I got this pack for 1-2 night trips in CO and have loved it. It just fit the amount of gear I needed for these trips and is way lighter than any other pack I could find in this size. I thought I might regret buying a pack without a frame, but I never even noticed. I love having the water & gear pockets on the shoulder straps.
THE GOOD:
-Great move of the "ditty pocket" from the side to centered above the bucket.
-I love the expandable storage capacity of the two side pockets and the bucket. Can fit a lot of easy accessible junk in there. Would love to see an expandable pocket like that under the "burrito" pocket; the current one is somewhat useless since it's so tight up against the other pocket.
-Fantastic suspension system. Even when loaded up to max capacity with about 30 pounds of gear, it didn't bounce while running for miles. Very comfortable. Love the new shoulder strap cinch system, instead of the old "z strap" system with thin webbing.
THE BAD:
-The buckles on the old Fastpack 20/30 were perfect. The buckles on the new Fastpack 15/25/35/45 can only be buckled in one direction, where the old ones could be buckled in either direction (top or bottom). A small thing, but a super annoying thing!
-The pocket on top of the main water bottle pocket is mostly useless. While carrying a water bottle, the outer pocket isn't expandable enough to put anything further in. Even if you did get something into it, like trash perhaps, once you take your water bottle out it makes it even more difficult to get the water bottle back in its pocket.
-Speaking of the water bottle pocket, it is much higher on the shoulder strap than previous iterations. I literally can't turn my head all the way to the right without my chin bumping into the water bottle. I would love to see the old Peter Bakwin 2.0 vest front on the Fastpack. It had two water bottle carriers, and both much lower (around sternum level) instead of very high on the strap.
-Sizing is hard. I am a 5'10", 190 pound male with a larger than average torso, and I had to use the S/M. The shoulder cinch system is almost all the way cinched down, so not sure how it would fit any smaller guys.
TAKEAWAY:
This is my fourth UD Fastpack and I've used the Peter Bakwin Vest for years. Every iteration of a new design comes forward with a slew of new great features, but it always seems a few of the features I loved of the old pack is changed as well. I use this pack for everything, from trail running, fastpacking, climbing, mountaineering, and everything in between. Having the front storage capacity, smart intelligent function designs, and lightweight material makes it supremely adaptable and efficient for a variety of uses. A lot more durable than I would have expected too, with how lightweight it is!
