Full disclosure before I dive into the Deuter Airlite 26 SL ($120) review. This is not a brand new pack that I got just before my recent trip to Greenland. It’s actually four years old. So why, on the trip that I ranked #1 on my Bucket List, did I choose an “old” pack over a New! This! Season! Pack!?
Because.
New backpacks (or any piece of gear for that matter) are always aces when they’re shiny, pretty and unsullied with sweat, dirt, tears, fading and general wear. But I haven’t seen significant enough innovation over the past four years to warrant the waste-fest that is getting a new backpack just for the sake of a new pack to take to Greenland.
Perfect Weight and Size for Hiking and Backpacking in Greenland
Greenland is country without roads, hence my attraction for visiting. A country without roads means no rental cars. Getting around is by foot, boat or plane. I took an Osprey Xena 85L to carry clothes, sleeping bag, camp pad, stove, food, blah, blah, blah. But I also needed a lightweight daypack as an airplane carry-on and for dayhikes. I knew there would be times where I would need to carry both at the same time, one on the back, one on my front. Enter the Deuter Airlite 26SL from years past but still a current model in Deuter’s line.
I have an Osprey Mira AG 26 daypack that is the same size as the Deuter Airlite 26, however not as minimalistic. It weighed more than the Deuter and was wider in width and shoulder strap placement. When I strapped on the 85L Osprey Xena pack and added the Osprey Mira to my chest, the wider-placed straps of the Mira kept sliding off the straps of the 85L pack and I had to physically hold Mira in place.
Not the case with the Deuter Airlite 26 SL, whose narrower shoulder straps and pack width sat securely atop the shoulder straps of the Osprey Xena 85L—and I didn’t have to physically hold it in place. At 2lbs, 6oz, the Mira is slightly heavier then the Airlite, which tips the scales at a nice petite 2lbs, 4oz thanks to its minimalist design. This is not to say that the Osprey Mira AG is a lesser pack. It’s a great pack with great features that I still use. It was just a little too fat and heavy for the mission.
Integrated Raincover
I was hiking in Greenland. This feature got used. Honestly, if you buy a daypack that doesn’t have this feature, you’ll regret it. The Deuter Airlite 26SL’s raincover is integrated so you never have to worry about leaving home without it.
Front-loading Design
Front-loading design vs top-loading will almost always be a subject for debate, even among the best of friends. There’s merit to each depending on the objective of the mission. I prefer this design over top-loading designs anytime an airport is involved. It makes it easier to find stuff like my passport, identification or items that TSA will use against me. Plus, when I carried both the Deuter and the Osprey packs at the same time, it was a breeze to access my phone, snack or sunblock from the Deuter’s front-loading design.
Women-specific without the Pastel Colors, Floral Decor and Pretty Swirls
I am jaded when it comes to women-specific gear. In addition to the aesthetics, I have encountered women-specific gear that is made with reduced quality when compared to the comparable men’s model. Bike frames are the biggest offender. I have never owned a women-specific frame and I never will. The bike industry markets them as a better fit for a woman’s geometry and every day I see women who fell for it. If the bike manufacturers are so concerned with fitting smaller, shorter and skinnier riders to the right frame size, why aren’t all the small, short and skinny male riders swooping in to buy them? ’cause they are plenty of them. I digress. back to the Deuter Airlite 26SL!
The Little Yellow Flower has a Purpose
The little yellow flower is intended to differentiate it as a “women’s-specific” pack. But unlike a floral swirl, pastel color or a cute graphic it’s removable (which I did immediately after obtaining the pack). As I schlepped this pack through airports and logged hundreds of trekking miles, all that was marketed to the world was Deuter Airlite 26 SL in the same font and color as all of Deuter’s packs.
What I can say about this little yellow flower is that it served two purposes four years ago when the pack was brand new and I took it to Norway. It served as a pony tail holder and secured a plastic trash bag around an empty, oily, leaking mackerel can. I doubt that was what Deuter had in mind but it worked nonetheless.
What Could be Better
The side pockets have an odd shape and aren’t especially deep for securely holding a water bottle. Remember this pack is four years old and I can’t tell from the photos from Deuter’s website if they have made any modifications. Kind of a minor detail, especially if you’re carrying a hydration bladder.
Final Thoughts
I often ridicule the “Gear of the Show” title bestowed by bloggers and gear reviewers who visit Outdoor Retailer, that crazy-big semi-annual industry trade show that is the Paris Fashion Week of the outdoor industry. I mean, how can one award this lofty title upon gear they simply handled once in a climate-controlled convention center?
Four years ago when I reviewed this pack for another publication, I couldn’t attest to its long-term durability at the time, beyond its tight, neat stitching and tough, robust 210 Denier Nylon fabric. My review was based entirely off a trip to Norway. It performed favorably and I recommended it, even with the little yellow flower.
Four years later, I can accurately attest that all the components that Deuter put into the design of this pack contributed to it being the pack of choice for Greenland.
Honestly? All gear reviewers should revisit their product reviews at least a year or two after later.
