Lowe Alpine Aeon 35 Review
15th July 2018
Lowe Alpine Aeon 35 Review
Posing...
Earlier in the year I was asked to review the new Lowe Alpine Aeon 35 backpack. I'm not being paid to write this review and I will more than happily be honest about something I find useless instead of just please a supplier. But having used it for the past three and a half months for days out hillwalking, scrambling and rock climbing I've gotten to know this bag fairly well and am very pleased with it.
More posing... Photo by Denis Dineen.
To begin with the basics - this is a 35 litre top-loading backpack. The lid has pockets on both the inside and outside, handy for storing smaller items like a headtorch, snacks, gloves, etc. The inner pocket has a keyring tab so you don't get back to the car/house and realise your keys have slipped out somewhere hours ago and are now probably lost forever. There are pockets on both sides of the bag, and they're nice and deep with stretchy material on the outside to accommodate whatever you might want to put in them - bottles, maps or bits of rubbish you might find while out. There's a zipped pocket on the front of the pack, again with the same stretchy mesh material. The hip belts have small pockets on them. I quite like these little pockets - it means being able to get at snacks without having to take the backpack off and on again. There is a zipper on the right edge of the pack for access from the side. I usually line my backpacks with a waterproof stuff-sack as the 'weather resistant' materials most backpacks are made from tends not to mean waterproof. I ruined an excellent down jacket on a particularly wet day in Scotland years ago, so having an internal liner is a good idea in this part of the world (external rain covers are best avoided as they tend to blow off/away). This makes the side-entry pocket slightly redundant in my mind, but with the fine summer weather this year I've just not bothered using a waterproof liner yet. There's also a pocket for a water bladder between the back and the interior of the pack, with tabs for keeping the tube fixed along either shoulder strap. I'm not a fan of those bladders but it's nice to have the option, and a good idea to keep it out of the interior of the pack in case of a leak. There are compression straps on the top and bottom of the sides to ensure a nice, neat shape when the bag is fully loaded. All of that sounds like a lot of bells and whistles but all the pockets and features are fairly flush with the main body or can be tucked away, so it's not unnecessarily cluttered.
This backpack is light, weighing just shy of 1kg. I'm not exactly in need of any kit for light and fast alpine ascents but nonetheless it's nice to have lightweight gear. The material is nylon treated with Lowe Alpine's own TriShield® coating, which apparently increases abrasion resistance. I haven't used the bag for long enough to know how easily it will start to come apart, but I don't expect to have to worry about gaping holes for a long long time. That said, the mesh on the side and front pockets looks like it would be quite easy to rip if you were squeezing through a granite chimney or caught it on some branches while bushwhacking. But that's hardly a dealbreaker, and Gorilla tape can fix most things. As well as being light, it appears smaller than it is. It's neat and tidy when it's not filled, but the extra capacity just seems to appear when you need it. I was out scrambling with a friend recently and his 20l backpack looked bigger than my 35l, despite both of us carrying the same amount of gear. The light weight and lack of bulk was noticeable while making more delicate moves on steeper ground.
Sunshine and solid rock. Scrambling on the east ridge of Knocknagantee. Photo by Denis Dineen.
None of the above would matter if the bag wasn't comfortable. The ability to carry heavy loads comfortably is the single biggest requirement of any backpack and the Aeon 35 does this better than any bag I've used yet. On Friday evening I went to climb some new routes on a sea cliff close to home, and not knowing quite what to expect I brought gear for all eventualities - a full rack of over 20 wires, 15 cams up to size 5, 12 extenders, slings, crabs, a 50m rope, shoes, chalk, harness and helmet, plus the usual requirements of food, water, spare layers and a first aid kit. I was hardly aware of the weight on my back while walking to and from the crag. Granted it was flat walking, but I carried a similar load up a steep slope to another crag last week and the pack sat very comfortably on my shoulders, back and hips. There's a thin mesh on the back of the pack to help with air circulation. I've never been keen on the AirZone system on some of Lowe Alpine's packs - they give the interior of the pack too curved a shape for me, which makes packing them a touch more awkward. This AirContour™ system is much simpler, and certainly helps. And in my opinion having a sweaty back is just part of being outdoors with a backpack on, regardless of what pack you're carrying. It's not a big deal. The shoulder and hip straps are adjustable and the sternum strap can be raised or lowered as well as loosened or tightened. The sternum strap also has a whistle built into it, which is a nice bonus. It seems a simple thing but a whistle might save your life some day. All the buckles on the straps are small, part of the deal of this being a lightweight bag. I'm a small bit worried they might be a bit less durable than chunkier buckles, but light weight means light materials so it's not really a fair criticism of the design.
A hoody, lunch, more water and a 60m rope were easily carried along with what you can see outside the bag here. And very comfortably too.
The AirContour system makes things that little less sweaty for your back. All the straps are lightweight but not too thin to be uncomfortable, and allow plenty of ventilation too.
Photo by Jaro Fagan, the master of cloud inversion prediction. The bag is so comfy it's as easy to leave on as take off.
There are some nifty features for attaching things to the front of the pack. Ice axes are easily accommodated with the usual loops near the base, and there are little "TipGrippers" (cute name) for securing the pointed ends of walking poles. Both can be hidden behind an edge of fabric when not in use in case you're worried about them catching on things. The top straps (the Multi-Lock Tool™ - so many trademarks!) easily grab the shaft of an axe/pole but are also very handy for attaching a helmet. Anybody who's tried packing a helmet inside a backpack will know how much space they take up so being able to securely strap your hardhat to the outside of the bag is a big plus for me. There's a little strap at the lower end of the face of the pack for attaching a light for cycling, or perhaps something else. The top of the pack doesn't have a strap for tying down a rope under the lid but there are tabs there so a short length of cord is all you need if you want that feature.
The side pockets are nice and deep, comfortably accommodating a 1l water bottle. Just mind not to be too tough on that mesh. Helmets are easily attached to the front of the pack too, saving more room inside.
Lowe Alpine's TipGrippers are perfect for holding the ends of walking poles, and when not needed they fold behind that flap of fabric. The axe loops are nice and simple.
So it's 5 stars from me for this bag. There's not much to dislike about it. Unless you're looking to carry gear for multi-day adventures 35 litres is plenty. There's more than enough room for most day activities, and true light-and-fast specialists will be able to make it work for overnight trips too. No backpack will feel good if you don't pack it right and customise the fit for your shape, but those things being equal this is the most comfortable backpack I've owned. There's a women's version available, as well as larger sizes for longer backs. I've had a Lowe Alpine Crag Attack 42 for years and though it might look a little more worn it's as good as new. I think I'll be able to say the same for my Aeon 35 in time to come.
Also available in blue and black.
As Lowe Alpine's marketing spiel for this range of packs says - infinite possibilities. Photo by Denis Dineen.
Posing...
Earlier in the year I was asked to review the new Lowe Alpine Aeon 35 backpack. I'm not being paid to write this review and I will more than happily be honest about something I find useless instead of just please a supplier. But having used it for the past three and a half months for days out hillwalking, scrambling and rock climbing I've gotten to know this bag fairly well and am very pleased with it.
More posing... Photo by Denis Dineen.
To begin with the basics - this is a 35 litre top-loading backpack. The lid has pockets on both the inside and outside, handy for storing smaller items like a headtorch, snacks, gloves, etc. The inner pocket has a keyring tab so you don't get back to the car/house and realise your keys have slipped out somewhere hours ago and are now probably lost forever. There are pockets on both sides of the bag, and they're nice and deep with stretchy material on the outside to accommodate whatever you might want to put in them - bottles, maps or bits of rubbish you might find while out. There's a zipped pocket on the front of the pack, again with the same stretchy mesh material. The hip belts have small pockets on them. I quite like these little pockets - it means being able to get at snacks without having to take the backpack off and on again. There is a zipper on the right edge of the pack for access from the side. I usually line my backpacks with a waterproof stuff-sack as the 'weather resistant' materials most backpacks are made from tends not to mean waterproof. I ruined an excellent down jacket on a particularly wet day in Scotland years ago, so having an internal liner is a good idea in this part of the world (external rain covers are best avoided as they tend to blow off/away). This makes the side-entry pocket slightly redundant in my mind, but with the fine summer weather this year I've just not bothered using a waterproof liner yet. There's also a pocket for a water bladder between the back and the interior of the pack, with tabs for keeping the tube fixed along either shoulder strap. I'm not a fan of those bladders but it's nice to have the option, and a good idea to keep it out of the interior of the pack in case of a leak. There are compression straps on the top and bottom of the sides to ensure a nice, neat shape when the bag is fully loaded. All of that sounds like a lot of bells and whistles but all the pockets and features are fairly flush with the main body or can be tucked away, so it's not unnecessarily cluttered.
This backpack is light, weighing just shy of 1kg. I'm not exactly in need of any kit for light and fast alpine ascents but nonetheless it's nice to have lightweight gear. The material is nylon treated with Lowe Alpine's own TriShield® coating, which apparently increases abrasion resistance. I haven't used the bag for long enough to know how easily it will start to come apart, but I don't expect to have to worry about gaping holes for a long long time. That said, the mesh on the side and front pockets looks like it would be quite easy to rip if you were squeezing through a granite chimney or caught it on some branches while bushwhacking. But that's hardly a dealbreaker, and Gorilla tape can fix most things. As well as being light, it appears smaller than it is. It's neat and tidy when it's not filled, but the extra capacity just seems to appear when you need it. I was out scrambling with a friend recently and his 20l backpack looked bigger than my 35l, despite both of us carrying the same amount of gear. The light weight and lack of bulk was noticeable while making more delicate moves on steeper ground.
Sunshine and solid rock. Scrambling on the east ridge of Knocknagantee. Photo by Denis Dineen.
None of the above would matter if the bag wasn't comfortable. The ability to carry heavy loads comfortably is the single biggest requirement of any backpack and the Aeon 35 does this better than any bag I've used yet. On Friday evening I went to climb some new routes on a sea cliff close to home, and not knowing quite what to expect I brought gear for all eventualities - a full rack of over 20 wires, 15 cams up to size 5, 12 extenders, slings, crabs, a 50m rope, shoes, chalk, harness and helmet, plus the usual requirements of food, water, spare layers and a first aid kit. I was hardly aware of the weight on my back while walking to and from the crag. Granted it was flat walking, but I carried a similar load up a steep slope to another crag last week and the pack sat very comfortably on my shoulders, back and hips. There's a thin mesh on the back of the pack to help with air circulation. I've never been keen on the AirZone system on some of Lowe Alpine's packs - they give the interior of the pack too curved a shape for me, which makes packing them a touch more awkward. This AirContour™ system is much simpler, and certainly helps. And in my opinion having a sweaty back is just part of being outdoors with a backpack on, regardless of what pack you're carrying. It's not a big deal. The shoulder and hip straps are adjustable and the sternum strap can be raised or lowered as well as loosened or tightened. The sternum strap also has a whistle built into it, which is a nice bonus. It seems a simple thing but a whistle might save your life some day. All the buckles on the straps are small, part of the deal of this being a lightweight bag. I'm a small bit worried they might be a bit less durable than chunkier buckles, but light weight means light materials so it's not really a fair criticism of the design.
A hoody, lunch, more water and a 60m rope were easily carried along with what you can see outside the bag here. And very comfortably too.
The AirContour system makes things that little less sweaty for your back. All the straps are lightweight but not too thin to be uncomfortable, and allow plenty of ventilation too.
Photo by Jaro Fagan, the master of cloud inversion prediction. The bag is so comfy it's as easy to leave on as take off.
There are some nifty features for attaching things to the front of the pack. Ice axes are easily accommodated with the usual loops near the base, and there are little "TipGrippers" (cute name) for securing the pointed ends of walking poles. Both can be hidden behind an edge of fabric when not in use in case you're worried about them catching on things. The top straps (the Multi-Lock Tool™ - so many trademarks!) easily grab the shaft of an axe/pole but are also very handy for attaching a helmet. Anybody who's tried packing a helmet inside a backpack will know how much space they take up so being able to securely strap your hardhat to the outside of the bag is a big plus for me. There's a little strap at the lower end of the face of the pack for attaching a light for cycling, or perhaps something else. The top of the pack doesn't have a strap for tying down a rope under the lid but there are tabs there so a short length of cord is all you need if you want that feature.
The side pockets are nice and deep, comfortably accommodating a 1l water bottle. Just mind not to be too tough on that mesh. Helmets are easily attached to the front of the pack too, saving more room inside.
Lowe Alpine's TipGrippers are perfect for holding the ends of walking poles, and when not needed they fold behind that flap of fabric. The axe loops are nice and simple.
So it's 5 stars from me for this bag. There's not much to dislike about it. Unless you're looking to carry gear for multi-day adventures 35 litres is plenty. There's more than enough room for most day activities, and true light-and-fast specialists will be able to make it work for overnight trips too. No backpack will feel good if you don't pack it right and customise the fit for your shape, but those things being equal this is the most comfortable backpack I've owned. There's a women's version available, as well as larger sizes for longer backs. I've had a Lowe Alpine Crag Attack 42 for years and though it might look a little more worn it's as good as new. I think I'll be able to say the same for my Aeon 35 in time to come.
Also available in blue and black.
As Lowe Alpine's marketing spiel for this range of packs says - infinite possibilities. Photo by Denis Dineen.
Comments
By Jaro: Nice review, well done Richard! By Mark W: Thanks for the comprehensive review. Nice job. By Paul: Thanks for the detailed review. I have just ordered one. By Karl: Pretty much the review that helped me most. Good explanations and an obvious understanding of what's useful for others to know. Smart. By Martí: Very useful and detailed, thanks! By Jerry: Very reassuring - I've just bought one on eBay! Thanks Richard.