Deuter Speed Lite 24

Lightweight, durable comfort. A nice set of features with an easy to like price tag.

If you're in the market for a new hiking, alpine, or even knocking around pack, as most of us always are, I want to share my stoke about this one.

The Deuter Speed Lite 24 (also available in 12L, 16L, 20L, 22L SL, 26L, 30L SL, and 32L) is my first Deuter pack and has far exceeded my expectations. Despite being frameless, there's enough rigidity to handle loads up to 20 lbs and, given its V-shape cut, it becomes a part of your body.

The first thing I noticed about the pack was its weight. At 1 lb. 12 ounces, and as a comparison, it's 1 lb. lighter than the popular Osprey Stratos 24 but doesn't give up anything in terms of carrying power.

There are two main, zippered pockets on the Speed Lite. The top pocket includes a key fob and enough room for the various incidentals like a headlamp, snacks, camera, phone, etc. On the opposite side of the pocket there's some wise SOS directions. A nice touch.

I do think the top pocket could be a bit deeper and offer some more volume. The main pocket opens with two (almost) full length zippers and swallows more gear than I'd anticipated. I've had this out on snow hikes and it's been able to handle the extra gear with ease. While the extended zippers offers a nearly panel loading feature it does require unbuckling the compression straps. Without doing so there's still enough room to pull a jacket but it's usually a step to take to get to the bottom of the pack. No biggie. 

What I really appreciate is the unpadded hip belt. There's no rigidity yet all the support is there. And if I'm just taking a stroll by the lake, or even around town, the unfastened hip belt dangles so my arms aren't hitting it when it walk. You can even just position it behind your pack and won't feel it. More rigid hip belts get in the way when unfastened.

The hip belt pocket itself is small. Just enough room for a couple of bars and some small incidentals. Too small for most cameras and barely big enough for a phone without a protective case.

It has two mesh water bottle pockets (lower compression strap covers the pockets) and a non-stretchy front panel pocket that is adjustable via two compression straps. Personally I like this design better than mesh stuff-it pockets.I've blown through too much mesh on Ospreys and others. There's no ripping danger with the solid material and you can tighten what's in there easily.

The foam, 'honeycombed" back panel is flexible but designed to fill the space in your lower back. By its design, it provides some ventilation as your back isn't totally covered by foam and doesn't risk the mind-numbering "squeaks" that can show up in trampoline style back panels attached to a peripheral frame.

Just like it is when you try on the "right" pair of boots or a jacket, this pack was "right" for me immediately. It really feels like an extension of my body and offers everything I need and nothing I don't. I think it would be a good choice for cyclists and travelers as well.

Deuter offers both a men's and women's version and I've seen it pop up on sale pretty frequently. The $105 MSRP is ridiculously fair in my opinion but if you can pick up on a sale then you're looking at a big score.

I've only had it for about 8 months but it's gotten a lot of use and still looks like new. We'll see about the long-term durability, but given how well it's made I have a feeling its built to last.

• Gear Capacity (L): 24 liters
• Gear Capacity (cu. in.): 1,465 cubic inches
• Weight: 1 lb. 12 oz.
• Fits Torso Length (in.): 15-19 inches
• Material(s): 85% nylon/15% polyester; closed-cell foam/mesh Frame Mateial Delrin
• Number of Stays: 1 peripheral hoop
• Number of Exterior Pockets 4 + main compartment
• Dimensions: 22 x 11 x 7.1 inches