UKC

Whether used as a seat for a snack in the snow, an ice-axe store or used to carry all your hardware – the Guide 35+ is not only well equipped with features, but is built to last and can take a beating. 

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In reply to UKC/UKH Gear:
I bought one of these, this summer, to replace the Black Diamond 28 that my wife nicked and refuses to give back. The pack is fantastic - perfectly sized for Alpine day walks and multi-day hut-to-hut treks. If you strap your crampons to the outside, it has tonnes of room inside for everything else. It is also light and rigid so it won't kill you.

My only honest criticism of this pack is the fact that there are no pockets on the hip-belt. Instead, it has gear loops. Perhaps it is personal preference or just my work-flow in the hills but I cannot fathom the reason for those gear loops. If you have gear to clip, surely you're wearing a harness, anyway?

In reply to Xharlie:

Yeah, I never got gear loops on pack hipbelts for the same reason. Surely you'd have the belt tucked round the pack. Or if it's usable by being fastened rather than left loose then it's over a harness? Much better to have a belt that's removeable or foldable easily?

In reply to UKC/UKH Gear:
I had one but returned it as I found, apart from it not fitting me very well, that with the pack full I was unable to clip axes into their stowage slot/strap (?) on the base as there was not enough webbing to allow the fastex buckles on the axe retainers to clip together around an axes shaft.
Perhaps I just had an iffy one but maybe worth checking if that sort of thing annoys you.

In reply to Xharlie:


My problem with Deuter packs also. Actually I think that it should be possible to have gear loops AND hip pockets, in fact my bodge has done exactly that.

There is another problem with the axe attachments at the base, in principle having those little snap clasps to hold them is a good idea, but they are just too small to allow 2 axes to be fitted in realistically.

Generally they are good sacks though, just these couple of niggles.