Montane have created the Summit Tour 50+15 pack for serious mountain trekking where minimum weight and maximum durability are the main requirements. This lightweight pack can be used for a wide range of activities from backpacking, hut to hut tours and world travel. It is packed with innovative features that make it versatile and easy to use and multiple storage options provide well organised space for all your kit, especially the side entry zip that enables prompt and easy access to essential items. Montane have always been known for their "Fast and Light" clothing but we have been particularly impressed with their packs this season and this Summit Tour represents phenomenal value for money when you consider the quality of fabrics and construction, carrying comfort and innovative features.
Aptly named, The Summit Tour is made from Montane's own RAPTOR TL fabric, a tough yet lightweight nylon fabric that resists abrasion, has a durable water repellent treatment and a hydrostatic head of 1000mm. This tough fabric is then reinforced at the base of the pack with RAPTOR UTL, a 500D nylon that is super strong and abrasion resistant to protect the vulnerable area of the pack. A third lightweight and stretchy fabric is used on the sides of the lid to ensure a clean fabric hugging closure that keeps the lid tightly sealed over the top of the pack.
The heart of any decent pack is the back system, a pack can have all the bells and whistles but if the carrying system is not up to the job then it will be uncomfortable at best and unsafe at worst. Montane have used a simple, yet highly effective, aluminium internal frame called VertErgo (corny designer title) that provides strength, comfort and support for load carrying over long distances. This extremely lightweight back system can be removed for additional ultra weight saving and can also be shaped (bent) to fit the user’s back. The special pre-curved horizontal aluminium bar across the top of the ‘VertErgo Tour’ back panel provides structure for top tension straps to torque off. Contact areas and the carrying harness (shoulder straps and hip belt) are all covered with a a fine mesh to prevent abrasion on waterproof clothing and to wick moisture for quick drying. A moulded "Comfort Back Pad", rather unsurprisingly, provides comfort for your back and features channels that wick sweat and rainwater away from your body and provides extra ventilation. Body curve hip belt fins are specially shaped to provide superb comfort and stability and the double tension waist harness really locks the belt onto your hips for perfect weight equalisation and stability.
A really innovative feature on this pack is the way that the top of the lid zips off and converts into a lightweight 15 litre day pack so that you can leave the main pack behind for summit pushes or shorter day hikes. You can also remove the top of the lid if you want to strip the pack down for ultra lightweight trekking. For the rest of your kit there are many storage options and pockets, you get zipped stretch mesh hip belt pockets, two large bellows side pockets, two side stretch mesh bottle pockets, two external zipped lid pockets and an internal zipped lid pocket; so plenty of pockets then. Access to the main compartment is via a traditional top closure with a massive wide mouth opening featuring Montane's brilliant "Cord Lock" quick release mechanism. The same mechanism is found on the extendable internal top sleeve that provides extra storm protection for your stuff. The "Cord Lock" really does make a massive difference to the simplicity of getting into the pack and is easy to use when wearing gloves or mitts; simply grab the cord handle in one hand and the buckle in the other and pull. If you need to get at stuff which is at the bottom of the pack and you don't want to unpack everything there is a large zipped opening down one side of the pack that opens it up like a duffel, there are even two mesh organiser pockets on the inside of the flap for additional storage.
Load control and additional storage options are provided by four quick release compression straps, the top two of which act to secure walking poles along with the elasticated pole holders at the base. As this pack is aimed squarely at trekking and travel there are no ice tool attachment points. Six small webbing loops on the front panel allow you to add the bungee cord (which can be found in the internal lid pocket) to secure more stuff to the front of the pack. There are even small hooks and loops on the front of the shoulder straps to attach additional pouches for phones, compass, GPS etc.
Other features that are worth a mention are the glove friendly quick release buckles throughout and the ingenious sternum strap. Now normally sternum straps are your bog standard webbing buckle things, but this one is a work of art. The ultra low profile buckle is positioned on the far left so it doesn't dig into your chest and "snaps" onto a plastic strip for easy attachment and removal even with cold numb hands or bulky gloves. The position can be adjusted to suit and the webbing is soft and stretchy; I'd say this was the best sternum strap I've encountered in many years. Finally an internal hydration sleeve and integrated rain cover finish off the impress list of features.
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RAPTOR TL fabric in the main body
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RAPTOR UTL tough, lightweight base panel prevents abrasion
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GRANITE STRETCH skirt lid side panels give a clean fabric hugging closure
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CONTACT Mesh on the shoulder straps, Comfort Back Pad and inner hip belt facings
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Comfort Back Pad features channels that wick sweat and rainwater away from the body and give additional ventilation
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VertErgo Tour back system provides strength, comfort and support
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Chest harness with left hand positioned clip prevents bulky buckles over the sternum and increases comfort with its low profile
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Body curve hip fins for great comfort and strong stability
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Double tension waist harness for extra stability and pack weight equalisation
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Arm shoulder harness gear loops and H²O tube attachment
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Top half of pack lid can be removed and transformed into a small 15 litre pack
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Side door style opening provides access into the main compartment
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Internal mesh pockets
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Two large side expansion bellow pockets
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Large top buddy pocket
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Top lid zipped pocket
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Two GRANITE STRETCH bucket lower side pockets
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Internal security pocket featuring vertical upside down zippered entry with key clip
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Right and left hip pockets
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Wide mouth central opening with ‘Cord Lord’ quick release mechanism
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Extendable internal top sleeve for extra storm protection
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Double compression closure on outside opening and internal sleeve opening with ‘Cord Lord’ quick release mechanism
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Four symmetrical single hand side compression straps
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Internal top compression over mouth opening
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Two walking pole attachment points at lower front of pack
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Integrated pole attachment to top compression webbing straps
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Reversible mitt and glove friendly locking webbing buckles used throughout
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Includes drawcords that can be affixed to front loops for additional stretch front storage
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H²O top right tube opening and internal bladder storage sleeve
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Includes versatile rain cover which can be used to provide protection from the elements or to cover the bag fully for world travel