Gear Reviews: Backpack

Beartooth Air 45

Manufacturer: Lowe Alpine

Reviewed by: surfinhiker

My Beartooth Air 45 has humped everything from wetsuits, water and towels for a surf at San Onofre to a bear canister, tent, bag and other essentials overnight into Kings Canyon’s Paradise Valley over the last couple years. On the plus side, the sleeping bag compartment can cram a surprisingly large bag for it’s size (assuming you don’t mind working a bit) or easily a wetsuit, the front-access being particularly convenient for the latter. Just towel-trick it, pull the suit out and on, replace with clothes, repeat in reverse after a satisfactory sesh. The side bellows pockets, main compartment and lid compartments work nicely to organize gear. Not to mention, the lid straps have the length to lash oversize or quick-access items in place, be it a bear canister (with additional straps) or hardshell. The ice axe loop and trekking pole strap are another nice touch for handy hatchet attachment, while the included raincover also doubles nicely as a dry bag for wet gear. On the negative side, the suspension, while comfortable once properly adjusted and tweaked, does have its problems. Overloaded, it becomes just tolerable, and at any weight it has a somewhat annoying appetite for shirt backs. While the latter is overcome with frequent pulling, it gets old. The water bottle pockets are also pretty much useless, but the hydration system compatibility partially negates this. Another nice improvement would be buckles for the lower side compression straps for an extra iota of flexibility. Oh, and a floating lid would really seal the deal. Verdict? While it has it’s flaws, for $100, the pocket organization, overall design, durability (particularly the lid straps- I’ve pushed those to the max), fit and overall flexibility have made it a satisfying investment and treasured companion.