Deuter Speed Lite 20 Review

This little pack sure packs a big punch. With its well-thought-out features, the Deuter Speed Lite brings home strong scores for its ability to transition through a vast amount of activities. It works well for day hikes, as well as most day-long activities like mountain biking or climbing. It just doesn't stand out in any one way, in a field of excellent products.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

For such a small pack, the Speed Lite has a well-cushioned back panel and shoulder straps. Though it may not provide as much ventilation as suspended-mesh back panels, its flexible fit remains comfortable and stable across the board for several torso sizes.

When filled with a heavy rain jacket, group med kit, water, snacks, headlamp, and a few other necessities, the Speed Lite proved to be quite comfortable.

Weight

Weighing in at 16.1 ounces in a 20-liter size, the Deuter Speed Lite has a decent weight-to-volume ratio of 0.81 ounces per liter. It has more amenities than other similar packs, including a minimal frame structure with padded back paneling and shoulder straps, which add a little bit of weight to this pack. This weight-class of backpacks are great for traveling and work well as personal items, or can compress and fit in your luggage or backpacking pack.

Versatility

This is an essentials-only pack. It is perfect for summiting a multi-pitch climb and fast day hike missions. For fast travel and running, it may be better to look for a high-volume vest for less bounce.

It's small enough to take the place of a hydration-specific pack, as well as being compressible and packable enough to accompany you on your next backpacking venture. There are a few outside lashing options to accommodate extras, such as your ice axe, trekking poles, and helmet. These lashing options made it a little more versatile compared to some of the minimalist packs we tested.

Ease of Use

This is a pretty simple pack with just the right amount of handy bells and whistles. Though slightly less featured than some packs, it still performs just as well. It not only held all of our hiking essentials in our pack test, but it also held a 13-inch laptop (without any room to spare).

One of the drawbacks of this pack is the thin hip belt, which only aids in some stability as opposed to carrying the load on the hips. However, it can also be removed.

The size of this pack is both a blessing and a curse, and you should be fully aware of your needs, coupled with the capabilities of the Speed Lite. If you're looking for a pack that is capable of holding a multitude of layers and gear, this is probably not the pack for you. Yet, if you're looking for something on light and fast days for trail running, multi-pitch climbing, and peak bagging then it says it all in its name; the Speed Lite is the pack for you.

Durability

Within the duration that we used and abused this pack, it proved to be quite durable. This pack has held up on many adventures; protecting camera equipment while dirt biking around the Utah desert and bushwhacking through dense forest. The zippers seal incredibly well, though are not waterproof. Without a rain cover, it held up surprisingly well to rain. While it may protect camera equipment dirt biking, maybe choose a different pack in the rain for sensitive contents. One thing to be aware of is that the buckles are Deuter's proprietary design. This means that when one breaks, it may be complicated to replace.

Value

We think this pack is a great deal. It has more features than some of our heavier packs and with extra lashing and stow options, it can carry just as much.

Conclusion