Fast-paced hiking, or speed hiking as it’s known, is a great way to get fit. Unlike trail running, with speed hiking there is no time-keeping or competitive element involved. But that doesn’t mean that minimasing the waight you carry is any less important. With its reworked Speed Lite series, backpack and sleeping bag manufacturer deuter has come up with its lightest ever hiking backpacks and clearly demonstrated that light weight does not necessarily have to come at the cost of comfort.
Speed hiking, power hiking, fastpacking no matter what you call it involves walking or hiking at an increased pace while enjoying natural surroundings. And that’s exactly what the Speed Lite is designed for. Ambitious hikers who want to keep things fast and light in the mountain need a backpack that’s lightweight easy to use and offers good carry comfort. And sacrificing one quality for another is out of the question.
With its clever, lightweight construction, minimised features, deuter Lite back system and use of especially lightweight (sustainable) materials, the weight of the Speed Lite series has been reduced to an absolute minimum. The new Speed Lite 25 for instance only weighs 710 g (880 g in the 30-liter version), which means you can put more energy into the trail and less into carrying the load. The Speed Lite 23 SL, 25, 28 SL and 30 models have wide, ergonomically shaped shoulder straps with full ventilation, supple hip fins and a precision-adjustable, lightly elasticated sternum strap to create a snug fit with zero load wobble. The weight is evenly distributed between the hips and shoulders which minimizes the strain on the shoulders and therefore on the back. Compression straps at the sides ensure the whole pack remains compact against the back which prevents load wobble and provides unrestricted movement during the up-and-down movement of hiking at speed. There is space for a cell phone, GPS device or digital camera in the pocket on the front of one of the shoulder straps, to keeps essentials close at hand. When the pace picks up, the side compression straps can be used to further compress the load or to attach gear. The larger Speed Lite 28 SL and 30 models also feature a zippered lid compartment for added storage.
The smaller Speed Lite 13, 17 and 21 models come with a detachable waist belt (and no hip fins) to shave off a little extra weight, with shorter speed hikes in mind. Here too, the deuter Lite back system provides superior comfort.
The Speed Lite is available in sizes 25 and 30 liters in a Regular fit and for women in 23 SL and 28 SL. The smaller models (14, 17 and 21 liters) are unisex.
The Speed Lite series is not just built for comfort and performance when moving fast through alpine terrain, however, it also complies with deuter’s stricts sustainability and durability principles. The body fabric is made from 100% recycled materials and is bluesign® certified, and the entire pack is PFC free.
INFO: deuter
