German brand Deuter offer up the new Air EXP 10 as a 10-litre hardy trail warrior pack crammed full of features. The most obvious of these is the curved back panel, which keeps the rear of the pack raised off your back allowing much improved airflow.
Although it offers decent cooling, when fully laden you do notice a bit more movement in the pack due to it not being truly flush with your back. It’s a minor niggle but is particularly noticeable on fast trail work. We did like the mesh shoulder and hip straps though, and found that the gap in the lower lumbar padding made the pack extremely comfortable.
The concealed rain cover is a neat touch too and the two large pockets offer a decent amount of space. The outer one offers tool pockets with more than enough compartments to stash all your trail essentials.
Although the Air EXP 10 doesn’t come supplied with its own bladder, the bladder compartment is handily separate of the main pocket and features tidy Velcro routing for both straps, while that gap also helps to keep your water cooler for longer. The Deuter’s real strength is in its ability to swallow loads of kit, and its capacious storage options make it ideal for epic all-dayers.
This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
