, which includes a key-keeper strap, and a larger one underneath. The latter pocket can be used to carry folded maps. Also sewn to the lid pocket’s underside is a set of Alpine emergency signal instructions, in German and English. Did you know that a series of six signals, once per minute, is for summoning help in the Alps? I do, now that I’ve read this pack. There’s an open-top mesh pocket on the bottom of either side of the main compartment. Inside the main compartment is a large, deep hydration system pocket. A hook-and-loop bladder hanger is sewn above the pocket opening and there is also a weather-protected drinking tube exit point. One last zippered “ditty” pocket is sewn to the right hip belt wing.

Frame & Suspension

The ACT 50’s “X” frame consists of a pair of aluminum stays housed in separate webbing channels that cross one another roughly mid-back. A third, short metal stay holds the X stays apart at the top, roughly forming a triangle out of the top of the X. The frame is stout, although it does flex to allow the pack to move with the body, and includes a thermoplastic frame sheet not described in the Deuter literature. Unlike another X-framed pack I once owned, the ACT 50 doesn’t use a fabric “trampoline” stretched between the X stays—they’re instead bent to follow the back’s shape and ride fairly close, as is typical with typical vertical stays. The three stays contribute 7.4 oz (210 g) to the pack’s weight and can be removed without surgery for anyone inclined to try the pack without, or who wants to try re-contouring the two long stays. As compared to a frameless pack or one that forgoes stays for plastic and/or foam, there’s no possibility the 50+10 will sag on the trail; the waist belt and load control straps are solidly anchored in position by the X-frame no matter how much pack contents might settle or shift (i.e., push down from above and it’s not going to budge much).

Fitting

To accommodate a range of torso lengths, the shoulder strap top harness attachment point is vertically adjustable using Deuter’s Variquick system. A vertical row of nine webbing loops, anchored on either side act as a sort of daisy chain, and gives approximately 4.5 in (11 cm) of adjustment range. The shoulder straps join on top with a rigid rectangle that has a hook-and-loop strap attached. This strap passes through any adjacent four of the nine webbing anchor loops and attaches to itself to fix the yoke position and set the torso length. The system is very easy to use--it takes only a few seconds to change the position. There are no other sizing adjustments, such as interchangeable waist belts or an adjustable space between the shoulder straps. (Deuter makes Aircontact SL-series packs sized for shorter, narrow-shouldered hikers.) I’ve alternated among the top three positions in using the test pack; which is most comfortable seems to depend on my load, whether I’m using the extension collar, and my fatigue factor that day. The system’s ease of use encourages experimentation.

Straps

Myriad straps adorn the ACT 50. Beginning with the top pocket, it’s held in place by three straps—two in back and one in front—as well as the sewn-on fabric flap in back. All three straps adjust to center the pocket atop the main compartment opening, important for balance and weather-resistance. Two adjustable load-control straps run from the top of the main compartment to the front of each shoulder strap. They’re solidly anchored on top by the cross-stay, which ties them into the suspension system. Four inches (10 cm) down from the main compartment top is a pair of compression straps fitted with quick-release buckles; 9 in (23 cm) down is a second compression strap pair (w/o QR buckles). These straps just clear the tops of the mesh pockets so they won’t interfere with pocket access or prevent carrying tall bottles. The elastic-damped sternum strap is vertically adjustable, sliding up or down webbing anchors in front of the shoulder strap pads. The pack’s front side features a crisscrossed bungee cord for carrying clothing or perhaps a sleeping pad or groundsheet. On each side of the front is a hideaway pole/ice axe strap and at the bottom, corresponding axe loops. Load control straps run from the pack body to the waist belt.

Fabrics and Foams

The blue, gray and black ACT 50 is fashioned from various weights of coated rip-stop and taffeta nylon and polyester fabrics. The pack’s bottom is double-layered for strength. Shoulder straps and waist belt are faced with wicking fabrics, as are the back pads. The shoulder straps seem to use closed-cell foam; the waist belt padding is a combination of closed- and open-cell foam, as part of the pack’s ventilation strategy. The two back pads are open-cell foam.

Hardware

Buckles and sliders appear to be made of the typical tough, black plastic used in most packs. The only brand I can find among them is the unfamiliar “Woo Jin Uraflex.” As Deuter describes them, they’re “…polyamide 6.6, are break-proof and remain elastic well below freezing temperatures.” Some of these buckles slip in use and the waist belt buckle doesn’t snap closed with authority. The lower-compartment zipper is two-way and covered by a weather flap. The internal divider zip is also two-way, a plus for those who want to use it but still leave an opening for storing long, slender objects inside the main compartment (tent poles, fishing rod, etc.). Other pockets have single-pull zippers. Spring toggles are provided for the main compartment drawstrings and a plastic drinking hose clip rides on the right-hand shoulder strap.

The test pack is 4 oz (140 g) above the specified weight, an unwelcome 6 to 7% increase.

Field Report

Since my Initial Report, I’ve put over a week’s worth of trail days in with the ACT Lite 50+10. My longest trip was five days, but I carried food for six (the trip was cut short by a fatal wildfire in the area). My conclusions: this pack has volume sufficient for a week in the mountains, is quite comfortable when correctly packed and fitted, and the Aircontact system really does work in helping keep my back (relatively) cool and dry.

My heaviest load (gear + food and water) was roughly 37 or 38 pounds (17 kg) determined using the less-than-reliable subtract-my-weight-from-the-pack’s-weight-on-the-bathroom-scale method. On this trip we headed into California’s Emigrant Wilderness and the northwest corner of Yosemite National Park to explore the many headwaters of Cherry Creek—a creek notable on this trip for frequently lacking that characteristic which makes a creek most creek-like: water. Due to the desert-like water situation, I generally began the day carrying roughly two to three liters (quarts) of water, meaning two to three kilos (four to six pounds) of water weight alone. As noted, the starting food load was for six days. As is typical, the heavy first-day load included a big chunk of the trip’s net elevation gain, about 2,000 feet (600+ meters). A fine opportunity to check out the 50+10’s load control and ventilation capabilities.

My gear list summary follows:

Western Mountaineering Ultralight sleeping bag

Hennessy Ultralight hammock

Foam sleeping pad

Clothes, including camp shoes

Bearikade Weekender bear can, containing food and drinks

Fuel canister

Kitchen kit (cup, bowl, utensils, coffee filter etc.)

3L Big Zip Platypus, 3L Nalgene Canteen, SWA filter bottle

Toiletries kit; first aid kit; camp gear (headlamp, knife, utility cord, etc.)

Camera, film and kit

GPS receiver

Trash compactor bag

Partridge, no pear tree

When taking a bear canister in the 50+10, everything packed above the sleeping bag and clothing upon which the can rests must fit over or around the can itself. On this trip I carried the Bearikade both vertically and horizontally, each method had its positives and negatives in how well the load packed and pack-weight balanced. Note that while the canister can ride horizontally beginning about mid-way down, it must be put in vertically and turned sideways inside the pack. The top of the main compartment is too narrow to accommodate the can sideways. My bulky foam sleeping pad rode on the pack’s back, strapped under the crisscross bungee. Carrying this pad is the price I pay for warmth when hammocking. My camera (Contax T3) lives in its padded case attached to the base of the right-side shoulder strap. My GPS (Magellan Sport Track Pro) clips to the left-hand shoulder strap.

For shorter trips I slept on the ground, so I carried either a Big Agnes Air Core mattress or a short Prolite 4 Therm-A-Rest, both of which fit inside the pack easily, making a much slimmer total load. The Hennessy was substituted for a Shires Tarptent Virga, which takes up roughly the same room and weight but in different proportions. Because no bear can was needed, the load was simpler to pack and adjust for maximum comfort.

About those pockets

Practice-packing in the living room seldom reveals how a pack will actually be organized in the field, it’s more of a fill-and-fit exercise. In particular, the ACT Lite 50+10 pockets all needed a purpose for being. Here’s how I’ve settled on using them:

* The hydration pocket, and its associated hose portal and hose clip house a two-to-three-liter (quart) reservoir and drinking tube (Big Zip Platy in my case). In this role it works very well. The pocket is low in the back, which means the reservoir needs to be placed there early in the packing process.

* The top pocket/pack lid has three zipped compartments: The main compartment holds my first aid kit, toilet paper and digging tool and camp utility kit (random small gear). The smaller top compartment with key clip holds a lanyard with multitool, mini flashlight, house key and whistle. The photo bag  (film, battery, lens tissue) also goes there. The concealed pocket underneath gets a zip bag with maps and guidebook pages not being used that day and my glasses and contact lens supplies.

* One side mesh pocket carries a filter bottle and sunscreen; the other carries a drink mix bottle and snacks.

* The waist belt pocket holds lip balm and a snack or two.

* Finally, in the spirit of Colin Fletcher, I declared the inside back flap pocket to be my sanctum sanctorum, where my trail wallet hides.

The ACT Lite 50+10 is sensitive to load balance. Packed and adjusted correctly, the pack tilts forward in a fashion that provides good load balance and control. When I get it out of whack, however, the load shifts back and away from me, pulling against my shoulders. This alters my balance and gives me an instant neck and shoulder-ache. The peculiar thing about this pack is that it can start out balanced wonderfully and suddenly, boink, shift and become uncomfortable. One reason is the shoulder straps, which slip in their buckles, loosening without warning. This is a chronic and significant problem. I suspect that the load inside the main compartment is also shifting, because tightening the shoulder straps doesn’t always bring things back into order. This may be caused, in part, by reduced water reservoir volume over a day’s hike.

On the trail I find that I can remove bottles in the side pockets but have a much harder time replacing them. Much of the time I have to get help or take off the pack to put bottles away.

The Suspension

Deuter’s X-suspension functions well, both in load management and in isolating pack contents from my back. It’s hefty, and it works. The waist belt and shoulder straps remained comfortable during long trail days; areas that usually become sore, especially my collar bones and the front points of my pelvic bone, did not. This impressed me.

The Aircontact System

My latest trip was my hottest with the ACT Lite 50+10, and gave me a good evaluation of the Aircontact system. I’m pleased with the results. Temperatures ranged into the mid-80s (30 C.) every day and I wore an excellent new wicking t-shirt. I could feel air circulating across portions of my back, and the areas where the pack was in contact felt as though the fabric-and-foam pads were wicking away some of my sweat. Upon removing the pack, my shirt would be moist but not sopping wet as with many other packs. I can’t quantify Deuter’s claims, but I’ll go so far as to say the Aircontact system ventilates better than any other internal frame pack I’ve used, significantly better than packs without air-channeling back panels.

Damage Control

The Deuter has proven plenty tough against scrapes and punctures. I’ve had it cross-country enough that it’s been poked and clawed at by brush, scraped against rock and has fallen with me (fortunately taking the brunt of the impact). The pack fabric shows minor wear and tear in spots and considerable dirt, sap and dried sweat, but there’s virtually no important damage. I’m relatively certain a couple of my pratfalls would have ripped or pierced a silnylon packbag (I’ve got the punctured pants and bloodied shins to prove the point).

A Note about My Wacky Packing

Carrying a great big foam pad outside the pack isn’t a problem for the most part; importantly, it’s not heavy enough to unbalance the pack load. However, in strong wind it can act as a sail and literally turn me sideways with a gust. (Surprise!) It also catches on brush and rock in tight going and it effectively precludes using a pack raincover. I only use this pad hammocking; smaller sleeping pads can travel unobtrusively inside or across the top, under the top pocket.

I haven’t mastered the efficient morning packing routine yet with the 50+10. I hold some hope that I’ll better master evening pre-packing and take advantage of the front panel zip to slide my sleeping bag and clothes underneath the rest of the load (with a bear can it’s even harder to do). As it is, I ignore this feature and pack everything in the morning after I’ve stowed my aired-out sleeping bag. This approach conspires to get me a late start on the trail, and needs refinement.

Conclusions

Upside: The ACT Lite 50+10, correctly packed, is a very comfortable backpack. While not especially feature-laden, its features (pockets, bungee strap, sizing adjustments, etc.) are mostly welcome and quite useful. The Aircontact ventilation system seems to work as advertised. The Variquick system adjusts back length in seconds, encouraging in-field experimentation. The frame and packbag are tough and effective. This relatively small pack will hold a week’s worth of gear and food for fair-weather backcountry travel. The price is very competitive with other offerings in its class.

Downside: The ACT Lite 50+10 is a bit tricky to balance, and becomes unbalanced on the trail. Part of the problem seems to be buckles that don’t hold a setting. The side mesh pockets aren’t very easy to use with the pack on. The Variquick adjustment system has more free-play than it ideally should.

Suggestions: I don’t know whether it’s possible, but I’d love to see this pack lose a pound or so through careful lightening of materials and deletion of certain features (such as the main compartment divider and bottom access flap). I’d like to see the hardware upgraded so that strap settings hold tight and the waist belt buckles with a confidence-inspiring “click.” This appears to be the only area where cost-cutting has affected performance.

Further Testing

Fair weather hiking season isn’t over, so I hope to get in more trail time with the ACT Lite 50+10. In this time I hope to resolve the issues with shifting loads and slipping shoulder straps. If I get a chance, I’d like to carry it in the rain to see how much water it absorbs.

Brief Hiking Bio and Experience with Similar Products

I learned camping and hiking in Boy Scouts, tramping the Washington Cascade foothills (lugging canvas pup tents, Trapper Nelson and BSA aluminum-canvas backpacks, kapok sleeping bags and always an axe). From these beginnings I eventually learned backpacking as a singular pursuit and found a home away from home in the Cascades and Olympics.

My early backpacks were all of the external frame variety. Eventually I was wooed over to the internal frame side, where I remain. I’ve used a lot of them; my current favorites are an Arc’Teryx Khamsin 38, the Gregory G-pack and the Osprey Aether 60. I’ve reviewed all for BGT.

Living in northern California most of my hiking is in the Sierra Nevada, the trips ranging from overnight to weeklong excursions. I’ve been fairly successful shedding pounds and ounces from my pack the last three or four years. I’ve been doing this for several reasons: traveling easier and farther, freeing myself from as many trappings as I’m comfortable discarding, and extending the duration of my backpacking career. My total pack weight for three-day summer excursions, including food and water, is now roughly 25 pounds (12 kg), longer trips see pack weights ranging into the mid to upper 30s (17 kg) with water.

My thanks to Deuter USA and BackpackGearTest for the privilege of participating in this test.

--RTD 10.1.2004