Check out these three day packs for your next day walk in the bush.
The North Face Basin 24
The Good – The smaller Basin requires less structure and is therefore much lighter at 695g, although 24 litres is still plenty for a day in the hills. The Next Event back panel was sufficient for the load I was carrying, and the external hydration sleeve meant no rummaging around inside trying to insert a refilled bladder into a full pack. The DWR treatment was PFC-free but still effective, and it’d have to be! The concealed rain cover was indeed well concealed - tucked away beneath the front pocket like a ninja umbrella, but ...
The Bad – ...when I pulled it out – half of it was (intentionally) missing! The cover wraps snugly around the top two-thirds of the Basin, leaving the bottom open to the elements. It’s an interesting design concept but, I’m not gonna lie, a bit weird. At least it meant I could still access the water bottle pockets. I also found the side compression straps got in the way when I was fully unzipping the main compartment, and as they are threaded, not clipped, you can’t quickly open them.
The Ugly – With its unique half pack cover on the Basin looks sleek, like the Audi TT of load carrying, as long as the showers don’t turn to actual rain.
RRP: $220
Website: thenorthface.com.au
Lowe Alpine AirZone Trail 25
The Good – The AirZone harness from Lowe Alpine has been around for a few years now, and with good reason. This hip belt was one of the most comfortable on test - it fastened snugly around my waist, took the load, and gave me the thumbs up – and the shoulder straps weren’t bad either. In terms of the fabric and features, it’s (perhaps unsurprisingly) quite similar to Rab’s offering, but that’s no bad thing. Everybody likes pockets galore and somewhere to stash their poles when tackling a tricky scramble, not to mention a cool breeze whistling past their spine.
The Bad – And that’s pretty much my only quibble. The concavity of the AirZone is quite pronounced. In fact, it has the curvature of a David Beckham free kick, far more than necessary. I first noticed this synthetic scoliosis when trying to pack my gear around the internal bulge. That wasn’t a big deal, but during the ensuing hike, and despite the good work of the hip belt, I could feel the pack swaying slightly from side to side. The weight was just that little bit too far from my centre of gravity. Again, I was testing it at maximum load, so this may not be a problem for regular users.
The Ugly – Nothing ugly about this AirZone. Check out those curves! Schwing!
RRP: $199
Website: for sales t: (2) 9417 5755 or e: sales@intertrek.com.au
Osprey Stratos 24
The Good – The Stratos was another pack that went on like a latex glove, but without the resultant sweatiness. I had the AirSpeed harness to thank for that – a tensioned mesh panel with a concave frame, and a simple but effective length adjustment feature. The concavity wasn’t as extreme as the AirZone, and so lacked that slight feeling of unbalance, and I walked comfortably for an hour with no complaints. For a 24-litre pack, this is huge. They must have some big litres over there in California! The old Stow-on-the-Go trekking pole sling is still present and correct – no stopping and debagging required to stash the sticks. Lastly, the sternum strap comes equipped with a magnetic clip compatible with Osprey’s Hydraulics hydration reservoir (see review in current Great Walks Annual).
The Bad – I’m still not a fan of the panel-loading design (a series of parallel zippered compartments) but at least the Osprey’s compression straps can be unclipped when delving into the deepest Stratos-phere. I was surprised to discover it weighed 1.26kg, the heaviest bag on test.
The Ugly – The design of the upper front pocket is such that it forms a sort of hood that protects the lower front pocket from rain. It’s a weird shape inside but gives the exterior a somewhat familiar but aesthetically pleasing aspect.
RRP: $269
Website: outdooragencies.com.au