Ultimate Direction Fastspacks

[Ed Tyanich]

The new UD Fastpacks are now up and available for purchase. I just ordered a 15L and a 45L.

 

[Mike M]

have you had a chance to give this a whirl Ed?

[Ed Tyanich]

Mike,

I have given them both a good test.

The 15 has become my everyday, commuter pack. It works as a backcountry pack but they left off some features like the trekking pole bunjis. Nice overall pact though.

The 45 is pretty cool. Carries better than the original 35 (or maybe it was a 30). This is mainly due to the waist strap reducing the bounce when running.

All said though, I am probably going to sell the 45 as it really crosses over with my Osprey Exos and I am mostly hiking rather than running these days.

If you’d like to look at it  (either) let me know.

[Mike M]

Ed- thanks.  I have the older FP 30- for a quick overnighter (or two)- it does pretty well.  My “running” on these trips tends to be on the slow side :). A waist belt would be a welcomed addition though.

MIke

[Mike M]

well I couldn’t resist and ordered a 15 liter one :)

[Mike M]

got up in the dark (3:00 AM), loaded up the 15 liter pack with a little over 8 lbs (1/2 water) and did one of my favorite out and backs- a little over 17 miles with a fair amount of gain.

the pack rode very nicely, no bounce or sway and very comfortable

pockets up front are laid out nicely and easy to access; I was happy to see that my favorite Vitamin Water bottle fits in the one pouch

I don’t like the new buckles they are using, don’t appear to be any lighter than previous ones and are difficult to put together

I like the zip open main compartment, but they should have used a water resistant one- the Robic fabric of the pack is highly water resistant

the stretch pockets are roomy and probably add a solid 5 liters to the overall capacity

I’m hoping to get in overnighter with the pack, maybe this coming weekend

[W I S N E R !]

I’ve got the older 20 and love how it rides.  I’ve yet to do an overnight in it but have been using canyoneering, running, and hiking.  It’s a great piece of gear.  The new ones look good but I’m not personally sold on getting something bigger as it gets too close to just carrying my HMG.

[Mike M]

Craig- I’ve got the older 30 and it has plenty of room for a 3-4 day trip (with light/low volume gear)- I wanted to try something smaller that I can use for long day trips and an occasional bare bones overnighter- so far this fits the bill pretty nicely :)

Mike

[Andrea Feucht]

Following! I’m looking at the 45 for a medium-fast CT trek in a few weeks (total 18-20 days, 2-3 resupplys). Wondering, though, if 45 is just too huge for moving quickly. My current pack is Osprey Tempest 40 and the suspension is welcome but the pack feels like “too much”, as well.

Have you loaded up the 45 with a decent amount of weight? I’d top out (I hope) approaching 25, and that’s not super light.

Andrea

[Mike M]

Andrea- I think for that many days the 45 is the only viable option. Speaking from experience with the 30- about 3-4 days was getting close to maxing it out with food volume. 6+ days would not have been doable.

Ive got four more longer runs (17-25 miles) with my 15 and am convinced this was a good purchase :). I still need to squeeze an overnight with it, but loading it up it looks very doable.

[Ethan A.]

Andrea keep in mind this is partially going to come down to personal preference, but I think actually running (as opposed to hiking fast) is going to be much more comfortable with 20L packs and under. I know trail runners who don’t want to run with over 15L volume.

At +30L, especially +40L, I’d prefer a light framed pack for a lightweight load, or a frameless pack that works very well with a folded pad to provide structure for a very light load.

Hiking quickly you could make anything in that range work.

[Andrea Feucht]

Sorry if I wasn’t clear: I definitely won’t be running. :-) A stiff hike/walk as many hours of the day I feel up for is what’s on the menu.

[Andrea Feucht]

I have an update! I did the CT in 26 days with the Fastpack 45, with loads ranging from 13lbs (including the pack) to 28lbs. At the top end it was DEFINITELY pushing past the limits of this pack. The weight was felt in shoulders and in hipbones (neither of the nicely-wide straps are actually padded). Interestingly, by top-weighting this semi-framed pack you can create a rather dramatic arch in the back which ventilates very well. For such a minimally-structured backpack you’d want to put the weight in the middle or bottom of the pack, but in this one I had my Ursack near the top every single day even when it weighed 13lbs itself.

I sent very detailed feedback to UD already, but the weak points after “only” 500 miles were some wear spots in the hipbelt where the shoulder straps cross over, and some disconcerting pre-detachment pulling at the top attachment point of the shoulder straps. The haul loop was more than capable of holding the pack at 28lbs, but swinging the pack off my shoulder at that weight was damaging the threads in the shoulder strap attachment.

The pack also had noticeable UV damage/fading (easy since this is a dark colored pack). I’d worry about it on the CDT for sure.

All that said, it carried pretty well and the front pockets (vest style) was AMAZING. I now feel like I’d have to retrofit any pack I wear to have a lot more front pockets than normal. There are no hipbelt pockets which is fine since I have arm-swing brushing issues with many hip pockets.

Let me know if y’all would like photos or more detail. It’s not a bad pack at all for 25oz, but I’d call the upper comfortable limit is 20-ish pounds.

[Mike M]

Nicely done :)

Fully agree that 20#’s and under is where you want to aim for- that’s my experience with the 35 anyways.

Feel free to post up pics, I’d certainly be interested in seeing them.

[Chris C]

Just took my Fastpack 45 to a weekend camping trip and managed to pack the following:

• Hilleberg Jannu (7 lbs, 2 person, 4-season tent)
• Feathered Friends Nano Swallow 20 Long (2 lbs)
• Big Agnes Insulated Q-Core SL in Long, Wide (~2lbs)
• 2 x 24oz single wall stainless steel water bottles
•  Stainless steel mess kit
• Clothes + insulated jacket
• 2 powerbanks
• Toiletries, knife, compass, UD collapsible water bottle with straw in the front pockets of the strap

The Fastpack 45 was much easier to put on and take off than my Osprey Variant 52 and my son’s Ace 50. Also, pack and unpacking was a breeze. Packing toiletries, etc., in the pockets of the should strap was better than having it in the brain of a backpack. Walking around wasn’t a burden and it didn’t compromise my hips. Sitting down was unhindered.

For a 2-hour hike–not running–I brought the water bottles and didn’t bother to empty the front pockets. I rolled down the pack as much as I could and it was just as comfortable as my daypack. It did not get caught in the vegetation in this well-wooded, dense brush trail. I plan to take the 45 camping again in a few weeks.

I agree with some of the recommendations by others: buckles that can match up more quickly, especially of the top closure; waterproof textile so I wouldn’t have to carry a pack cover; and, a version with a larger capacity.

I’m tempted to sell my Osprey Variant 52 because the UD Fastpack 45 is more comfortable at a similar capacity and it also takes up less storage space when unused.

[Andrea Feucht]

Great report on how it worked for you. I *did* find that this pack swallowed up everything I could throw at it, and perhaps that is how it can be overloaded. I saw folks on my hike with packs that looked positively tiny on their bodies, but when I see photos of me with my pack it looks HUGE!

Check this out (I’m 5’7″):

[Mike M]

last day- Fastpack 20 and 30, 50% off :)

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