Gear Review: Salewa Ortles Guide 35 Backpack

January 26, 2023January 26, 2023 David Lottmann adventure travel, Backcountry Skiing, Backpack Reviews, Deals on gear!, Gear Reviews, hiking, hiking, Ice Climbing, Misc Reviews, Mountaineering, winter hiking Backpack Reviews, Gear Reviews, ice climbing backpacks, Salewa

I’ve now had a couple months to test the new Salewa Ortles Guide 35 Backpack and I’m ready to publish my review!

TLDR Version: The Salewa Ortles Guide 35 Backpack is a rugged lightweight technical backpack that is an excellent pick for general mountaineering, waterfall ice climbing, and ski mountaineering.

How I Tested:

I’ve taken this pack on a half dozen trips so far. Two general winter mountaineering trips up Mount Washington, a few waterfall ice climbing trips, and on one ski mountaineering objective.

What I Really Liked:

Hard to pick my favorite feature as there are a few of them. Let’s start with the roll top closure and removable “brain”. Around the rim of the roll top Salewa added a stiffener that reminds me of those wrist snap bracelets from yonder years. This stiffener creates a great seal that makes rolling the top of the pack down easy and makes a great seal to keep snow out of the pack in inclement weather. A magnetic “over the roll” strap helps secure climbing ropes and slim the profile of the pack if I’ve decided to remove the “brain” for a more streamlined climbing pack.

Both of the two external zippers on the pack are the high end waterproof zippers I prefer, the Salewa does not claim the pack to be waterproof I found it to be one of the more “snowing hard out”-proof bags I’ve tested. The horizontal zipper near the top accesses a pocket that was big enough to carry my avalanche shovel and probe on a recent ski mountaineering mission. The diagonal side zipper gives the user another access point to reach their water bottle without having to go through the roll-top access point.

The backpack features reinforced side carry loops for A-framing your skis. The upper compression straps have a nice “separator” straps for securing any type of ice axe from mixed climbing tools to general mountaineering axes.

The “Dry-Back” back panel and molded shoulder straps felt awesome for both carrying heavier loads while ski mountaineering or while climbing vertical frozen waterfalls.

I found the 35 liters to be generous and was easily able to pack my for guide kit for a technical day of ski mountaineering (post coming soon to show that gear list).

Salewa is definitely a safety orientated company at the sternum strap whistle is the best quality I have seen for a sternum strap whistle. Beneath the removable lip is also information relating to the “Alpine Emergency Signal” which includes a diagram showing how to put an injured person into the “recovery position” and the numbers for contact emergency services in Europe and US & Canada, along with SOS morse code instructions.

Finally, I love the color. I’m a huge fan of bright colors in backpacks from both a Search & Rescue perspective and a general preference.

What Could Be Improved:

There is not too much here I would change but a few things did come to mind while testing the pack. Probably the biggest is the reinforced lower compression straps do not have releasable buckles. So if carrying a rope coiled in a single strand butterfly coil (quite common these days) you’ll need to “tuck” the rope into the ski carry loops if you want the rope fastened securely. A minor issue for sure but I do like packs where all four side compression straps can be opened.

While this pack was designed and marketed toward “ski mountaineering” vs. backcountry touring the avalanche tool pocket could use one small drain hole towards the bottom. It was also a bit tight for my super light carbon avalanche probe and shovel (what I carry on more technical tours vs. general backcountry skiing. My larger shovel and probe may not have fit in this pocket.

Summary/Who Is This For?

In summary this is a very well designed backpack made by a great company. I had way more great things to say about the pack then the couple of small nitpicks I mentioned. Who should consider purchasing this backpack? This backpack is best designed for an ice climber who occasionally goes touring or a winter above tree-line type hiker. I did not rig snowshoes to the outside of the pack but it shouldn’t be hard with a couple straps to easily fasten them to the outside. So if you are into ice climbing, winter hiking, and maybe do a little backcountry touring on the side, maybe this could be the backpack for you! You can find it in the US at these retailers:

Buy from Moosejaw

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

A media sample was provided for purpose of review. Affiliate links above help support this blog. Thank you!

Gear Review: Dueter Freerider Pro 34+ Backpack

January 24, 2021January 24, 2021 David Lottmann Uncategorized avalanche safety, backcountry ski gear, backcountry skiing, Backpack Reviews, ski gear, Ski Gear Reviews

This season I’ve been backcountry skiing with the updated Dueter Freerider Pro 34+ Backpack and I’ve put in enough miles in the skin track to now share some opinions on the pack. Bottom line is this is an excellent pack for extended days in the backcountry with innovative organizational features, plenty of room for a full guiding kit, and a comfortable carry system.

Dueter Freerider Pro 34+ Backpack Review

Organization/Accessibility

The best feature of this pack is the level of organization you can achieve. It starts with a well sized snow safety avalanche tool pocket with dedicated sleeves for my Ortovox Alu 240 PFA probe, shovel shaft, and Primo snow saw. It also easily accommodates the shovel blade of my Ortovox Beast Shovel or my Ortovox Pro Alu III Shovel (pictured). The outside flap of the avalanche tool pocket has both an internal and external zippered pocket, the latter of which keeps my AIARE field book, snow crystal card, snow thermometer, Rutschblock cord, and Suunto MC-2 compass handy. I use the internal zippered pocket to keep my Adventure Medical First Aid Kit easily accessible. A hip pocket on the waist belt keeps my compact binoculars handy for scouting lines and getting a better look at that crown line. A fleece lined top pocket keeps my Revo goggles accessible and scratch free. I was also impressed with a zippered internal mesh climbing skin pocket sized well for keeping my G3 Minimist Universal climbing skins organized after transitioning for descent. I slide my SAM Splint and SWAT-T Tourniquet into the hydration system ready sleeve inside the back panel.

Capacity/Ski-Carry

With 34 liters of standard internal space this already is a roomy bag for a day tour. This newest incarnation of this pack now has a roll-top closure that can give you another 10 liters of storage which helps this pack cross over into a multi-day adventure or a semi-technical tour where you might need to carry a harness, a few screws, a rope, etc. When the skin track ends and the boot ladder begins you can carry via A-Frame or Diagonal (I tend to always opt for A-Frame). The system will also carry a snowboard or snowshoes, and includes an external helmet carry option as well. There’s an easy ice axe attachment for my Black Diamond Raven Ultra Axe when I’m heading into steep terrain. Here’s a look at what I can easily pack in this bag:

Comfort

The pack fits my 5′ 9″ 17 inch torso frame quite well. Snow resistant fabric in the back panel and closed cell foam padding on the shoulder straps and waist belt don’t hold snow which keeps me dryer during a long tour. The sternum strap height can be optimally adjusted. I found the pack carried my full 25 pound kit quite well on both the skin up and the ride down, with my only issue being remembering to re-buckle the “load lifting” straps which must be un-buckled when getting full access through the back panel. My other full back panel access touring pack doesn’t require that step, and if I forgot to re-attach one of the straps I would quickly notice the load shifting around when I started skiing. Not a big issue, just a small step I need to pay attention to.

Summary

This is a fantastic touring pack built by a well known company with a lot of thought put into the design. Despite an impressive amount of organizational capability it doesn’t feel like a pack that has “too many bells & whistles”. It rides and carries well and feels like it will handle hundreds of days in the backcountry with ease. If you are shopping for your first dedicated backcountry touring backpack or looking to upgrade your existing pack this would be a great model to consider!

Purchase

You can find both men’s and women’s versions of this pack here on Backcountry.com in a few different capacity options. Moosejaw, for the most part, only has stock of the women’s models viewable here. REI does have the 20L and 30L versions found here.

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

Gear Review: Deuter Guide Lite 24 Backpack Review

September 9, 2020January 6, 2021 David Lottmann Backpack Reviews, Gear Reviews, hiking, Mountaineering, Rock Climbing Backpack Reviews, climbing packs, Gear Reviews, hiking gear, outdoor skills

Manufacturer Description

All new for 2020! The pinnacle series from Deuter has been completely redesigned and overhauled – resulting in a new, minimalistic Guide Lite 30. Balanced load distribution and stability are results of a flexible, tensioned Delrin U-frame. Its ultra-lightweight. uncluttered design includes quick, one-handed, access via a draw cord closure. Mountaineers and alpinists will love the lightweight nature and minimalistic feature set of the Guide Lite 24. Our newly innovated ice axe attachment has 3 points of contact, yet still allows users to remove the ice axe nimbly, and without taking off the pack.

Manufacturer Website Listed Weight: 1.43 lbs

I did find some weight discrepancies when using my home electric cooking scale. Normally packs are an ounce or two off but in this case the complete pack was a half-pound heavier than claimed. I took the removable components off the pack and weighed everything separately and together to get a better idea of the true weight based on each configuration.

The complete pack weighed 2 lbs, 1 ounce (938 grams). The top lid weighed 3.5 ounces (94 grams). The waist belt weight 5.5 ounces (160 grams). So the claimed pack weight looks to match the completely stripped down version of the pack at 1 lb, 8 ounces (684 grams).

For a pack of this volume I do feel this is slightly on the heavier side when compared to similar packs in the class. This extra weight probably comes from the more robust internal frame and thicker closed cell foam shoulder and back pads then similar models.

Fit/Length

Deuter Guide Lite 24 Backpack — Deuter Guide Lite 30 Backpack

Deuter lists the “length” as 22 inches. I wasn’t sure what this was referring too. User torso length? That would be a giant (or at least MLB player). I broke out my tape measure and it appears that the length of the pack when flattened from bottom to the top (not including extendable collar) is about 22 inches, so I’m thinking that’s what they are listing in the specs. More importantly though is what size torso will this pack fit, and for that I took some more measurements. This pack only comes in one size (though there is a woman’s version and a larger capacity version). Measuring from the top of the shoulder straps to the middle of the waist belt is about 17 inches. This would be the closest measurement to torso length (if you don’t know your torso length it’s easy to measure with a tape measure, YouTube it!).

I have a 19 inch torso (5’9″ tall but torso length is more accurate when fitting packs). That means this pack rides a bit high on me when it comes to the waist belt. This worked fine for me as I often was wearing this pack over my harness, and I preferred to leave the waist belt on and clip it above my harness. Combined with the sternum strap this helped the back hug my back closely while climbing.

Volume

With 24 liters (1,465 cubic inches) I could easily carry my full rock guiding kit or my 4000 footer packing list while I work on the 48’s with my son this summer. The extendable collar adds another 600 or so cubic inches. An external helmet carry system frees up even more pack space, and a climbing rope can easily be secured over the top of the pack thanks to long enough top-side compression straps with fast release buckles.

Performance/Comfort

This pack definitely carries well. The internal frame feels like a thin plastic sheet reinforced with two stiffer stays running down the sides. This made awkward loads (like a full trad-rack) carry with no pressure points. The waist belt is quite wide (4.5 inches at widest) and wraps perfectly around the body. In my case this was a bit over the hip bone but a shorter user would find it quite comfy. The height adjustable sternum strap (with whistle) did a great job of keeping the pack centered. I would suggest they remove the “load lifting” straps and buckles as they really don’t serve a function since they are attached at the top of back panel. Overall this was a very comfy pack for day-hiking and rock climbing multi-pitch routes.

Features

Quite a few features on this pack that some may really like and others may find a little bit excessive for an alpine pack. Things I really liked was the well sized removable top pocket with both external and internal compartments. It also has a great “alpine emergency” info graphic under the lid that lists emergency numbers for different countries, universal SOS signals, and more. The pack is hydration system compatible through I did not use a system with the pack. I also didn’t test this pack in winter so I have not used the ice axe carry system but playing with it at home it’s pretty slick. While seemingly cosmetic I’m a huge fan of the high visibility orange color that this pack is available in.

Summary

The new Deuter Guide Lite 30+ Backpack is a solid choice for a technical backpack that also has the carrying comfort and features one might look for in a more general day hiking backpack. Dual ice axe and rope carrying capability let it cross over to both winter mountaineering and ice climbing applications. This is a pack worth looking at if you’d like a well made pack that can serve you well whether hiking 4000 footers or getting in some multi-pitch climbing.

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

A media sample was provided for review. Affiliate links above help support this blog.

Gear Review: Cassin Eghen 22 Backpack

November 30, 2017 Backpack Reviews, Gear Reviews Backpack Reviews, climbing, Gear Reviews, hiking, outdoor gear reviews

This past September I was excited to receive the new Cassin Eghen 22 backpack to review. This alpine style pack had won “Editor’s Choice 2017” from Climbing Magazine who called it a “super tech summit pack”. Indeed this relatively small pack has a long list of features designed with both practicality and convenience in mind.

Buy on Amazon

How I tested

Over the Fall I took this pack rock climbing in both crag settings and alpine. I was able to get over 30 pitches of climbing in with it before switching gears to ice climbing and have since tested this pack in Huntington Ravine (Pinnacle Gully), Mount Willard, and Cannon (Black Dike). I’ll share the manufacture specs and description then get into my personal test results.

Specifications

22-liter technical pack for rock, ice and mixed mountain ascents
Very strong fabric with reinforced Cordura bottom
Technical ice axe holders with a head-locker system on the bottom and Velcro straps on top
External helmet carrying system can be stowed away when not in use
Frameless back is lined with a removable 6 mm rigid pad that can be used as an emergency bivy pad
Connection points for the bottoms of the shoulder straps is higher for better weight distribution while climbing
External rope carrying system
Innovative new fast pull cord closure system has been optimized for use with gloves
External waterproof pocket for maps, phones and other essentials
Zippered inner pocket for valuables
Inner gear loop for organizing
Fixed daisy chains with compression straps for securing gear to the outside of the pack
Buckles are optimized for use with gloves
Removable waist belt with two adjustment points
Removable chest strap is height adjustable
Burly handle on top for hauling and clipping
Hydration compatible
WEIGHT

915 g, 32.3 oz

SPECS

ID: 2446
Volume: 22 L

Northeast Ridge of the Pinnacle, Huntington Ravine Mount Washington, New Hampshire- photo by Matt Baldelli

Description

Pizzo d’Eghen is the wildest and most remote mountain in the Grigne group in the Central Alps above the town of Lecco, the home of Riccardo Cassin. In 1932, Cassin first climbed one of his great routes on the Pizzo d’Eghen, ascending the huge chimney in the middle of the wall. The Eghen 22 is a tribute to this historic climb, the very kind of adventures it has been designed for. Elite alpinists and multi-pitch climbers have long been asking us for a purpose-built pack with the Cassin touch. It is here with the Eghen 22. The Eghen 22 is designed for fast and light missions on multi-pitch rock and ice routes. The bottom is constructed from super strong Cordura 500D and the side walls are constructed from strong, lightweight PU coated 210D HD Ripstop nylon. Maxed out, the Eghen 22 has 22 liters of capacity. When not full, the pack is designed to be compressed so it maintains a trim profile. The frameless back gets some rigidity from the removable 6mm rigid foam pad that doubles as an emergency bivy pad. Other cold weather features include a new fast pull cord closure system and new buckles all designed for ffective use with gloves, and streamlined technical ice tool holders that can be stowed away when not in use. Essential multi-pitch climbing features include a removable waist belt, external waterproof pockets for the route map, an external rope carrying system that allows the rope to be carried on the top or bottom of the lid and an external helmet carrying system that stows away when not in use.

Review

Durability: While difficult to gauge long-term durability when I’ve only put about 20 field days on the pack I can attest that some of those days were quite rugged with tight chimney squeezes and others had plenty of exposure to sharp pointy things (ice axes, screws, crampons). As mentioned in the description the bottom is built from a strong Cordura but not called out is the added durability gained from the innovative external waterproof pocket on the top “lid” of the pack. This favorite feature of mine makes the top of the pack feel as durable as the bottom and gives me a bit of confidence if I need to haul this pack up through a tight chimney. At the end of the test period the pack still looks great with no punctures, abrasions, lose seams, etc.

Comfort: For a 2 pound summit tech pack this one rides really well. That’s due in part to the nicely contoured gel-like shoulder straps and the 6 mm removable foam back pad that doubles as an emergency bivy pad (or a great splinting aid). Since this is a frame-less pack I wouldn’t chose to remove the back pad for any reason other than a first aid/bivy need as you would feel and rigid objects quite acutely. The thin waist belt (also removable) helps keep the pack centered when rock hopping the shifting talus field below Cannon cliff, and the sternum strap fully stabilizes the load.

Features: For a pack this size the list of features is incredibly long. I won’t relist everything already mentioned in the specifications and description but want to draw attention to both my favorite features, and what I feel might be missing or need improvement.

Waterproof Pocket

High on my list of favorites is the waterproof pocket. Interestingly Cassin calls this “external” but it is only accessible through the top draw-cord closure system so I think it should be considered “internal”. Regardless I don’t always carry my iPhone in a waterproof case and having this pocket that easily fits my phone, field book, headlamp, and lighter, has provided a nice bit of assurance that stuff that shouldn’t get wet won’t. If they made it accessible from the outside it would be even better and could actually be called “external”.

Helmet/Ice Tools Lashing

With multiple options for strapping on this equipment it took me a couple trips with my Cassin X Dream ice axes to figure out how to properly use the bottom straps. If you don’t run the straps through the “eye” on the head of the ice axe they can feel a little awkward when attached. However the redundancy of both a Velcro and a shock cord fastener for my ice axes assures even if I don’t use the bottom attachment correctly I am unlikely to lose my axe while glissading down off a climb. The shock cord fasteners also make a quick helmet attachment as the stoppers easily fit through the ventilation holes on my Petzl Sirocco helmet for quick securing.

Pack Closing System/Access

There is only one entry point to this pack and that is through the top via a type of “fold over” lid that covers a draw-cord “tube” style entrance. The draw-cord closure works well with gloves on both while opening and closing. Where I could see improvement would be the fastening strap that secures the “fold over” type lid. It’s upper attachment is at the bottom of this lid so if you strap a rope under this lid it carries pretty far away from you. If this strap was attached closer to the back panel I could carry the rope closer to my body, where I prefer.

UPDATE: Soon after posting a reader clued me in to the fact that the internal strap that I hadn’t found a use for could be threaded through the hydration port hole and provide an excellent way to keep the rope closer to the back, and directly over the waterproof pocket. I can now see this works great and wish there was more instruction either included with the product or available online!

Compression/Bells & Whistles

The pack comes with two compression straps and a helmet strap not installed and the literature with the pack provided no instructions on how to install these straps so they have sat unused in my gear room. None of the manufacture photos show these straps in use and I could not find any direction on their website, so that could be addressed! And while I don’t like “bells” on my backpacks I certainly like having a sternum strap whistle on all my technical backpacks. It’s come in handy to often to not always look for it!

Summary

The Cassin Eghen 22 is a remarkable backpack. It’s not a true “bullet” pack and is more featured than your typical minimalist “summit” pack making it quite versatile. Designed for “alpinism, rock climbing, multi-pitch climbing, and ice climbing” this pack certainly performed well when tested during all these endeavors. If you are in the market for an advanced technical climbing pack take a close look at this one!

Buy on Amazon

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

Affiliate links above help support this blog at no cost to you!

Manufacturer Description

Fit/Length

Volume

Performance/Comfort

Features

Summary

How I tested

Specifications

WEIGHT

SPECS

Description

Review

Summary