As the name suggests, day packs from Lowe Alpine's AirZone range are designed to keep you cool, dry and comfortable. They do this with a very open back system that keeps them a healthy distance from your body. There are multiple packs in the AirZone range, subdivided into AirZone Trek (larger capacity for overnights), AirZone Active (general purpose light duties), and AirZone Trail (the workhorse for big days), each coming in several sizes and men's/women's variations. Carolina Smith and I have been trying out the women's AirZone Trail ND33L (£130) and the men's AirZone Trail Camino 37:42L (£150). At this versatile sort of size, you could class each as a big day pack, or - if you're disciplined about what you bring - a small overnight pack.

In use

We have had these packs for a few months now and have used them for walks in a variety of terrain, ranging from quick evening jaunts to full mountain days, and including one or two scrambles. They have been out in the full spectrum of weather that the British summer has thrown at us and have performed well in all conditions. They are robust packs, made from tough material, comfortable to wear, with plenty of storage.

Comfort

One of the real stand-out features of these packs, which has been particularly welcome in the long, hot drought we had early this summer, is the AirZone ventilated back system. The positioning of the straps and the suspended mesh of back system mean that there is a sizeable gap between the rucksack and the wearer's back, which makes them about as comfortable as rucksacks can possibly be on hot days. The straps and hipbelt are also comfortably padded and lined with the breathable mesh. These are really quite luxurious rucksacks.

When climbing, scrambling or running most users will prefer a pack that brings the centre of gravity closer to the body since this makes for a better-balanced feel, and for these more 'technical' uses the AirZone's big air gap may prove a disadvantage. However for general walking, especially in summer, this is less likely to be a concern. We've found them, literally, a breath of fresh air.  

Weight and Size

Weight is important with rucksacks. Ideally, they would weigh nothing at all – you always tend to think of the things you put into a rucksack as the weight you're carrying. However, they have to be made of something. The Camino 37:42 weighs 1.42kg and the ND33L is 1.19kg, so these are not lightweight options and if every single gram counts they are probably not the packs for you. That said, they certainly don't feel heavy and with the number of features these packs have it's really quite impressive that the weights have been kept so low.

The dimensions are:

66 x 32 x 31cm for the Camino 37:42 and 63 x 32 x 26cm for the ND33L with a back length of 48cm for the Camino 37:42 and 43cm for the ND33L. This gives a good distribution of weight. They are, however, slightly too big to be carried as hand luggage on airlines.

Capacity of rucksacks is something everyone will have their own opinion on, but we have found these to be right for day walks, or overnight if staying in a hut, and I'd say the 42 litre pack is enough for camping trips too. The compartments really help with organising bits, so important things are easy to access, without ever feeling that they've overdone it – too many straps and zips would be a downside, but I think Lowe Alpine has it just right with these.

Features

Many, many features! I'll start with the straps, which like the back system are padded and have the breathable mesh lining. The shoulder straps can be adjusted easily and have load lifter straps connecting the top of the shoulders to the top of the pack. There's a sternum strap with a mini whistle built into the buckle. The hip belt sits comfortably, is fastened at the front with a big buckle, and is easy to adjust with straps on both sides. There are pockets on each side of the hip belt, which are big enough for things like phone, keys, compass and sunglasses.

Stretchy mesh side pockets with a couple of straps to tighten are useful for carrying water bottles, but we've both found that the water bottles occasionally fall out when the rucksack is not upright. There are, however, upper and lower side compression straps, which can be used to hold on tight to your bottles as well as reducing the bulk of your pack. One side also has plastic attachments for walking poles, with a bungee cord higher up to hold them in place. The Camino has, on the opposite side, an attachment loop and bungee cord for an ice axe.

The ND33L has a front stash pocket made from the same mesh as the side pockets, whereas the Camino 37:42 has a bungee strap system, which Lowe Alpine calls a SpiderPlate. This proved particularly useful when I had a water bottle leak in my bag one day, so I had to use the straps to hang out my waterlogged extra layers to dry in the sun. They dried as quickly as if they had been on the washing line.

A bright red rain cover is attached by Velcro and stored in a small pocket at the bottom of the bag. There is a large top pocket with enough room for a warm hat and winter gloves, and a zip pocket on the inside for valuables, with a little hook for clipping on your keyring. There really is a place for everything. Even without the rain cover, I've found this part has stayed dry in heavy rain.

Inside, there is a large pocket designed for holding a hydration bladder, but equally suited to storing maps, mats etc. The top of the bag is easily tightened using the draw cord and the Camino has an extendable lid, allowing an extra 5 litres of space. The straps are long enough that the bag can still be closed comfortably, even when all 42 litres of space are in use. The Camino also has a zip running along the side and one at the bottom of the bag, allowing easy access to the main compartment. Some material on the inside of the bag can be attached to the sides with toggles, meaning you can divide the main body of the bag and effectively have a separate lower pocket, accessed by the zip on the outside.

Ethics and Environment

Lowe Alpine is owned by the same compoany as Rab, which is a certified Climate Neutral Company and seems to be working hard at doing positive things for the planet by reducing waste and emissions. It aims to be a Net Zero business by 2030. The body fabric of these rucksacks is made from 50% recycled nylon and all AirZone Trail packs are fluorocarbon free.

There is one Rab site in the UK, where products are washed and repaired, and where expedition suits are made and down sleeping bags hand-filled, but the company's 26 other manufacturing sites are in Asia. However, Rab and Lowe Alpine are members of Fair Wear, an independent non-profit organisation that works to improve labour conditions in garment factories.

Summary

For walking and all-round outdoor use, especially in summer, these are great rucksacks. The number of pockets and straps is just right, and allows gear to be organised in such a way that it can be accessed easily. The generous padding and ventilated back system mean that wearing these packs has always been comfortable. Ours is a household with a significantly higher than average number of rucksacks, but we have both pretty much stopped using anything else since these arrived. Nothing is invincible, but they feel tough and hard-wearing too, so I expect we'll be using them for years to come.