Deuter Speed Lite 30L Pack

I’m old enough to remember when there were no packs on the market with hip-belt pockets. Whenever I wanted an on-the-go snack, or to grab sunscreen, lip balm, wallet, etc, etc, it meant either shoving this stuff in my pocket beforehand (very dangerous when it came to sunscreen) or removing my pack and rummage around in it. But once hip-belt pockets became available, I quickly began demanding at least one, if not two, on any pack I used. But still, it seemed like this wasn’t enough, especially once I got into trail running during this last decade. Trail-running vests, I learnt quickly, are awesome; the convenience of accessing gear and goodies on the fly is addictive, and I felt myself wishing for a similar setup whenever I was bushwalking with a pack.

Well, now Deuter has bridged the divide with its Speed Lite series, and I managed to snare myself a 30L version, large enough for full-day hikes or even overnight fastpacking trips. Although the Speed Lites have been around for a while, Deuter has redesigned the 25L and 30L versions so that the shoulder straps are now stretch-mesh pocketed. While not designed for water flasks like running vests are, the pockets—one of which is zippered—are useful for all manner of small items: your headlamp, jelly snakes, sunglasses, compass, jelly snakes, lightweight gloves, sunscreen, jelly snakes. Oh, there’s something important I’m forgetting: your camera, nav device, voice recorder, messenger rolled into one—ie, your phone. Phones (like sunglasses and compasses) don’t sit well in hip-belt pockets, and we want them on-the-fly constantly while walking. The Speed Lite 30L makes accessing your phone a breeze, and even though mine, when inside its protective case, is a little on the bulky side, I was still able to squeeze it in.

But perhaps I shouldn’t dwell on this innovative aspect of the harness too long, because the pack has a load of other features that deserve mentioning. Perforated shoulder straps (ie they have holes all through them) allowing far better breathability; two lid compartments; stretch side pockets; a stretch-mesh back pocket you can store raingear in; attachment loops and straps for trekking/running poles and even ice axes if you’re using the Speed Lite 30 for some light mountaineering; and it has well-placed compression straps to cinch down your load, useful for trail running and/or fastpacking. The pack is perfect for the latter, because the ‘lite’ in its name is not for nothing; it weighs just 878g (as tested) for a 30L pack. There’s a 25L version with the new vest-style harness, along with women’s-specific SL (Slim Line) models (23L and 28L). The pack is entirely PFAS-free, too, and the body fabric is 100% recycled.

Actually, you know how I said I shouldn’t dwell on the harness too long? Well, I’m gonna take that back, because I want to finish by adding something about how darned comfortable the harness is, despite the seemingly minimal padding on the shoulder straps. I carried loads up to 10kg (a lot for a ‘day’ pack) and the straps always felt really nice on my shoulders. In short, Deuter’s Speed Lite 30L carries a load well. And as innovative as the harness is, that alone makes this pack a winner.

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