Black Diamond  Speed 40 Pack

This is the perfect bag for me - had wanted something a bit larger than my Osprey 32L, as this was not cutting it on Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, etc. This is perfect for bringing up what I need to basecamp and then also for summit attempts. Durable and comfy - will hold up for a long time. Whenever ppl see me with this on the mountain, they ask about it and end up grabbing one.

I bought this for my first mountaineering excursion. A nearly 9000 foot elevation in Patagonia of Cerro Creston. Held my crampons and ice axe perfectly during the 1 hr+ hike to the base of the mountain and super comfortable to wear. Love the attached gear loops around the waist band. Side straps held my mountaineer boots very solidly until needed. Functional, lightweight, simplistic, and efficient.

Overall, this is a very good pack, however it has one major flaw. First, the pros — from a carrying capacity perspective, this pack is perfect for climbing and alpine objectives. I use it primarily on long approaches in the Cascades and for cragging. It always seems to fit what I need and manages to never feel either over-stuffed, or so empty that my gear is sloshing around. An average load for me includes a rope, rack, climbing shoes, harness, chalk bag, food/water, and layers, all of which fits quite easily in the main compartment. The modular nature of the pack gives you flexibility for how and what to carry. It's also generally comfortable with or without the hip belt. The major flaw – the stitching on the pack fails aggressively at the seam line between the base of the backpad and the bottom of the pack. I purchased my first Speed 40 in the summer of 2023 and the seem ripped pretty quickly, then only got worse over time. I used it until the summer of 2026, at which point the teared seam became very uncomfortable and started chaffing my lower back. I would give this pack 4 stars, however I bumped it down to 3 because immediately after my first pack became unusable, I purchased a second Speed 40. Within a week of using the pack, I'm already noticing signs of wear in the same exact spot as my first pack. I even took extra care in those first few uses to avoid dropping the pack in that area and load the pack differently, but it seems like the same problem is already manifesting itself. Given this, I'm regretting buying the same pack so quickly, wish I shopped around for a different pack, and feel less inspired to use this piece of gear knowing it's going to have a pretty finite life. I have filed a warranty claim for my first pack. The two photos are of my first and second Speed 40. The black bag is the first one, the yellow one is the second, which is about a week old.

I rate the design at 4/5; durability at 2/5. The drawstring system for getting into the top of the pack is unnecessarily fussy. The crampons straps don’t have fastex buckles, which means that the only thing that secures crampons to this pack is compression; you can’t thread the straps thru crampon bales, so the crampons are constantly at risk of slipping the grasp of the straps. Nobody wants to experience dropping their crampons off the back of this pack in the backcountry. On the topic of durability, I like the lightweight design of this pack, but I wore thru the bottom of the back pad in about a year of use, principally cragging, and now the bottom corners of the plastic back sheet (stay) are poking out of the bottom of the back pad and are digging into the back of my hips. The Mission line’s fabric might be a better choice for this pack.

Great pack for weekend trips. Definitely feels like it carries more than 40L. I love the ice tool carry, it works way better than the loops that a lot of other packs use. The crampon straps are excellent as well. I think it really carries the weight nicely and climbs super well. 35# feels great, I over loaded it to 45# and it was still super comfy and relatively maneuverable. I left it on very wet ice for 2 days in a row and it stayed dry (though I don’t think it’s fully waterproof). The only criticism I have is I would love some sort of external hip pocket and water bottle carry. I think I’m going to strap a soft flask to the shoulder strap, but it’d be nice if I could access a smart water bottle on the outside.

I had been waiting to update my climbing day pack but nothing fitted my requirements until the Speed 40 came along. I wanted something big enough for ice climbing in the Canadian Rockies and short backpacking trips, yet be adjustable enough for small loads. It had to accommodate ice tools easily. It needed to be hardy enough for climbing and scrambling on granite (the downfall of my last pack). This is an extremely versatile pack, in the short time I've had it I've used it for ice climbing, backpacking in Patagonia and snow-kiting. I love it!

I bought a Speed 40 early 2021 and used it about 40 times. It served me well. Light, comfortable and roomy enough for a full day. But there are a few things that bugged me: 1. The fabric on the belt came out from under the stitching quite early, a minor thing but annoying. 2. Not as waterproof as other packs 3. No good way to attach snow pickets or tracking poles and I lost a pole as a result. A small pouch below the side compression straps would be great. 4. The backing on the crampon patch delaminated completely 5. The attachment straps for the lid are too far apart and the lid slides over the back stays 6. Axe attachments is a bit awkward 7. The S/M size is just a bit tight for an overnight All that said I'm buying the 2022 Speed 50 which address all those points but for 1. and 3.

This is an excellent backpack — exactly what I needed. It’s lightweight, and the material looks durable and sturdy. Perfect for working on the route. The only downside is that when it’s fully packed and you have a helmet on, it’s hard to look upward — but that’s an issue with almost every backpack when it’s fully loaded. My recommendation: this backpack is perfect for its intended purpose. I like that it doesn’t have unnecessary pockets or straps — it’s wonderfully practical.

This is the perfect all rounder backpack. I am extremely impressed with the quality and thought that went into every accessory on the pack. The speed 40 is not meant for multi-day function, but the speed 55 would be perfect. This pack performs perfectly on any mountain condition. It’s comfortable, super light, and easily adjustable to fit your body type. I would highly recommend, I feel that the speed series is one of the best packs black diamond has ever produced.

I was looking for a lightweight 40L pack that could handle all my outdoor activities, including instructing skiing and needing to have essentially an extra locker for all the clothing needed to handle changing conditions during any given day. The Speed 40 is outstanding in that it has all the features needed, but keeps the weight down and still stays incredibly durable. I'm pretty rough on gear, but this pack is handling my abuse really well.