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Cameron Chandra photo
New Zealand, Wellington
1 Level
697 Review
52 Karma

Review on πŸŽ’ Deuter Aircontact Hiking Mountaineering Backpack by Cameron Chandra

Revainrating 5 out of 5

Everything I ever wanted in one package!

Wow. This package is everything I asked for and more. This is by far the most comfortable and versatile backpack I have ever carried! First of all, the nice and wide hip belt does its job very well and transfers the weight of the pack from the shoulders. Combined with the adjustable fit system, I was able to make small adjustments until the bag fitted perfectly. I recently went hiking in the desert for the first time and even with 13 pounds of water at my usual load I was still more comfortable than in my old backpack. The +10L system is brilliant. The top of the bag (under the lid) can be attached in two different places to hold a 50 or 60 liter load. I loaded it up on the way out but after eating something it was great to be able to easily fold the backpack up to the new size. This bag is much larger and thinner than any other bag I've tried on. . I wasn't sure how I felt at first, but after a few minutes of running, I realized how much more stable I feel when the weight is a little more upright. I'm not a very wide person so I'm used to balancing my weight vertically instead of horizontally and this backpack really suits that. or you feel like you're carrying around a pound of unnecessary zippers. The side and back pockets expand to accommodate pretty much anything you want to fit inside. The sleeping bag compartment can be left alone or the zip can be unzipped from the inside to make the entire backpack into one large compartment. The zippered divider stays attached to the pack so it can't be completely removed to save weight when traveling when you don't have to worry about rain. I usually leave it open to take advantage of all the space the pack has, but it's nice to know I can separate the bottom again if I get caught in a downpour and want to tuck my wet stuff away from everything else. There are tons of other features that you can read about in the REI description, so I'll conclude by saying that I only have two negative points for this pack: 1) Weight. It's pretty hard. But the support mechanisms are superior to many other big brands, and a 35-pound sandbag load at the store seemed a lot lighter in this pack than any other I've tried. 2) I wish the waistbelt pockets were a little bigger. I can't fit everything I need into the easy-to-access front panel, and there are no daisy chains to easily add more pockets. I'm still trying to figure out the best way to solve this problem, but I'm so happy with this package that it really doesn't matter that much. I can fit my phone, knife, lip balm, and attachable camera lens (just about) in my pockets. I just wish they had a few extra inches so I could squeeze in an appetizer and menu and everything would be perfect!

Pros
  • Certified
Cons
  • Cable is shorter than other picks