I have tested the Salewa women’s Alptrek 50+10 backpack on many hiking trips and especially when planning to wild camp for one or two nights.
Features include:
Capacity: 50 + 10 litres
100Dx280D Nylon Twill and 210D Nylon Honeycomb
Detachable lid, drawstring top
Internal frame back with EVA pads and 3D channel ventilation
Adjustable padded “split” hip belt
Side zip to main compartment
Large zipped front pocket
2 zipped lid pockets,
Front net pocket
2 side net pockets
Zipped lower compartment
Hydration sleeve
2 hip-belt pockets
Zipped pocket for raincover
Side compression straps
Trekking pole fastening
Double ice axe fastening
Rope fastener,
2 daisy chain loops
One size (45-53cm torso)
S, M, L torso adjustment
Weight: 1780g
Price: £210
See: Salewa
My thoughts: Salewa women’s Alptrek 50+10 backpack
The pack is ideal for a slimmer female and it felt comfortable straight away. In really like the medium thickness of padding at the rear of the pack and also in the hipbelt and shoulder straps. The cut-out design of the shoulder straps and hip-belt are excellent and offer a more customised fit.
The back was also easy to adjust to suit my height although tall women should note that I am 5ft8in and I needed it set to the longest length.
The 50-litre volume can be extended to add an extra 10 litres by removing the lid and stowing more items at the top of the pack. I have not needed the extra space and I find the volume is totally fine for a backpacking and wild camping trip of two to three nights.
A rain cover is a useful extra for waterproofing, especially when the lid is removed. I usually pack all my kit in small dry bags so I do not usually need to use the rain cover.
Items in the main compartment are accessed from the top and also via a long side zip. A lower zipped compartment is useful for stashing a sleeping bag and there is a zipped divider between the top and lower part of the pack for packing versatility.
Additionally, there is a large, zipped side pocket, three external stretch pockets and two more zipped pockets in the lid. I like lots of different places to pack items so I was impressed with the range and sizes. It would be better still if the rear mesh pocket was a bit bigger.
The pack is not the lightest that I own but it feels compact and evenly weighted when fully laden. It sits comfortably against the back and hips and doesn’t sway about or feel top-heavy. I don’t notice the extra grams of the pack itself when it is full of my gear.
A few niggles include a sticky zip on the lower main compartment that I have found increasingly frustrating. The detaching/attaching system for the lid is fiddly, too. The hip pockets would be far more useful if they were larger.
The pack is made with a material that boasts a “Salewa Committed” icon. This means it fulfils two mandatory criteria and one additional criteria for sustainability although after reading the information at www.salewa.com/en-gb/salewa-committed I’m still not clear how eco-friendly the product is.
The price is pretty good for a high quality and well-designed overnight pack.