Rucksack: Berghaus Freeflow Light
29th Sep 2006
I’ve often been less than impressed with Berghaus sacks in the past. This little beauty has turned a few old ideas on their heads. I have to start the review with a commendation on how light it is (850g). I suspect it will suffer from wear and tear compared to its heavier equivalents, but in the meantime it will always be my sack of choice when heading out for a run, climb or bike. As well as being super-light it features a taught mesh back system which keeps the main body of the bag away from your back. This felt a little funny at first, whistling down the hill from my house on my bike the increased airflow cooled my back very quickly, but the benefits were quickly apparent. Basically a back drenched in sweat is a thing of the past. Sure you still sweat, and your back will get damp, but it’s way, way better.
With 32l of capacity it is a little on the small side for a cragging sack, which is probably a good thing as I don’t think it would hold up for long being loaded with bits of metal and kicked around at the base of the crag. Of the 32l, 2l is set aside inside an internal pocket for a hydration bladder. There is a designated hold for the bladder hose, strangely labelled in big H2O letters. The lid is nice and snug fitting, with elasticated sides and a sizeable pocket containing a key clip (does anybody ever use these?). Thankfully the waist belt features a sensible plastic male / female buckle as opposed to Berghaus’s own patent which I have never liked much. Similarly the drawstring to close the main pack features the industry standard spring released toggle as opposed to Berghaus’s own all-plastic affair which invariably break. On the outside of the pack are a pair of mesh pockets, a bungee cord setup and side compression straps – basically everything you could need in a small daysack. Sensibly Berghaus have left off the ice axe holders – this pack is really too small for winter mountain use. There’s also a grab handle and chest harness.
Retailing at £50 this is a super lightweight sac for running, walking, biking or climbing that I highly recommend.
Reviewed by Matt Heason on behalf of planetFear