Reviews > Packs > Internal and External Framed Backpacks > Deuter Aircontact 50 10SL > Jodi Cornelius > Field Report

My e-mail: bpskids@gmail.com
Name: Jodi Cornelius
Age: 42
Height: 5'4"/1.6 m
Weight: 160 lbs/73 kg
Gender: Female
City: Derrick City
State: PA
Country: USA
Date: October 3, 2004
My area of the country: Northwest Pennsylvania

For pictures, please check out my Initial Report.

Test Experience: Oh my goodness. That summarizes my entire experience thus far. My first couple of hikes I loaded my pack with the following:

Hennessy Hammock Original
PuR Hiker Water Filter
Mountainsmith Roundtrip +35F Sleeping bag
P.O.E. InsulMat Women's Max-Lite 1.0 Petite Sleeping Pad
Brasslite Turbo F Alcohol Stove
16 oz/473 ml Alcohol Fuel Bottle
32 oz/946 ml Nalgene Water Bottle
16 oz/473 ml Nalgene Water Bottle
Food for 2 days
Stainless Steel Cup/Pot
Lexan Spoon
Lexan Cup
Pack Towel
Princeton Tec Aurora Headlamp
Matches and lighter
Raincoat
2 Pair Spare Socks
Freshette (used to allow me to do my business behind any tree without having to overly expose certain parts to the elements, bugs, and/or other hikers who may not want view my posterior)
Other toiletries including toilet paper, plastic spade

The pack handles that very well. I have used all the pockets with the exception of the water bladder pocket. I have not yet put that into use but plan on using it during the Long Term testing phase. I added an Outdoor Research Water Bottle carrier for my larger Nalgene bottle as my sleeping bag took up too much space on the bottom of the pack and I could not comfortably get my water bottle into either of the side pouches.

This pack is top-loading. There is a main compartment that has a zippered piece of material that can be zipped closed or left open. I have not used it with the zippered section opened as I prefer having my sleeping bag compartment separated from the remainder of my gear. There are 2 drawstrings that close the top. The lower drawstring is for "normal" backpacking use. If I need to extend the top, I use the second drawstring to close up.

In the top of the pack, there is a zippered compartment inside that I could keep my maps in, or my journal, depending on what I wanted it to hold. On the outside of the top of the pack, there is a large zippered pouch and inside that pouch is yet another zippered pouch that I found was excellent for keeping my car keys in. In the top section of the pack I kept my alcohol fuel bottle along with a couple other odds and ends that I was not concerned about being "contaminated" by my alcohol should it leak.

Thus far the pack has been used in a number of 2 day trips and one 5 day trip. It has handled everything quite well. By accident, I discovered that the pack will handle a 48 lb/22 kg load. When my dad had his stroke back in July I figured our planned hike for August was done. However, 3 weeks after his release from the hospital we were out on the trail! Being afraid of every thing that could happen I packed for every contingency that I could think of. However, I never DID check my packweight at that time. My dad walked my legs off. And although he was slightly off mentally, he did well physically. My mother had prepped me for the fact he could have a massive stroke on the trail and so everything I planned for went into the pack. I couldn't figure how in the world he beat me up like that until he lifted my pack and said he thought it was heavier than the 35 lb/16 kg that I thought it was. When I got home, I weighed the pack and it was a whomping 48 lb/22 kg and that was AFTER I had eaten some of the food and drank the water.

The pack rode well on my back even with that horrendous amount of weight. It did slow me down some, which explained why my dad left me in the dirt. However, it carried really well considering.

I have used the pack cover for every trip with the exception of one. The rain god likes me I guess. Every time I went out, it rained. Except one. I have really appreciated the fact that the pack cover is permanently fixed to the pack. Although, having the pack cover on the bottom of the pack makes it a little inaccessible, I have found that leaning the pack makes it easier to get to the cover. It is TONS better than having to unpack the pack just to find the rain cover (especially when *I* go out!). This feature, I feel, is one of the most important ones of this pack. For me, in particular, it has been a necessity! Plus, it doesn't take up any room in the pack as it has its own pouch to be stored in. Also, I can tuck little odds and ends into the pocket with the cover provided I don't put anything in there with sharp corners or edges. Sweet!!

Thus far, even with all the nasty weather, this pack is holding up quite well. The rain cover, having been used quite a bit, has gone under quite a bit of dead fall, through some nasty scrub and brush, knocked against rocks and still, has managed to hold up - no holes have developed whatsoever. A fact that really pleases me! The rest of the pack is fairing well also. The buckles are still cooperating along with the zippers. One thing that I have noticed that I'm not particularly pleased with is the zipper on the bottom of the pack for access to the sleeping bag compartment. On my pack, it wants to stick. I may just need to soap it up but I haven't done that yet. If I continue to have problems (which I have no reason to expect it to suddenly stop) I will apply a light layer of soap to the zipper teeth and work the zippers back and forth in the hopes of it straightening up. I will touch on that with my Long Term report.

Other than a couple of minor things, I am exceedingly pleased with this pack. I will be doing some winter hiking and look forward to seeing how it works with the extra gear needed for overnight winter trips.

Things I like: The pockets!
Things I dislike: I would like the outer pockets where water bottles could be carried to be a little larger in order for the larger Nalgene bottles to be carried when the bottom of the pack is stuffed full.

One thing that isn't really a dislike but something I would like to see on future packs is a water bottle carrier that is on the waist belt. Realizing that it's not actually necessary for packs that are Hydro system compatible, there are still some people (myself being one of them) who prefers having a water bottle to drink from as opposed to the Hydro system. The pockets on the side of the pack are not easily accessible if you are hiking alone. Just an observation I have made.

I want to thank Deuter and Backpackgeartest for the opportunity to test this pack.

Reviews > Packs > Internal and External Framed Backpacks > Deuter Aircontact 50 10SL > Jodi Cornelius > Field Report