Deuter Trail Pro 33L Hiking Backpack - Lightweight Daypack for Trekking, Multi-Day Tours & Outdoor Adventures - Meadow-Graphite Color - Perfect for Camping, Travel & Mountain Climbing

I’m a four-season hiker, so I like getting gear that can serve me in as many seasons as possible. This Deuter Trail Pro 33l backpack is going to be one of those year-round pieces of gear and I really like it.Deuter is an established German name in backpacks and luggage and, as expected from an established name, this backpack is designed well and made from high-quality materials. This pack features an internal steel frame and very good materials.There are a number of great features and design elements in this pack, such as: A climbing carabiner-compatible attachment loop, a covered opening that provides the ability to put a hydration bladder (not included) into the pack and pass the drinking tube out from the top of the pack, an outer flap that can hold a climbing helmet or other gear, like additional clothes layers, and lashing points on the side of the pack to hold trekking poles or an ice axe. This pack also has an integral rain flap to help keep it all dry when the weather turns wet. The padded hip belt fits well and has zippered compartments on each side and within easy reach to stow your phone, transceiver, or whatever.Another design feature I really like is what Deuter calls “Airstripes”. I run hot, especially while hiking, but this backpack has a really good ventilation system that keeps my back cooler and drier. The shoulder straps and back are covered in a breathable mesh and the pack is designed to leave a gap to channel air between the shoulder straps and down your back. What I really like here is that the pack manages to do this and yet keeps the load feeling close to your back, so your center of gravity isn’t shifted unnecessarily rearward.If there is going to be a divisive feature (you’ll realize the pun in a moment!), it’s the two-compartment system in the backpack. This pack features an upper section that holds probably 2/3s of the capacity and a lower section that stows the other third, separated by a zippered flap. When the flap is unzipped, the bag is then a single-compartment backpack, with just a hair of capacity potentially removed by the zipper and flap off to the side. When closed, having two compartments to me is better for separating gear that you need to access at different times, and prevents you from having to dig deep from the top of the back to reach something at the bottom. But I know some folks prefer just one, big compartment. Just so you know. For me, I like the two compartments and find accessing them to be quick and easy.The main/top compartment is accessed with a top/back zipper and has both a zippered mesh pocket for small items (lip balm, maybe a wallet) and a sleeve section for carrying up to a 3l hydration bladder or another similarly slim but long item. The lower compartment is accessed from a u-shaped back zipper that opens up to almost the size of the storage cavity. The twin zippers that can be opened to turn the two compartments into one are accessed from inside the lower compartment. Each side of the bag has the same mesh material as the back helmet/gear pocket and are sized for drinking bottles of the width you’d usually use on a bike. Compression straps on the sides keep things tidy. The shoulder straps feature load lifter straps. Those, along with the sternum strap, have a good range of adjustment to fit a variety of torsos.This backpack is relatively light for its size and has a range of adjustments that make it comfortable and well-fitting for my 5’9” 165lb body to wear for long periods while hiking.Deuter is following the trend of outdoor gear and clothing manufacturers of not using PFAS chemicals to make their gear water resistant and using recycled materials. This pack is advertised as being 100% made from recycled post-consumer PET bottles. So you can feel good that your new gear that looks and performs well also found a reuse for plastics that might otherwise end up in a landfill.This is a high-quality, well designed backpack that is sized right for long, one-day hikes and even short, multi-day trips if you’re an efficient packer. I like it and I’m glad I added it to my gear inventory.