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REVIEW: Montane Fast Alpine 40 Rucksack

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 UKC/UKH Gear 06 Apr 2016
Montane Fast Alpine 40 montage 2, 4 kbThe Fast Alpine 40 mountain pack was developed with Andy Kirkpatrick. You'd expect it to be seriously functional then, built to take hard knocks and good for both lugging heavy loads and climbing. And you'd be right, says Dan Bailey.

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In reply to UKC/UKH Gear:

I really like Montane stuff, they seem to make functional, lightweight, well priced, gear. On this occasion, I'm left bewildered!

Berghaus used to make a Slipstream pack, then it changed to Phantom 37, Andy K even sang it's praises in an old Climber review. This is in essence a copy, though nearly twice the weight and price!

Montane also do a roll top, super alpine bag, which for me, is where it's at in modern thinking!

Stuart

Ps. I use a Golite Jam pack

 Dell 06 Apr 2016
In reply to UKC/UKH Gear:

Seems decent, although some alternative colours would be nice.
Liking the buckle lid closure, the glove friendly cordlock on the drawcord, and the big plastic tabs on the zips (these are all present in some Millet packs and work very well)
The waist buckle looks similar to the amazing Bergbuckle, although not sure it works as well in metal. Not sure the compression buckles need to be un-hookable.

The usage of the comp straps to hold the axe is a great idea, and saves having separate axe loops. Yay! for not having excessive dangley straps hanging off, if you need to attach something, use some cord or a bungy.

A personal niggle here, missing some side pockets, doesn't have to be anything massive, just some low profile stretchy mesh or an elastic rimmed 'wand pocket'. So handy for stuffing snacks, a light windproof or water bottle in.
 olddirtydoggy 06 Apr 2016
In reply to UKC/UKH Gear:

So it's basically a reworked Torque 40.
 BnB 06 Apr 2016
In reply to Stuart the postie:

I'm with you Stuart. My stripped Ascensionist 35 is less than half the weight and carries as much in comfort. I'm sure this is a decent pack but it does nowt for me.

Btw was that you we followed up the Douglas Boulder a week or so ago?
 andrewmc 06 Apr 2016
In reply to olddirtydoggy:
> So it's basically a reworked Torque 40.

I have the Torque 40 and yes, it does look like it. It does look like an improvement (the ice axe thing on the Torque is very secure but is a pain!) though.

I would point out though that I have a lot of gear which feels 'lightweight' (i.e. you spend all your time desperately trying to keep it away from anything pointy) and gear that doesn't, and the Torque falls into the latter - it seems like it is made of pretty robust fabrics. I guess (given the lack of extraneous features) a lot of the weight is in the fabric? (although the removable parts of the back system are also not that light, if comfortable).
Post edited at 13:35
 galpinos 06 Apr 2016
In reply to andrewmcleod:

It shouldn't feel lightweight as it's 1.3kg!
In reply to BnB:

Yes, I wore red jaiket.

Stuart
andy kirkpatrick 07 Apr 2016
The Fast Alpine is pretty full functioning (ie it will carry a pretty heavy load) and has all you'd need (stripping it down gets the weight closer to what some may want), but the Ultra Alpine is the specialised version (https://www.montane.co.uk/en/men/equipment/packs/ultra-alpine-38-5) which is a stripped down as you can get (dosn't even have foam in the back panel), but unlike most very light packs is also very tough (most buckles metal and body is VX fabric). This pack is not for everyone, in fact it's for very few indeed, and it needs careful use to get the most out of it (I'd ditch the straps and just go with bungee cord), but at around 600 grams (38 litres) it's a great little pack.
 Dr.S at work 07 Apr 2016
In reply to andy kirkpatrick:
I'd imagine the ultra-alpine may interest light weight backpackers - I know it does me, not many bags of that volume/weight/strength. The cuben version is mildly hilarious - almost twice the price for the same weight?

Do you know how light the fast alpine 40 is when stripped?






 BnB 07 Apr 2016
In reply to Stuart the postie:

Good to meet you
 Dell 07 Apr 2016
In reply to andy kirkpatrick:

http://tinyurl.com/zy25bdb

The master has graced us!
1
 Dell 07 Apr 2016
In reply to Dr.S at work:

The Ultra Tour 40 for UL 'packing' surely?

A minimalist pack as the Ultra Alpine would surely be annoying to walk with once stripped out. No waist straps, padding or external load carrying capacity.
You might as well make your own out of a Tesco carrier bag and some hairy string.
 Rick Graham 07 Apr 2016
In reply to Dell:
> You might as well make your own out of a Tesco carrier bag and some hairy string.

Reminds me of two Spanish lads on a long bolted route on the Penon d Ifach.

They had no small climbing sack just a carrier bag each tied to their harness with string.

The second, falling off the last steep pitch in front of us, was a bit helpless hanging in space.

No problem, untied string, got out mobile phone and rang leader for instructions.
Post edited at 10:35
In reply to andy kirkpatrick:

Hi Andy,

Climbing packs seem to fall into 2 categories:

1. Comfortable to carry everything to base of route, or
2. Climb better, less to interfere with harness, compact smaller.

I have always chose the latter, since it is a climbing pack after all!

The Fast Alpine looks like what most people seem to carry up the hill, along with Osprey, Lowe Alpine and the likes. In reflection, does look like a tweeked Torque 40 too?

The Ultra Alpine falls into the 'climbing category' and not to dissimilar to my Golite Jam. I like the compression straps running all around, through metal eyelets, great for securing a mat and the likes, either on side or back, if they are long enough? Slide tools down behind them too, watch out for walking through dense trees though (Canada!!). Roll top yip, roll down tightly and smaller pack, especially since no top tension straps to interfere, climbing packs this size don't need them anyway. A normal plastic fastex buckle would be better on roll top, since metal one will bounce out, due to lack of tension.

Coincidently, I still have a 25 year old Lowe Alpine Spire 40, built like a tank, climbs well, still sub 1kg!!

Regards

Stuart

Ps. Was beneath you on Dru with Dave Rudd
 Dell 07 Apr 2016
In reply to Rick Graham:

Those Mercadona bags though......legendary in the Spanish climbing scene :-D
 Dr.S at work 08 Apr 2016
In reply to Dell:

> The Ultra Tour 40 for UL 'packing' surely?

> A minimalist pack as the Ultra Alpine would surely be annoying to walk with once stripped out. No waist straps, padding or external load carrying capacity.

> You might as well make your own out of a Tesco carrier bag and some hairy string.

no, way too heavy - I currently use an old BD bag I've stripped down to about 600g, and has a 35l capacity - My personal target is a bag weight of below 10kg for a 4 day trip including carrying 2l* of water and all food - so a base weight of about 5 or 6kg.

* the 2l of water may include some port.
In reply to UKC/UKH Gear:

I'm not seeing anything particularly innovative in the design here and that's a seriously heavy pack for the capacity. Compare it to the Arc'Teryx Alpha FL 45 which does everything you need for 680g, is burly as hell and still comfortable carrying a heavy load.
In reply to highaltitudebarista:

I'm sure that's also a good pack, but it's not a straight comparison. You're criticising a mainstream pack with lots of features for not being a niche ultra minimal one. The Arc'Teryx Alpha FL 45 has no lid, no side compression straps, no hip belt padding, and does it have any internal frame? You may - or may not - want those bits, but if not then a more meaningful comparison would be with Montane's Ultra Alpine 38 at just over 600g. A review of that is pending.

I would agree the Fast Alpine 40 is not that lightweight. I didn't think that was really the point of it though
 BnB 09 Apr 2016
In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

> I would agree the Fast Alpine 40 is not that lightweight. I didn't think that was really the point of it though

Then why isn't it called the "Featured Alpine 40"? "Fast" is usually a synonym for "Light" in climbing gear terminology, wouldn't you say?
In reply to BnB:

Agree with the above sentiments, Alpine 40 or even Torque 16', since looks similar and weights about the same!

I really rate Montane products, started using an original Prism when they first appeared. At that time, no one made a similar product, for me Montane nailed it!!

Guess I'm feeling surprised at this recent addition to the range?

Stuart
 Dell 09 Apr 2016
In reply to Dr.S at work:

I understand the concept of using lightweight and minimal gear. But do you really notice an extra couple of hundred grams when it's effectively being 'worn' about your person in the form of a rucksack.

Or to put it another way, surely it's more comfortable to carry 10kg in a well fitted, padded, comfy pack, with a decent padded belt, than something lighter, but with no back padding, that wobbles about and sags.
In reply to BnB:

You'd have to ask Montane

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