Montane Trailblazer 30l Rucksack
17th Jul 2024
The Montane website has a wealth of information about the features of this pack so I'd advise having a good read through that.
What I was after was a bag suitable for day trips, long runs, and overnight lightweight bivvies. 30l of capacity should be ample for this, but only really if you have a decent range of lightweight and packable kit. An old style synthetic sleeping bag will likely fill the whole bag and not leave you much space for anything else. So working on the assumption that you have the relevant kit I'd say this is a pretty good bag.
It has plenty of compression straps which mean that when the bag is not loaded up it doesn't flop and flap around much which I like. There are zipped elasticated pockets on the sides, with additional open pockets behind them, plus a large open, elasticated pocket on the back. The lid has two pockets; the one on the outside is a lightweight mesh which means it has zero protection from rain, but the one on the inside, which has a key clip inside, should be medium weather proof. Inside there's one main compartment with a bladder sleeve and hanger down the back. There are two further zipped, elasticated pockets on the shoulder straps, accessible whilst on the move, but interestingly there is no open pocket behind these for soft flasks as is common on many running vests. Sadly there is no ice axe attachment which may be an issue for me on winter outings, but that's a fairly minor point. It also has elasticated attachment points for walking poles to be stowed and accessed on the move which I approve of.
The plastic clips and webbing are all are low profile which, combined with the elasticated mesh, should keep the weight of the bag down, but it sits at 930g so is light, but not remarkably so. This is because of the vertically adjustable Zephyr back system which is designed to keep the main bulk of the bag off your sweaty back. I've found it pretty snug whilst walking and running, tightening up the generous waist belt and adjusting the double chest strap so that there isn't much lateral movement at all.
It retails at £150. Check it out on the Montane website.