A Little Pack for Large, Quick Adventures| GearJunkie

The alpine air was crisp because the morning solar began to mirror from the peaks surrounding the craggy drainage. It had already been a protracted day. It began earlier than dawn, pedaling via the darkness from my home to the trailhead. Then a fast transition to path operating to the bottom of an obscure ridge scramble deep in Colorado’s Gore Vary.

The MEC Serratus UL 25 was made for this; a companion for giant day multisport adventures. The type of adventures that require greater than a operating vest however one thing that strikes higher than a typical mountain climbing daypack.

And thrive it did. It scrambled, ran, bounded, and biked in concord with my physique day after day via an eclectic mixture of adventures in Colorado’s mountains.

Briefly: MEC’s new Serratus UL 25 is a quick little backpack. It’s a stellar companion for giant days within the backcountry — the extra levels, the higher. MEC basically expanded the vary and capability of a operating vest by including a easy, ultralight 25L roll-top backpack on again. Apart from just a few gripes with the outer pockets, the pack does an admirable job and has stored me transferring each longer and deeper into the backcountry than a operating vest may.

MEC Serratus Tempo UL 25 Evaluation

Quantity

The Serratus UL 25 is aimed squarely at mega-days and perhaps an evening or two within the backcountry if you happen to’ve acquired your ultralight camp system dialed. However actually it thrives within the multisport, many-mile adventure-seeking realm.

For a typical peak or ridge scramble in Colorado, my pack must accommodate at minimal heat garments, rain safety, a first-aid equipment, water, snacks, and a helmet. Relying on the target, I’ll typically throw in an ultralight rappel twine, minimalist harness, some anchor materials, and typically a pair of method footwear.

That equipment rapidly maxes out even the largest operating vest in my arsenal, the Black Diamond Distance 15. The Serratus UL 25 is an ideal match, nonetheless — the quantity was spot on, and I didn’t must strap something to the surface. The roll-top closure provides a bit additional quantity to get all of it in, too.

Design and Function: Fastpacking, Fasthiking

Fastpacking, or pace ultralight backpacking, is a rising sub-segment of already area of interest ultralight backpacking. It’s rising proper alongside a basic pattern of parents transferring sooner, farther, and lighter within the backcountry thanks partially to leaps ahead in gear design over the past decade.

When the Serratus UL 25 confirmed up at my home, I used to be flummoxed. No approach was I going to have the ability to match all of my backpacking gear into 25 L, even with my ultralight StormLoft Down Quilt sleeping bag and compact Large Agnes Seedhouse tent. I quickly realized that I may, kind of, however didn’t must — the Serratus additionally is available in a 40L model for prolonged journeys.

The Serratus UL 25 wouldn’t be my first selection for a couple of in a single day, and even then I’d need a excessive chance of nice climate.

Versatility is the place the 25L backpack excels. It features nice as a mountain climbing day pack for folk that like to maneuver quick and light-weight. The primary consideration for these customers is the shortage of hip help — all the load rides in your shoulders, so packing gentle is essential.

Talking of sunshine, the Serratus UL 25 is gentle — 479 g, to be precise. With an already gentle 70-denier TPU-coated nylon and spectra physique materials, I’m undecided how a lot lighter it may get with out sacrificing sturdiness. The designers at MEC did an excellent job of chopping the pack right down to its truest essence.

On condition that the pack is someplace between a operating vest and a fastpack, some people is likely to be tempted to snag this as a full-time operating vest and occasional daypack.

I examined it again and again as a easy operating vest by cinching down the facet compression straps. It cinches down all proper, but it surely’s simply overkill and floppy for this objective. It really works, but it surely wouldn’t be my first selection as a standalone path runner.

Serratus Pack Match

Whereas the general match was fairly nice, I needed to modify the decrease shoulder straps to dial within the pressure ceaselessly on the transfer. With out it completely hugging my physique, the journey was bouncier than I’d like. That’s the rationale that many different fastpacks, together with the 40L model of the Serratus, make use of a stabilizing hip belt.

A tiny little bit of elasticity would go a great distance for mitigating the bounce issue right here. However once more, I discovered that I may sufficiently tackle the bounce with attentive match adjustment.

The sternum straps present versatile safety. They will transfer up or down the within of the shoulder straps to accommodate a wide range of physique varieties, which is helpful provided that the pack is available in a single measurement (the 40 L is available in two sizes).

I sometimes put on a big within the higher physique and the match was spot on. My spouse is a measurement small, and the vest was simply too large for her to put on comfortably. The facet adjustment straps and sternum straps all bottomed out earlier than it was tight sufficient to make operating possible.

With the match dialed in, I didn’t have any points with chafing. That’s spectacular given the quantity of weight within the pack, and rubbing on contact factors for hours on finish.

The shoulder straps are nicely designed and do an amazing job of distributing weight, all whereas sustaining breathability. As soon as I had it on and adjusted, the pack disappeared into the background. That’s precisely what a pack like this could do.

Pockets

Making an attempt to pressure my 500mL Hydro Flasks into the holsters on the shoulder straps was not my favourite expertise with this pack.

I ultimately acquired them in there, however undoubtedly took just a few water squirts to the face within the course of. The pockets are slim, they don’t cinch on the high, and I needed to take my snacks out of the pockets beneath to get my bottles in.

Happily, each has a small bungee keeper loop that holds the bottles securely as soon as they’re in there. I by no means had one bounce out, even whereas leaning ahead on chattery gravel rides.

The pockets in entrance of and beneath the flask pockets did a greater job than anticipated at conserving my snacks locked in.

I’ll admit I used to be skeptical — they don’t have cinch closures on the high both. I used to be positive that I’d be hemorrhaging snacks all through my adventures. However having the bottle full (or full of air as I drained the water) offered sufficient pressure on the pockets to maintain issues in there.

If, for some motive, you aren’t operating with bottles, you’ll lose that safety.

The large exterior internet pocket was helpful. Although the fishnet-like mesh doesn’t stretch in any respect, it accommodates a good quantity of drugs. I stashed sunscreen and my light-weight shell again there, and by no means had something bounce out.

This pocket doesn’t have an impartial cinch closure both. The closure is built-in into the facet compression strap, which is slick, however pointless.

A less complicated resolution can be pockets just like the The Outside Vitals Skyline Fastpack’s Ultramesh which can be each deep and safe, while not having to be fixed. Because it stands, the safety comes from the stress pushing out from the contents of the pack. A much less full pack means a much less safe outer pocket.

There’s one pocket on this pack that I’m thrilled with — the little zippered safety pocket proper behind the haul strap that sits behind the person’s head. All packs ought to have one.

That is the place I stashed my headlamp, Garmin inReach Mini, keys, sun shades throughout pre-dawn, and my telephone once I didn’t have it within the pocket of my compression shorts. It’s mounted to the again panel so it carries nicely and the contents don’t bounce round.

MEC Serratus Versus the Competitors

The aforementioned Outside Vitals Skyline is one other fastpack I’ve examined just lately and appreciated lots. It’s an excellent comparability to the Serratus 25. Each packs carry and transfer exceptionally nicely over lengthy distances.

I discovered the Serratus 25 to be a extra versatile measurement. It features higher as a fast-and-light daypack and for easier goals requiring much less gear. It transitioned between sports activities like gravel driving and primary path operating extra seamlessly as a result of it rides decrease and nearer to your again. Plus, it calls for much less gear quantity to present it construction. It’s nearer to an enormous operating vest than the Skyline, which is nearer to a quick backpack.

The Skyline is my decide for precise fastpacking, although. Its quantity is excellent for just a few days within the backcountry with a light-weight equipment, it’s acquired a extra supportive again panel, and the pockets are plentiful and distinctive entrance to again.

MEC Serratus Tempo UL 25: Conclusion

It’s powerful to not have an excellent time whereas sporting MEC’s new Serratus UL 25 pack. Once I put it on, it meant there’s an enormous journey on faucet.

And the extra levels, the higher! It might probably transition seamlessly. It might probably additionally fastpack for an evening or two in good climate if you happen to’re good at packing gentle. Or sluggish it down and take this factor for a hike.

So far as packs on this class go, it’s one of the crucial versatile.

Large quick days within the mountains, bike-to-hikes, run-to-climbs, and another combo you give you are on the menu once you’re rolling with the Serratus UL 25. Simply be aware of what you set within the pockets.