Black Diamond  Speed 40 Pack

A lot of care went into making this pack. When first picked up one can notice the attention to detail and perfect choice of material, darn tough but light. Once the pack is put through its paces though, that is when it really shines. Feels soooo good on your back, even when stuffed with a bulky rack and rope. My favorite way to use the bag is with the brain top removed and stowed inside, keeping personals close at hand. Even with that extra space taken up by the brain in the bag it affords so much more room by allowing one to max out the roll top. You can also still stow a rope on top of the bag with the rope strap allowing max room inside. So much versatility with this bag's size. AWESOME! The swing arm strap design is great so far, could be the Achilles heel though. The system seems bomber, but any moving parts on a packs suspension system seem to make me wary. Not wary enough to nock this pack down a star. Get it!!!!!!!!!!

Probably my favorite pack ever! The way the suspension flexes with my back is hard to descrinbe, all I can tell you is it helps my back feel SOOO much better after climbing the Grand Teton then before I started. If you need a climbing or fast packing pack, this is the pack, especially over rough terrain.

This pack is so perfectly thought out. With a hydration system, it is the perfect pack for any one-day adventure. It works for ski mountaineering and climbing. It's incredibly comfortable - even with 30 pounds of gear, I simply don't notice I'm wearing it.

I am not a guide, not a hardcore alpinist, and certainly in many ways not qualified to be reviewing this pack. On the other hand, I do a fair amount of rock and ice climbing and get out West as often as possible in order to try to put those skills to the test in the mountains (Estes, Tetons, etc). I've been looking for a good technical pack that will fit some minimal overnight gear, my rack, and a rope with comfort and will also ensure my tools and 'pons don't rip everything up or fall off in the middle of an approach. This is that pack. First of all, the material is burly. All concerns I had about it being too lightweight vanished when I got my hands on it. This thing feels like my harness to the touch and is reinforced very well along the seams etc. All the straps and attachment points are quick to adjust and well though out. The new suspension system for the shoulder straps feels odd at first, but then starts to feel like my 5lb Osprey pack with a pivoting hip belt (in other words, like butter - moves with you). Loaded up, it's comfy, and I'm a big fan of the roll-top and powder skirt. This thing holds substantially more than 40l. Some downsides: this is fast and light so there are no pockets whatsoever on the outside of the pack. The hydration pocket seems placed a bit further down the inside of the pack than I'd like (trying to keep weight high). Lastly, I have yet to test these new tool attachment points but I have to wonder why they didn't stick with the old pick pockets... those looked great.

This is an all around great pack! I got it as a larger daypack/climbing pack. It fits harness, shoes, chalk, rack perfectly fine and it has a nice hidden strap that isn't advertised just above the shoulder straps that loops around the front and back again to hold a rope to the top of the bag. Its reactive tech shoulder straps and waist belt are great. I've taken up the crag with me and its been able to hold 3 guy's lunch and water just fine with out throwing me off balance. I would recommend taking the padded hip belt off (just velcro and a little shoving) when climbing with it. The 40 also is just big enough to be a good overnight bag. Its fitted my sleeping bag, stove, filter, food, and other misc items. (Admittedly it just barely closes). The closing though is my only nitpicking complaint. It has a wet-dry bag type roll close which can get really annoying to open and close to get stuff in and out, especially if the pack isn't loaded that much. I've never actually tested it in rain to see how dry it keeps your gear. The material is bomber though, its a heavy canvasy material that has yet to get snagged or torn. I would totally recommend this pack to everyone. The red/orange is a great color also. PS- I love the gear loops on the hip belt. They are so convenient to clip stuff to from water bottles to cameras. ( I clip by helmet to it on the way to the crag). I can also say from experience as a guy that clipping a water bottle to the hip belt is perfectly fine. For some miraculous feat, the gear loops are positioned perfectly so that everything falls towards your hip. So like with the waterbottle it rests on your hip instead of hitting elsewhere. BUY IT.