Deuter Aircontact Lite 65 + 10 Pack

Comments about Deuter Aircontact Lite 65 + 10 Pack:

First thing I want to say is that this pack plays larger then it reads in the specs. I had an Osprey Aether 85 with 5100cu and it just didn't carry as much as the 65+10. I cant explain why this happens other then the ability to open the sleeping bag hole to the main compartment. The vast amount of uninterrupted open space just allows me to put more junk in. I use this pack for everything from day hikes when I carry everything for the wife & I to week long hikes/summits of Mt Rainier. Very adjustable/adaptable to different events or hikes.

The next thing I have to say will save many a tall & long torso'ed person. (That said, short people can use the same pack because it adjusts! I'm 6'4" and my 5"8 friend used my pack, no prob.) The greatest features of the Deuter (imho) is the adjustable "Vari-Quick" system. It enables you to shorten or lengthen where the pack sits on your back. I don't mean four inches either I have made it adjust up to a foot. You are supposed to use 4 loops with the strap but I only use 2 loops and extended the torso to about 23". I'm a 25.5" torso and no one makes that size without going custom and spending $750-$2500. Between the thick waist strap and vari-quick torso adjustment I can make this pack work for my 25.5" torso. The belt sits a little higher then I would like but it is the best fit I have ever had....ever!
I would think anyone of any size would love this pack because you can make it fit you within an inch. Torso is the #1 most important fit & no one mentions it because they can't possibly fit all the "normal people's" different shapes little lone the odds shapes.

A few of the features that made me love this pack.
-tough as heck! I'm good to my gear but I wouldn't have a pack last longer then a season maybe two. This pack shows not signs of wear and allows me to clean it up easy. No hidden sand pouring out in the house months later.
- I can fit all my gear inside the pack. Sleeping quilt, big oldman air pad, bear can, MSR Reactor, clothes, crampons, etc.. This allows me to use a basic pack cover for more protection from the NW rains. (the ice axe fits nicely with tip guards under the cover, almost like the botton was shaped to the business end of the axe.)
- Carries weight very well with bean shape curve. I often (on Jansport & Osprey)had to re-cinch and adjust my pack for every incline/decline. With the Deuter I can pretty much set and leave it. If I do need to adjust the stabilizer straps it's two straps, period.
- The first pack I can scramble with well. My other packs made me feel always off balanced. I can now move much more natural and can get up and down from sitting without help. My long scrambles, alpine scrambles, or Mountain summits were so tedious with the careful moves. I also wasn't allowed to carry the fuel or adult beverages die to the falls. Now I have no issues and move like a Ninja. Scrambles & climbing got more enjoyable or "more funner". Like when I realized the weight of a think air pad was worth every gram.
- Foam belt is so wide It makes me look skinny! Love handle control.... It also has a couple stash pockets on the belt. A little to small to be real helpful. I actually made a bigger pocket to put on mine.
-No more sweaty back! Okay not as sweaty. Last summer I used a 50+10 AC lite and I can attest to being about 90% less sweaty. Often times when the pace is relaxed or the breeze is right my back won't sweat at all. I also wore this pack shirtless and quite liked it, made a 100° Sedona day comfortable. I would say the Osprey was decent with sweat. (I admit to sweating like a pig at a bacon factory.) The AC lite was 100 times better. On hot days I could loosen the waist strap and let the pack flop a little. It would suck cool air up from the bottom and push the hot out the top. The bounce was like a pump using the tunnel of the air contact pad as a pipe. Once the back & neck cooled tighten back up.
-Waterproof and tough as nails. Actually used the pack as a foot bivy on Mt. Baker in a whiteout. Kept my feet & partners warm, dry, & cozy. His feet were wet and cold.
- All webbing is connected to the pack by an intermediate wider cloth. This takes the direct pressure off the weakest point (webbing meets cloth). The mid piece spreads the force and I have yet to have a stitch break. They also used 7 different types & sizes or webbing on this pack. You will see the thought that went into this. Has two extra webbing clip thingys on top of pack so you can modify or add stuff to the top of the pack.
-X support brace is brilliant. Allows shoulders and hips to move and rotate while keeping center load supported and unmoving. I have pulled out he supports and used them to hold up a Sil tarp tent on one end. Hoping to make a tent using two hiking poles and the x supports from the Deuter pack. Ultralight & dbl use!

Cons-

-Cover won't fit if you do want to add anything to outside of pack. Must make a custom cover then.
-Dark inside makes everything small get lost. Have lost things only to find them inside two trips later.
-Foam mesh attracts branches and mud.
-Waist quick pockets to small for real things you would carry. One should at least be the size of a Garmin Gps.
-Ice axe loops aren't big enough to hold alot of marker stakes. You use one of the mesh pockets to hold your markers & avalanche probe.
- The nylon shock cord will probably be good for most. If you use your pack alot, yard sale your pack (adding 50 things to the outside of your pack) or get stuck in branches alot you must get a stronger cord. Mine lasted 4 days and bust from carrying plastic boots with crampons.
- Packing extra junk on top is very hard. If you can't fit everything inside (you really should be able to) you have to strap it below or to the side. (I suggest the side as it move with your body better and doesn't through of your balance when scrambling. Adding to the bottom makes you tip over more then normal.)
-Make sure you can fill your bladder while installed if using a bigger size. I connect my filter to the installed MSR bladder, If you use a huge bladder then you almost have to unpack to get it in when filled. I need a ton of water so I use the largest bladder and carry two 34oz nalgenes. The bladder size thing is only a problem if you use a bigger then standard bladder over packed your pack. Just get a filter that connects to you bladder and bottles. MSR makes the best.

Conclusion-
All said and done this pack is the best fitting pack I have ever worn. I consider it technologically & ergonomically superior to the other "great" packs I have used. I have bought 2 of this series for myself (50+10, 65+10), 1 for wife (35+10sl), & 2 as gifts(50+10). Everyone is happy and only one had a failure of a zipper. I would expect that Deuter becomes more popular once the buzz of the Osprey wears off.

The price on Deuter is a steal for the quality of product & design and I had to look hard to find anything bad to say.

Comments about Deuter Aircontact Lite 65 + 10 Pack:

I suffer from degenerative disc disease, have had 2 lumbar back surgeries, and was retired at 25 years of service on a disability retirement (It was thier idea, not mine). I gave up backpacking years ago and thought that was just a fond memory.[...]. Wow!!! Folks, I'm back!!! Based on the reviews of this pack, I thought it might be a good start and I was right. I'm hauling 35 lbs without any problem and I do 3 to 4 miles a day just to train. Thank you so much for giving me my life back. I showed this fully loaded pack to my Doc and you should have seen the smile on his face. He inspected the pack and said it is the equivelent of a back brace. He says he's ashamed for not thinking of this as a therapy alternative for his other back patients. For once, he didn't chew me out for being fat and says he thinks I may make it to old age yet (I'm 51). Thanks to everyone who reviewed this pack [...]. Thanks to all of you, I have a new lease on life.

Comments about Deuter Aircontact Lite 65 + 10 Pack:

This backpack is phenomenal. I am 19 and have been backpacking for years with relatives' gear, rented equipment, and a whole lot of creativity. I've had the opportunity to use many packs by leading brands, in a variety of conditions.After spending a year away from the amenities of family (being off at college), I decided to finally begin my own gear collection. This summer I dug through books-worth of online backpack articles and reviews, and gathered the wisdom[...]. After all my research, the results were in such favor of the Deauter ACT Lite 65+10 that I ordered it online without ever even seeing it... and I couldn't be happier.Since then, it's traveled well over 50 miles in the burning-hot Arizona desert, the (actually burning) Trinity Alps, and Yosemite Wilderness fully loaded with up to over 40 pounds. This pack is hands down the most innovative, comfortable, thoroughly thought-out and well-built I have ever used.*It is cool, lets your back and shoulders breathe, and weighs next-to-nothing.*The frame is as sturdy as internal-frames come, and the fabric is brilliantly designed with sturdy stitching and heavier material where necessary.*I have never seen a quicker, more intuitive adjustment system, which allows you to completely personalize the pack for anyone regardless of size, shape, or gender (the ability to cross gender requires the adjustable chest strap, a feature criticized in an earlier review) in a matter of seconds.*The shoulder tightness and distance from the pack can be changed as you hike--a feature I have found to be indispensable.*The pack has pockets where they are useful and none where they aren't.*I find that the pack works best when middle- to top-loaded. To make achieving this weight distribution easier, the main and bottom pouches can be used separately (if you have light-weight items on the bottom to which you want quick access) or combined (if you have a larger, heavy item that should be supported by the thick pack-bottom).*Deuter uses the perfect materials, shapes, and thicknesses of all padding to minimize weight and awkward bulkiness found in many packs, as well as adequately cushion the hips, back and shoulders. The padding, as advertised, significantly contributes to the coolness of the pack.*It's a really good-looking pack, at least on me :)Overall, this pack is much more comfortable, more adjustable, and stronger than other ultralights like Osprey without any extra weight. Also, it's lighter and more maneuverable than typical weekend-size bags--and it costs half as much as a similar (but, in my opinion, less worthy) North Face.So far it's conquered all the outdoor adventures I could throw at it, and is already reliably making its way through Europe this semester. I can't imagine a better overall backpack, but if someone can, it'll probably be Deuter. I'm sold.A+++++

Service and delivery comments:

I had REI ship it to my local store: can't complain about free shipping. Google for REI coupons and you'll probably save 20% or so if you buy online. (I don't know if I'm allowed to say that here... sorry if I'm not.)

REI Rocks!

Comments about Deuter Aircontact Lite 65 + 10 Pack:

For 4.5 months in 2007 I hiked all 2200 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Suffice it to say that with anywhere from 25-35 pounds of gear/food/water, the three Gregory packs I carried from Maine to Maryland were the bane of my existence. The number of buckle, seam and suspension failures I had were totally unacceptable and all 3 packs were returned.When I reached Maryland I went in to the DC area and was ashamed to see the same Osprey and Gregory packs in each of the seven outfitters I visited - where were the other brands!?!? At my last option, one of three REI's in the area, this beauty was on display. [...] The fully adjustable shoulder suspension made sure it fit like a glove. The hip and shoulder straps were simply divine, and every pouch seemed to be in the right spot. For the remaining 1100 miles of my journey I carried this pack and after I washed the smell out you'd swear it was brand new.Deuter's are far from common on the Appalachian Trail, and they certainly seem difficult to come by in urban areas, but outfitters on the Trail itself were very familiar and many stocked their packs. An outfitter in Tennessee told me that they're selling more and more of them each year and the company really seems to know hikers - unlike Gregory which has gone downhill ever since being bought by a bank and has changed hands too many times to count.I hope to see more Deuter's on the trails, and I'm certainly glad that REI is now carrying this specific pack since it's truly a great product.

Comments about Deuter Aircontact Lite 65 + 10 Pack:

The previous review is 100% on the mark. The Deuter Aircontact 65+10 is an overall superior performer with the invaluable ability to precisely adjust for various torso sizes. I find that I can make relatively small adjustments easily based on load and what I'm wearing. After a long search and much money spent on packs that didn't quite fit comfortably after some time on the trail, I've found the Aircontact Lites to fit me like a glove (I also own a 50+10). I have frequently worn the pack for 3 hour stretches without taking it off...not out of necessity but because I simply didn't need to remove it. It's that comfortable. My ONLY serious gripe with this pack is the fact that the hydration bladder sleeve is much too deep. When using a Platypus (that has no handle, loop, or other means to effectively hang it) it drops to the bottom of the pack. My fix is to stuff my spare clothes in a sil-nylon bag and put this at the bottom of the sleeve.

Comments about Deuter Aircontact Lite 65 + 10 Pack:

Over the years, I've owned backpacks made by Lowe, Osprey, and Gregory. I bought this pack to cut down on the weight of my Gregory Palisade, which is a great pack but at 6.5 lbs, I felt that there had to be a lighter pack that does the job as well. I was wrong; the Deuter does the job better. Not only is it 2.5 lbs lighter than the Palisade, it's MUCH more comfortable. I broke this pack in yesterday with a 13 mile hike to 11K feet over mixed trail and deep snow carrying 25 lbs. Once the pack was on my pack and I was hiking, I was hardly aware of it. The waistbelt is by far the most comfortable I've ever tried and this is where you carry the weight. And the Aircontact Lite design to keep your back drier really works - far superior to any other pack I've ever used. I bought the pack based on the other reviews and I'm now a believer, too. I've heard of Deuter for years; sorry I waited so long to give them a try. The only complaint I have about the pack (and it's fairly minor) is that the shoulder strap adjustment keeps slipping requiring periodic tightening; it's a bit annoying, but given the positives about his pack, I'll deal with it.

Comments about Deuter Aircontact Lite 65 + 10 Pack:

This is my second Deuter, I also have a 40L. This pack has worked great and even withstood heavy bush whacking. After a few epic trips, a branch tore a hole in the mesh water bottle holder thing about the size of a penny, no big deal. Last trip up Mt. Adams I was yanking on the straps to tighten up my load and one of the plastic clips broke, i temporarily fixed it by tying them together, but this is a concern, they look a little flimsy... might replace them all with some of the old school tough clips. This bag is definitely still great and the adjustable shoulder straps helped me when my pack weight changed throughout the climb. Still lovin this pack.

Comments about Deuter Aircontact Lite 65 + 10 Pack:

I would describe myself as a minimalist who is comfort driven. I like to be bring with me everything that will allow me to have a safe and comfortable trip. With that said, this pack allows me to comfortably carry everything that I need. I purchased this pack earlier this week and took it with me on a nine mile overnight hike this weekend at Greenleaf State park near Braggs, OK. After a few adjustments I hardly felt the weight of the pack at all. I was able to fit a tent, sleeping bag and pad and some food in the main compartment(s) of the bag along with some clothes underneath the bladder holder. Everything else I needed (first aid kit, food, headlight, etc. fit in the other compartments on the lid. The pouch on the belt/pad was useful for carrying trail mix and gum (as one of the other reviewers said it wouldnt really hold a Garmin GPS). The only problem I experienced was that I had to ocassionaly tighten the shoulder straps as they tended to slip every once in a while. This bag carrys a lot of equipment but it won't do well if you carry a lot of heavy or bulky items. Use this pack with the right equipment and you will definatley enjoy it.

Try this pack out and you will see for yourself why no one has given it a bad review.

Comments about Deuter Aircontact Lite 65 + 10 Pack:

I try and keep things very lightweight. But taking out two new backpackers and the requirement of a bear keg really complicates that goal. However; this pack was perfect for what I needed. It was large enough to hold a full size bear keg and all the other essentials with room to spare. I switched to this from my full-size(or atleast what I consider full-size) Triconi. The triconi was just entirely too heavy (more than 2lbs heavier) and had a lot of extra creature comforts I didn't require. I wore this pack for 30+ peak bagging miles (a total of 9 actually) over 3 days, two of which were suffered with a VERY bad sunburn on both of my shoulders and back. The pack was beyond comfortable. If you buy this pack, keep it light! Dont buy a lightweight pack and load it up with traditional/heavy gear. It wont be comfortable. My pack weight before water was around 23lbs. After 4-6lbs of water it was barely noticable on my back.

Comments about Deuter Aircontact Lite 65 + 10 Pack:

I was looking for a pack that was not too heavy, priced fairly inexpensive, and yet had to be in the high 3000 to low to mid 4000 capacity range. When I saw this pack now being carried by REI, I had to look twice. It fit the needs of what I was looking for to a tee. With an adjustable torso range and plenty of padding on the hip belt and shoulder straps, this pack only gets better. More hikers and backpackers should be checking out the Deuter line of packs!!