- Hey it's Rebecca from Pack Hacker here
and in this review,
we're going to be taking a look at the Lowe Alpine
Aeon 22 and the ND20 backpacks.
Here at Pack Hacker, we do reviews on travel gear
and backpacks like this all the time,
so if you're new here, consider subscribing.
Over the past three months we've been testing these bags
in Spain and Portugal, so let's jump into the review.
The Lowe Alpine Aeon 22 is the regular fit
and the ND20 is the women's version.
Both of these bags are almost identical
apart from a few differences - such as the ND20 is smaller,
and the harness system is slightly different,
but we'll get more into those details
later on in the review.
But for now just to make it a bit more simple -
we are going to refer to them both as Aeon.
There's no denying that the Lowe Alpine Aeon
has an outdoorsy look,
but considering that this bag is made primarily
for the multi-activity, outdoor enthusiast,
this comes as no surprise.
And while this pack certainly didn't look out of place
exploring cities like Porto and Lisbon in Portugal,
it did look more at home up the mountains of Spain.
We tend to prefer more streamlined
and minimalistic urban packs,
but we do like the aesthetic of the Aeon.
We asked our Instagram audience to see
what they thought about the look of the pack,
and just under half said they liked it;
not the best result.
Here at Pack Hacker we do polls like this all the time,
so if you'd like to partake in the next one,
make sure you're following us at Pack Hacker on Instagram.
The Aeon 22 is available in four colors;
Anthracite, Auburn, Azure, and Graystone,
while the ND20 comes in Anthracite, Lagoon, and Ruby Wine.
The color options are vast and varied
so at least one of these should cater to your taste.
We're also really big fans of how Lowe Alpine
have branded the outside of this pack.
There is a Lowe Alpine logo on the lid and shoulder strap,
and the model name on the front which is quite handy
as there are a few bags in their Aeon range.
Finally there's a Lowe Alpine logo
molded into the plastic of the zipper pulls
on both of the external pockets.
It's pretty cool and we're digging
the creative brand in here.
Moving on to the materials.
The Aeon is made out of 210D nylon.
But oh no, this isn't any old nylon -
this is made with Lowe Alpine's tri-shield coating
on it too,
a high-performance silicone PU binding
that increases weather resistance,
abrasion resistance, and tear strength by 200%.
That's some pretty awesome stuff!
And rounded up, all the buckles are Woojin,
and all the zips are YKK #5.
Both are quality brands that make tried
and tested gear.
They work well and should continue to do so
in the future too.
As we mentioned before,
the Lowe Alpine Aeon 22 is a regular fit
and the ND20 is the women's version.
It's so great to see such a big brand
creating women-specific travel gear.
And Lowe Alpine sum up their history
of making women's fit backpacks wonderfully
on their website by saying,
"Greg Lowe created the first ever women's fit packs
in the 1970's; he named them the ND range.
In creating these packs we started a movement
in the backpacking world to acknowledge
that women are hikers, mountaineers,
and climbers, and they deserve to have the kit that fits.
Since then, we've been continually developing
our women's packs to ensure that they perfectly accommodate
the physiological and anatomical demands
of the female backpacker.
We've got 40 years of industry leading research
and an exhaustive program of field testing under our belts.
This is culminated in a range of women-specific backpacks
that are unparalleled in terms of quality,
design, and comfort."
Other than the capacity of the ND20
being two liters smaller,
it differs to the Aeon 22 in four key areas:
that's the back-length, the hip belt,
the shoulder straps, and the load distribution.
The back-length of the ND20 is slightly shorter
because women tend to have shorter torsos than men,
which also makes the ND20 an excellent option
for teenagers.
The hip belt and shoulder straps are also shorter
and a slightly different shape to accommodate
a women's body. And finally the load distribution
is altered so the ND20 carries its weight
near the bottom of the pack,
which is achieved by making the ND20 slightly shorter,
wider, and deeper than the regular fit version.
The Lowe Alpine Aeon has a lot of things
going on externally,
but we have to talk about the harness system first
because so far, this has been one of the most
comfortable packs to carry to date.
The Flexion shoulder straps are ultra-thin
and we were skeptical about how comfortable
shoulder straps this thin would be,
but they are incredible.
While it certainly helps that this is only day-pack size,
Lowe Alpine has definitely put some thought
into making these things comfortable.
And the ultra-thin straps also contribute
when you're putting the Aeon inside the larger
one-bag travel pack, as the thinner straps mean this bag
will take up less room.
Just by looking at the air-contour back panel,
you can see that there's some pretty serious stuff going on.
This back panel is incredibly well ventilated,
body-hugging, and supportive,
and we were very impressed with how well
it performed in testing.
Amazingly, the shoulder straps and back panel
are even height-adjustable
so that you can tailor the fit precisely to your body.
And within this sleeve there's also room
for a water bladder if you'd like to throw one in,
with a small buckled loop to secure the hose.
Moving onto the hip belt which we really like
and there's even pockets on either side
for you to put those quick grab items such as your keys.
Unfortunately the hip belt isn't detachable
which can be a pain if it's not locked in.
But it is compact enough to not get in the way too much.
Completing the harness system
there are load-lifter straps to bring the weight
of the pack closer to your back,
and an adjustable, and removable sternum strap.
And there are fabric loops on the shoulder strap
so you can keep the load-lifter strap secure too,
creating a delightful, dangle-free experience.
On the front of the pack it's more
of a 'straps everywhere' experience.
First of all, we have the multi-lock tool
on either side of the pack.
This is made up of an adjustable cord-loop at the top
and then a fabric loop,
and circular plastic attachment point at the bottom.
As the name suggests,
this is a system where you can carry a variety
of different tools on the outside of your pack
such as icepicks, or walking poles.
We didn't use this too much
but it did work as a way to carry our
Joby Gorillapod 3K on the outside.
Next up there are two compression straps
on either side of the pack.
These straps are useful when you're not carrying
so much gear with you, limiting the space inside
for stuff to move around in.
But unfortunately, there's no strap-keeper system,
so these things really dangle around on the outside.
An example of a bag that manages excess straps well
is the EVERGOODS MPL30,
and we would've loved to have seen
a similar system here.
Finally, there are two large water bottle pockets.
They're super stretchy and deep enough
to hold nearly any size bottle.
We're big fans of these and Lowe Alpine
has nailed this vital component.
The Lowe Alpine Aeon has two external pockets;
a large mesh compartment at the front,
and a quick-grab pocket at the top.
The front mesh pocket is super stretchy
and you can cram a surprising amount of stuff inside;
we used it to hold our earphones and snacks.
The top pocket on the lid is more discrete
due to the zippered access being at the back,
so we use this for our more valuable,
quick-grab items like passports and wallets.
Surprisingly, there is one more pocket in the lid
of this bag.
This can be accessed by unbuckling the front
and lifting up the lid,
where you'll find a discrete zipper underneath.
This is a great pocket and we find ourselves
utilizing it more than we thought we would;
there's even a key chain in there which is a nice touch.
On the bottom of this lid,
you will notice an SOS panel too.
Considering this bag is made for those rural environments,
this is really nifty.
Hopefully you'll never have to use them,
but this shows you what hand signals to make,
emergency phone numbers to dial,
and sound signals using the whistle on the front
attached to the sternum strap.
Finally, the main compartment in the Lowe Alpine Aeon
is basically a huge bucket for you to throw
all of your travel gear into.
We really like the opening of this pack
and the drawstring is efficient and easy to use.
There's plenty of room to fit a 15-inch laptop
with a case on it inside too,
and this still leaves enough space
for any of other items you may want to take out
with you for the day.
Over the last three months,
these packs have seen use in Spain, Portugal,
and the U.K.
We found this bag to be incredibly versatile
and will work in a multitude of different environments.
And when it comes to durability,
the Lowe Alpine Aeon is a well-made pack
that's built to last.
All of the components are strong and sturdy,
and the material show no signs of wear
and tear as of yet, apart from a small mark
on the front of the gray Aeon 22.
They have handled everything we've thrown at them
and we're confident that they will continue to do so
in the future.
The Aeon is a real workhorse bag
that does its job very well.
The quick-grab pockets and water bottle compartments
are great, and the harness system provides
one of the most comfortable carries we've tested to date.
Moving onto the pros and cons -
the Aeon is available in a regular fit
and a women's fit.
It's extremely versatile; and delivers an impressively
comfortable carry even when you're carrying
a heavier load.
Now onto the cons -
the straps can dangle on the outside of this thing.
The hip belt isn't removable
and can get in the way when not in use.
And its outdoorsy aesthetic may not please everyone.
This outdoorsy pack will stand out a little
in a more urban environment,
and it doesn't have the cleanest aesthetic,
but the benefits of an impressively comfortable
harness system, and multiuse versatility,
are nothing to be sniffed at.
If you're looking for a day pack to fit inside
your larger one-bag travel backpack,
and need something a bit more substantial
than a packable day-pack,
then the Lowe Alpine Aeon is a great choice.
Thanks for taking a look at our review
of the Lowe Alpine Aeon 22 and the ND20.
Leave us a comment and let us know
what you think of these packs.
And as ever, head over to packhacker.com/newsletter -
sign up to our newsletter and never miss an update.
Thanks for checking this one out.
We'll see you in the next video.
A few (stutters).
We've been, (stutters), no!
The Lowe Alpine (laughs).