From the pack brand born of one of the world's greatest climbing families, Lowe Alpine is proud to announce the release of an all new Rock range to their SS20 collection, designed by climbers, for climbers.
Drawing on their heritage of more than 50 years creating world-class carry systems for life on the move, Lowe Alpine's Rock range speaks to climbers looking for a pack with outstanding carry and contemporary features to help push the limits of their climbing.
Sitting within Lowe Alpine's Ascent range, the Rock range is made up of three new backpack styles which fulfi l the needs of the modern climber, plus an innovative rope bag design and chalk bag. Each backpack in the range off ers outstanding gear accessibility and organization, without compromising carry. The range has been designed from the ground up with four simple principles at its core: carry experience, durability, accessibility and utility.
Lead pack designer for the Rock range, Dan Jenkin, explains:
"There are so many climbing packs on the market where the design focus is solely on carrying gear- and not the carry experience itself. Considering that climbing packs are some of the heaviest day packs you'll ever carry when filled with rope and metal, this just didn't make sense to me."
"In designing this range of packs, I wanted to make sure that that the carry was as comfortable and supportive as possible, while making it easy to access your gear at the crag," Dan continues. This is evident in the TriFlex™ carry system, which offers close-fitting structure that contours to the body through a combinations of moulded EVA foam and a lightweight frame.
It's not just the carry that makes this range stand out; there are a number of features and subtle details which set the new Rock range apart, making it clear there are climbers behind the design process: "There are some small details we've included which make a big difference," explains Dan. "Like the reinforced clip stick pocket on the Outcast 44; people often just use the mesh pockets designed for water bottles to stash clipsticks, but they quickly disintegrate with heavy use. Having a purpose made pocket for this is a small thing- but actually makes a big difference."
A versatile, multi-faceted range with a pack suited to every style of climbing, the new Rock range from Lowe Alpine channels the spirit of the mid-century 'Rucksack Revolution', reimagined for modern climbers.
Rogue 48 - RRP £110
The Rogue's Tri-Flex™ carry system and dual density foam harness can make lengthy hikes to the crag a breeze. With its zipped rear entry you can access your rope and trad rack in seconds.
Outcast 44 - RRP £100
The ultimate pack for sport climbing, this pack makes moving around the crag effortless. With book-style opening and mesh dividers, you can easily stash your rope and gear, while side carry handles make moving from route to route quick and easy.
Misfit 27 - RRP £75
Whether it's a day at the crag or a training session at the wall, the Misfit is a smaller volume pack for any climber. With a guide book pocket, gear loop for quickdraws and internal dividers, this pack is ideal for moving fast when minimal kit is needed.
Slacker - RRP £35
This is a rope bag with a difference. Its integral rope tarp means you can go from packed to route-ready within seconds, while its 360 degree compression and roll top design means you can stash any gear with your rope and keep it looking slick.
Chalk Bag - RRP £16
This no-nonsense chalk bag does what it says on the tin. With a drawcord closure specifically designed for easy one-hand access when you need it most.
Comments
Just in case anyone is interested we've got reviews coming out of both the Rogue (written by Alan) and the Outcast (written by myself) which will be coming out in the next few weeks.
If anyone has any questions in the meanwhile feel free to fire them across.
They look really nice - I asked Gear Editor Dan if Lowe wanted them reviewed and he told me they were long gone! :) Does the Outcast fit a rope and trad rack easily enough?
Funnily enough I go into quite a bit of detail about this within the review, not least because the Outcast is very much pitched as being specific to sport climbing, but the short answer is - yes, it does take a trad rack and ropes.
I'll leave the long answer for the review, but the medium size answer is that it's certainly a lot more versatile than it's made out to be, with more than enough capacity for a good days tradding, irrespective of whether that's a day out on the Grit or a more sizeable day up in the mountains somewhere.
I only got to see the Rogue for the first time the other day, but had momentary pangs of jealousy when I did, as that looks really good too (and I know Alan has got on really well with it).