I’ve had a few comments about this so I thought I’d do a quick heads-up before my full review next month. On test for the past while, this is the new Montane Ultra Tour 22.
It’s a 22litre adventure pack, I should probably say race pack, but it’s better featured than most race packs meaning less compromises for a user on a less crazy agenda. Doesn’t mean extra weight, the Ultra weighs F/A, the amount of F/A I’ll confirm later in the review when I empty it. It’s sitting full of kit just as it has been for a while now, it’s a go-to pack for both me and Joycee.
It’s a roll top, something I always like and has two different closure methods, strapped down the side or circled on the top which gives you the most capacity. Storage options are both many and useful. Axes and poles have clips and loops, there’s a hydration sleeve inside, zipped pockets on the hip fins, big bottle pockets at the side and a big helmet pocket on the front panel which alternatively takes a wad of kit.
The back system is is a molded thing which has some non-slippiness to it and some channels for some sweat escaping to happen. It’s also nice and long, most packs this capacity are short things that fasten up around your ribs, not the Ultra, it fits me fine. I’ll maybe do some back comparisons to other packs for the review.
That’ll do for now, there’s lots to go over on the pack and I’ll do that soon. There’s a lot of interest in the Ultra and rightly so, I mean, look how happy that old guy is holding it. More soon.
Hi PTC*. I’d been interested in this pack for a while and your brief review convinced me to place an order once it was available in the shops.
I’ve been looking for an ideal year-round day pack for a long while but this really does tick almost all the boxes for me: about 20l but without a shot back length, a good stretch bucket pocket on the back for all the items needing easy access or wet / dirty items, ability to carry ice axe, other useful external storage.
I love the roll-top closure – unlike lots of small packs this gives a nice large opening, and the roll top itself is a neat way of adjusting pack volume so it works well with small loads to something in ecess of the claimed 22l. Unlike a lot of small packs it will carry an ice axe without it flapping all over the place (deploying the lower rolltop clips across the back of the pack helps with this too). The hip belt is good, especially as I like to transfer a little weight to the hips. Like most packs of this type the back does tend to collapse a bit if you do this so I’ve dropped in an old Fformat from a mid ’90s Karrimor Hot Earth pack which fits perfectly and makes it a much better fit.
I have quibles with most day packs (probably why I have several that I use in different circumstances), but after using it fully laden with winter kit and with lighter loads I find the Ultra Tour difficult to fault and I see myself using this year round. If I were to be picky, perhaps a simple internal secure pouch for valuables (to replace the usual top pocket) might be nice, an option of a simple fitted framesheet, and slightly deeper side pockets (risk of bottles falling out)?
I’m afraid this has turned into a mini review in its own right, but I’m rarely moved to comment on a piece of kit that just works so well.
I don’t need to do an update now :o)
You’ve picked up on a lot of the same stuff as me and I’ve been using a back stiffener as well, but it is a killer rucksack and I love it.