4 Ortovox HauteRoute 45 Pack Review

Reviewer: PHILIP CAESLEY, MARKET DRAYTON   (19-11-2009)

I recently purchased this pack so I have not thoroughly tested it yet, but here are my initial impressions:
1) The weight is listed as 1500 grams. The pack I have weights 1900 grams, so even taking into account scale errors this is still significantly heavier than advertised.
2) There is only a pocket on one side of the hip belt, which is a good size but probably not big enough for a camera. The other side of the hip belt has a gear loop.
3) There is a trap door access via the back of the pack (as with the Marmot La Meije, but the zip is a bit fiddly. You can also gain access to the main compartment via a zip around the top.
4) The ski carry loops can accept skis up to 135mm (tail width)
5) There is an aluminium frame in the back of the pack that can be bent to offer a comfort fit. This however is not removable for weight saving.
6) The back length of the pack and the fit of the shoulder straps and hip belt are great for me. I am 180cm tall and slim build.
7) This pack is not huge but I think is a great size for hut to hut tours or backcountry days where you need to carry extra gear such as on glaciated terrain or when its really cold. Its bigger than a Marmot La Meije but not massively so.
I think its handy to be able to pack a sac so that its not bursting at the seams, especially zippered packs such as this. The bellowed outer compartment is a good size so you can jam in gear (such as skins) quickly, preventing that summit faf in bad weather.
The segregation from the main compartment stops all your gear getting covered in snow.

So my only real gripe is the pack weight, but I guess most backcountry packs of this style are similar, if not heavier. The fabric looks great quality as does the stitching and the zips.
I couldn't find anywhere cheaper than Facewest and their packaging, dispatch and delivery was excellent.