The Lowe Alpine Backpack Guide

May 5, 2024 mountaingroup

The Lowe Alpine Backpack Guide

Or How to Choose and Properly Adjust Your Mountain Backpack

In 1967, Greg, Mike, and Jeff Lowe designed, tested, and launched what was originally called the Lowe Alpine Systems 'Expedition Pack.' It featured a revolutionary carrying system: an internal frame, compression straps, and other never-before-seen features designed to help them carry gear more securely, but above all, to move freely on demanding terrain.

These original principles of freedom of movement and passion for progress continue to inspire the design of Lowe Alpine backpacks today.

Lowe Alpine Carrying Systems

Let's start at the beginning: What do we call a carrying system? In short, the carrying system consists of the parts of a backpack that are essential for comfortable load transport; it is mainly composed of the back panel, harness, and hip belt, although depending on the range, it is complemented by features such as upper tensioners, chest strap, adjustable back length, and pivoting hip belts, with which you will achieve a personalized fit and weight distribution perfectly adjusted to the demands of each adventure.

Lowe Alpine carrying systems are designed to move with your body. Endless adjustments will ensure the most precise ergonomics, and unique features that promote freedom of movement are incorporated into all our designs, always intended to improve the transport of all types of loads. This ensures that all our systems offer a world-class carrying experience.

In this guide, we help you choose and correctly adjust your new mountain backpack

Whether you're trekking in the Himalayas, sport climbing, or hiking in the mountains, you'll need a backpack that moves with you across the terrain.

When choosing a mountain backpack, it's very important to consider the different types of adjustments it has, as these adjustments will keep the backpack well-fitted to your back, shoulders, and hips, allowing you to carry heavy loads comfortably.

The Hip Belt

The hip belt is one of the most important parts of any of our backpacks, as it is responsible for transferring most of the weight to the hips and lower back, thus relieving the back and shoulders of a greater load.

This belt should be adjusted over our hips, embracing their upper part and completely surrounding the waistline.

Fixed vs. Adjustable Back System

Fixed Back System

Most of our smaller volume lightweight backpacks and mountaineering and climbing backpacks usually have a fixed back length. However, Lowe Alpine fixed back system backpacks flex to adapt to the shape of each body, whatever the back size, in addition to being available in different sizes to cover all measurements.

Adjustable Back System

Lowe Alpine lightweight technical backpacks, larger volume hiking backpacks, and trekking and travel backpacks feature adjustable back lengths, allowing each user to adapt the fit to their body, achieving a precise and comfortable anchor and fit at all times.

Shoulder Straps

While most of the weight will be supported by our lumbar region, another part of the weight will fall on the shoulders and back through the shoulder straps. Adjusting them correctly will be essential to keep the weight well balanced and distribute the load equally between both shoulders.

The shoulder straps should be taut if we want the backpack to be fully attached to the back, thus avoiding any kind of load imbalance. As a general rule, the shoulder straps should end at the bottom of the chest.

Adjustment Straps

The chest straps are responsible for securing the shoulder straps to the body, achieving greater stability during transport.

On more technical backpacks, at the top of the shoulder straps, you will find other adjustment straps that connect to the top of the backpack, resting above the shoulders. These straps are used to bring the load closer or further away from your center of gravity when ascending or descending, so they should be adjusted as you move. Normally, they should form a 45-degree angle.

Compression Straps

The purpose of these straps, as their name suggests, is to compress the load when the backpack is not completely full. With them, we will avoid movement in the load, keeping it well secured to our back.

Capacity: The Most Important Decision

Regardless of everything mentioned so far, the capacity of the backpack will be another key factor for the success of your adventure.

It is usually measured in liters and it will be crucial to choose the appropriate size according to the activity we are going to do, as a half-empty backpack could cause us to lose balance in unstable areas.

Did You Know Backpacks Also Have Sizes?

The back length will be, in many Lowe Alpine backpacks, the point you will have to focus on most initially.

The proper fitting of all the adjustments already mentioned will largely depend on you choosing the correct backpack size; to do this, you will only have to measure your back length and choose the size designed specifically for that length. Generally, you will find this size guide in all our product descriptions, and it will vary depending on each model.

Explore the Lowe Alpine Range

With over 50 years of experience in designing world-class carrying systems, Lowe Alpine has created a range of backpacks for men and women that provide incredible freedom of movement for stable and comfortable carrying.

With options ranging from lightweight daypacks, feature-packed 70+ litre packs, to large duffel bags for your expedition kit, there’s something for everyone in the Lowe Alpine range.

Airzone

Lowe Alpine AirZone technology is one of the world's most breathable air back systems. AirZone carrying systems feature tensioned mesh and a large cut-out space, reducing weight and allowing air to move freely between the backpack and the user's back.

New AirZone LT

The suspended mesh back panel of the new AirZone LT carrying system creates reliable ventilation space between your back and the pack for rapid moisture dispersion in traditional high-sweat zones.

AirZone +

The new AirZone + carrying system features our patented FormKnit ™ technology to maximize breathability, improve dryness, and reduce weight. Based on a one-piece woven back panel, with body-mapped ventilation in high-sweat areas of the back, our award-winning AirZone + carrying system provides unparalleled comfort and breathability. Its seamless FormKnit ™ technology, integrated lumbar belt, and lumbar pad work together to provide a flexible and highly adjustable custom fit for all-day comfort in warm conditions and challenging terrain.

AirZone Fixed

The AirZone Fixed has a reduced amount of contact mesh to maximize breathability and airflow. The shoulder harness is rotated for comfort and the contact mesh is even softer for comfortable carrying.

Air Contour

Supportive, breathable, and flexible for multi-activity adventures.

Air Contour +

Our Air Contour + carrying system offers great load support while remaining comfortable for long periods of time on steep and demanding trails. Air Contour + uses a 15mm frame over which the scapula slides, providing direct load transfer combined with increased strength and longevity. The frame connects to the lumbar and hip belt to efficiently carry loads across a variety of terrains. It features a very easy-to-use adjustable back length.

Air Contour (adjustable)

The adjustable Air Contour™ carrying system is simple, lightweight, comfortable, and easy to adjust. The back system uses a velcro panel that allows the user to make precise adjustments to the back length. It features molded foam and spacer mesh construction. This combines increased breathability with stable and supportive carrying for instant comfort.

The Aeon range features a Flexion™ shoulder harness and hip belt, which is ultra-slim and ultra-lightweight, conforming to the body with micro-stretch and distributing the load for maximum comfort.

Air Contour (fixed)

The fixed Air Contour™ carrying system is simple, lightweight, and comfortable. It features molded foam and spacer mesh construction. This combines increased breathability with stable and supportive carrying for instant comfort.

Tri-Flex

The Tri-Flex™ carrying system is designed with three key load-bearing elements.

Tri Flex ™

Fixed back length with removable support

In the Halcyon pack, load support comes from a spring steel frame and an independent HDPE framesheet. Both are removable, providing frame and framesheet carrying options for heavy loads, framesheet-only for support but flexibility, and removal of both for a lighter, more flexible pack. Tri-Flex™ features a molded back panel to shed snow, a padded harness, and a dual-density foam hip belt with gear loops. The hip belt padding can be stripped down to webbing waist belt or removed completely depending on preference.

Tri Flex ™ Rock

The Tri-Flex™ carrying system for the Rock range comprises three key load-bearing elements: a spring steel or aluminum frame for strength; an HDPE reinforcing sheet to maintain shape; and a molded EVA foam back panel for comfort. The three-part design creates a supportive and conforming structure that mirrors your body's contours for optimal load transfer when carrying heavy gear. Across the Rock range, the Tri-Flex™ carrying system also features a dual-density foam harness, a sternum strap with whistle, and, in the case of the Outcast 44 and Rogue 48, a dual-laminate EVA foam hip belt for comfortable long-distance carrying.

VT Flex, VT Plus, V-TRAX

Comfortable support, made to carry heavy loads across uneven terrain.

VT Flex ™

Our most advanced carrying system, VT Flex ™, features independent pivoting hip fins, a flexible load transfer bar, and a single-piece wrap-around hip belt to support extremely heavy loads. VT Flex ™ features an easy-to-use velcro back length adjustment and an ergonomic wrap-around harness for optimal fit and comfort.

The VT Flex ™ carrying system promotes natural, flexible movement over undulating terrain and transfers the load from the backpack body to the lumbar and hip belt.

VT Plus ™

The VT Plus ™ carrying system features an easy-to-use hook-and-loop back length adjustment that connects directly to the backpack's internal frame. This drives the weight through aluminum stays, directly to the lumbar area, providing comfortable and stable carrying for heavy loads.

The pre-curved hip belt is anatomically shaped and offers additional support, allowing the user to keep moving on long days with heavy loads. VT Plus ™ also features an ergonomic wrap-around harness for optimal fit and comfort.

V-Trax ™

The V-TRAX ™ carrying system features a simple velcro adjustable back panel for easy back length modification. A robust and comfortable harness and a supportive wrap-around hip belt combine to provide a very stable carry.

X-Shield

Protective, lightweight, and detachable for agile movement

X-Shield ™

Used in our Ascent backpacks, the X-Shield ™ carry system is a lightweight, removable protection system designed to move with you in the mountains. The X-Shield ™ features a pre-curved back panel that sheds snow, a spring steel frame, and an EVA back protector to shield you from gear in your pack. Both the frame and back protector are removable for those who value fast and light carry. Flexion ™ technology in the hip belt and harness conforms to your body for an ergonomic fit, aiding agile movement.

Discover All Backpacks and Luggage

Explore the latest in AirZone technology with AirZone Active, designed for fast-paced summer activities. But if a slower pace is more your speed, the new Cholatse offers exceptionally comfortable carrying for all-day adventures.

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