Review: Lowe Alpine AirZone Ultra 36L Hiking Pack

A lightweight and minimalist 36L pack designed for women (or narrower build/shoulder hikers) when hiking on ‘ultralight’ overnighters or fastpacking.

The Lowe Alpine AirZone Ultra 36L Hiking Pack is my first ‘ultralight’ pack as an average, recreational hiker and wild camper. As my first ultralight pack, this is a new piece of kit to me and something I had been looking for for a long while. I use this pack for summer wild camps and day hikes where I am carrying more kit that my average water bottle and snack etc.

Its sleek and robust design features a well ventilated back panel, making it great for when you’re pushing your limits on the trails in the summer. For a 36L bag, it maximises storage in every area, from the main compartment to side and hip pockets.

Lowe Alpine AirZone Ultra 36L Hiking Pack: The stats

Features of the Lowe Alpine AirZone Ultra 36L Hiking Pack

Back panel

The back panel on this bag is one of the best I’ve used. It maximises airflow through a rigid frame and mesh lining. This ensures that a distance is kept between your back and the pack even when wearing chunkier layers. I think this is a great feature for a pack intended for ultralight summer overnight trips.

Shoulder straps

The shoulder straps are very well padded, using a mesh material they are also very light and breathable. They aren’t as adjustable as I would like as the padded area feels a little short. As a result, I sometimes find the none padded webbing digs in when my pack is a little heavier.

Hydration compatible

There is a pouch within the bag that is compatible with a 3L water bladder. I find myself using my water bottle instead of my bladder with this pack and therefore I don’t use this feature too often. Although I like the option!

Fabric

I LOVE the material of this pack. It is sleek, robust and I particularly like the colour. The material is made from recycled fishing nets and is very durable.

Compression straps and pole loops

There are bright coloured compression straps on the outside of the pack. They are made of lightweight paracord and have plastic adjustment points. They are easily adjusted and fit flush against the pack whether tightened or not. I only need to tighten these when the pack is not full, so I find them a little unnecessary for a smaller pack. Although I do sometimes tuck/hang my jacket through them when the front pocket is full.

Main entry

The main compartment of the pack has two points of entry. An easily operated, top drawcord entry with a low profile flap fastens with a buckle. And a zipped side access point allows access to the bottom half of the main compartment without the need for opening the drawstring.

Front pocket

The large stash pocket is made from a stretch mesh with a small buckle to fasten it in place. It is great for throwing easy access layers (waterproofs) and items that you might want on the trail. It’s a really generous size and I can fit my waterproof coat, kettle, waterproof trousers and more in it. The only drawback, for me, is that the mesh doesn’t have any adjustable webbing on the buckle to tighten it.

Side pockets

Two stretch mesh pockets on either side of the pack can comfortably fit my 1L Nalgene bottle and other small extras such as my rubbish that I pack out. I tend to use one side for my water bottle and the other for my tent poles.

Internal pocket

Inside the top of the pack is a small zip pocket which is fixed at the top of the pack. I use it to hold my car keys and other smaller items so that I don’t lose them within the main compartment.

Hip belt

A hip belt with pockets is a super useful feature. And I really like that this pack has two! One has a zip. I can fit my phone into the zipped pocket and snacks into the other. The zip pocket is easily usable with only one hand and is really practical for grabbing things on the move. Additionally, the hip belt is light, comfortable and has a lot of adjustability with the buckles.

Lowe Alpine AirZone Ultra 36L Hiking Pack review

As an average recreational hiker, I use this bag for lightweight summer overnighters/wild camps and full days hiking when I want to carry a few more essentials than just my water and snacks.

I typically grade my kit based on three categories; look, comfort and practicality.

Look

When it comes to the look of this pack it ticks all the boxes for me. This was one of the initial reasons I liked the bag. I love the sleek, robust material and the colour of this pack. I also love that the outer material is made from recycled fishing nets. And the minimal design as a lightweight pack drew me in. My opinion on the look of this bag hasn’t changed since I first got it. I really love the design both practically and aesthetically, and I feel good about how it looks when using it on the trails.

Comfort

In general, my back gets quite hot when I am hiking with a backpack. So the back air flow system of the AirZone Ultra is great for me. This is one of the best packs I’ve used for airflow to my back and I really do think it does its job well due to the rigid frame and mesh structure.

That said, the bottom of the frame on the back panel has no padding. This makes the pack pretty uncomfortable on my lower back when I am only wearing a T-shirt. I don’t tend to notice it as much when I am wearing a fleece. But I find most of the weight of the pack sits on this part of the frame and it’s hard to ignore when I’m on the move. It’s disappointing because a bit of extra foam (like the foam in the hip belt) wouldn’t add much weight to the pack but would do wonders for the comfort. This might be a dealbreaker for me.

Practicality

As a lightweight pack I think this bag does its job well. The intentional design aspects like the pockets on the hip belt are functional and enjoyable/easy to use. All the pockets have an intentional function and I use each of them to their maximum capacity. This makes it feel that there is no wasted space within this pack and I like that.

Over the last few months the material hasn’t become worn or damaged despite some heavy handed use on the trails. I think it’s going to be a good pack for years to come.

Pros of the Lowe Alpine AirZone Ultra 36L Hiking Pack

I love the hip belt on this pack. The pocket zip is genuinely easy to use one handed. So many of my previous packs have said they are easy to use one handed but have required two due to the awkward placement of the zip on the belt. These zips are easy to use and easily accessible. And the pockets are a good size for my phone and snacks. Plus, the foam in the belt makes it lightweight and comfortable.

Cons of the Lowe Alpine AirZone Ultra 36L Hiking Pack

I really do not like the bottom of the back panel frame and its lack of padding. This leads to the pack digging in to my lower back when it is loaded with my overnight kit. I think this is such an oversight on the design that could have been easily rectified by some extra foam padding.

Verdict

My overall impression of the Lowe Alpine AirZone Ultra 36L Hiking Pack is that I do really like it and find myself reaching for it often during spring/summer. And I really love the aesthetic design of the bag. However, on a day where I know I will be hiking in just a T-shirt I do think about whether I will have a fleece to tie around my waist for extra padding and whether I will be comfortable due to the lower part of the pack digging in.

At £150 I think there are lots of features that brings good value to the bag. However, I would also expect the bag to be very comfy for this price point and I’m not sure it hits that for me.

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Lowe Alpine

Disclaimer: Cool of the Wild received this product free in return for an honest review. We only recommend gear that we love from companies we trust and we are under no obligation to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are that of the reviewer and we are in no way influenced by the brand or company.

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