 This Product
Deuter Aircontact Core 60+10 SL - Women's | |||||
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| Awards |  Easiest Backpack to Organize |  Best Overall Women's Backpack |  Best Bang for Your Buck | Best for First-Time Backpackers | |
| Price | $260 List Check REI (on sale!) | $285 List Check Price at REI | $205 List Check Price at REI | $229 List Check Price at REI | $189 List Check Price at REI |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | With organization at its forefront, this pack is great for the adventurer who wants their gear in order when they reach camp | This comfortable, well-featured women's backpacking backpack won our hearts because of its easy adjustment points and breezy back panel | Get back to basics with this comfortable and affordable pack that can handle heavy loads with grace while providing adequate ventilation | Both affordable and customizable, this pack comes equipped to tackle a variety of adventures, all in a very weight-conscious and beginner-friendly way | This pack offers inclusive sizing, though its stiffness and lack of hipbelt adjustability are drawbacks |
| Rating Categories | Deuter Aircontact Co... | Osprey Eja 58 | Osprey Renn 65 | REI Co-op Flash 55 | REI Co-op Trailmade 60 |
| Comfort (40%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (25%) | |||||
| Weight-to-Volume Ratio (20%) | |||||
| Adjustability (15%) | |||||
| Specifications | Deuter Aircontact Co... | Osprey Eja 58 | Osprey Renn 65 | REI Co-op Flash 55 | REI Co-op Trailmade 60 |
| Volumes Available | 45+10, 60+10 L | 38, 48, 58 L | 50, 65 L | 55 L | 60 L |
| Sizes Available | One size, adjustable torso | XS/S, M/L, adjustable torso | One size, extended fit one size; adjustable torso | XS, S, M, adjustable torso | 15-19 torso with XS-L hipbelt; 15-19 torso with XL-3X hip belt; adjustable torso |
| Hydration Compatible | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rain Cover Included | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Volume We Tested | 60 + 10 L | 58 L | 65 L | 55 L | 60 L |
| Measured Volume | 50 L | 45 L | 40 L | 45 L | 50 L |
| Measured Weight | 4.9 lb | 2.7 lb | 3.6 lb | 2.7 lb | 3.1 lb |
| Overall Weight-to-Volume Ratio | 1.12 oz/L | 0.74 oz/L | 0.89 oz/L | 0.79 oz/L | 0.83 oz/L |
| Access | Top, panel | Top | Top, bottom | Top | Top, U-zip |
| Sleeping Bag Compartment | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Bear Can Compatible | Yes - Vertical and Horizontal | Yes - verical and horizontal | Yes - Vertical and Horizontal | Yes - Vertical | Yes |
| Organization Compartments | Lid, mesh side pockets, front stretch pocket, zippered top pocket, inner stretch compartment, bottom compartment with zippered divider, internal valuables pocket, dual zippered pockets on hipbelt | Lid, mesh side pockets, front stretch pocket, dual zippered pockets on hip belt, main compartment | Lid, side pockets, hip belt pockets, main compartment | Lid, double side pockets, front pocket, hip belt pockets, shoulder strap phone pocket, main compartment | Lid with pocket, front pocket, stretchy water bottle side pockets, hip belt pockets, main compartment |
| Main Materials | 235D recycled polyamide | 100D high-tenacity recycled ripstop nylon | 600D polyester | 100D robic ripstop nylon; bluesign approved | 100D ripstop nylon; secondary exterior: 400D recycled nylon |
| Women's Specific Features | Women's specific fit | Women's specific fit | Women's specific fit | Women's specific fit | Women's specific fit |
The Aircontact Core is a heavy backpack designed to keep backpackers organized on the trail. With three entry points into the main pocket and a plethora of zippers and webbing, the weight of this pack crept up with good reason. For a lower price than many other super-hauler backpacks, this pack is the one for you if you like knowing where all your gear is at all times.
Part of the reason that the Aircontact Core weighs nearly five pounds is because of its plush back panel. The chunky lumbar pad is soft enough to feel pillowy and is constructed to oppose the natural curvature of your spine.
The back panel splits to accommodate the spine and provide fantastic breathability before coming together near the cervical vertebrae. The cushion of the back panel is needed, as the frame Aircontact is strong and rigid. The strength of the Y-shaped frame aids in the comfortable distribution of weight. The perforated cushioning on the hip belt is a welcome attribute because when this heavy pack is correctly adjusted to fit your frame, the weight is largely concentrated on your hips.
The load-lifting straps are helpful and functional, ultimately preventing much of the weight from resting on the wearer's shoulders — as they should. The narrower profile of this pack creates a slightly smaller base of support for the bulk of the weight, which makes heavy loads feel more imposing on our small tester's hips. We grew to greatly appreciate the external webbing of the Aircontact because of its ability to help compress the pack's load. We cinched the horizontal and vertical straps to tamp down the weight of the load, which aided in the overall function of this pack's suspension system. The cylinder shape prevented the pack from feeling like one side was riding heavier than the other, which was another bonus we noted when assessing the prowess of the suspension system.
While rookie backpackers might initially be overwhelmed by the sheer number of pockets on the Aircontact Core, they are versatile enough to accommodate a wide variety of packing styles.
The large main compartment offers three entry points: through the top via a drawstring, through the front via a J-shaped zipper, and towards the bottom of the pack's body. The bottom zipper provides specific entry to the sleeping bag compartment, though this compartment can easily be eradicated by unzipping the interior panel to create one main chamber that is even bigger.
Three mesh pouches adorn the exterior of the Aircontact, one on either side and one on the superficial edge of the main compartment. We love stashing our dirty clothes in these stretchy mesh pockets since they help preserve whatever cleanliness remains across our other gear. The wearer's right mesh pocket includes a vertical slit that acts as a water bottle holster, making it easy to grab a bottle while you hike. The mesh hip belt pockets don't provide much protection from the elements, but they are large enough to stash phones, maps, snacks, sunscreen, and the like.
The capacity of the brain on the Aircontact is exceptional. It holds far more gear than we anticipated in its two pockets. The upper exterior pocket expands to store quick-access items. While the fabric of the brain isn't particularly stretchy, it can hold a lot while maintaining its shape. We loved that this pack never felt lopsided beneath a hefty load. The underside pocket of the Aircontact's brain doesn't boast quite as impressive of a volume but makes a safe cache for car keys or other items that need to be securely stored. The more understated organizational systems of the Aircontact are the loops and straps that provide plenty of storage options outside of the pack's pockets. There are multiple loops for sunglasses and other items on the shoulder straps and a trekking pole-specific storage system on the back of the pack.
At 4.9 pounds, the Aircontact Core is one of the heaviest packs we've tested. However, just because it is heavy doesn't mean it scored the worst in this metric. Because the Aircontact has such a large capacity, its calculated weight-to-volume ratio is better than some other backpacking backpacks for women on the market.
Ruggedly built backpacks with lots of pockets and straps weigh more, so it is up to you to decide if you want an ultralight pack or an organizationally focused backpack. The lush padding of the back panel and hip belt add to the heavy weight of the Aircontact Core and its comfort when fully loaded. Since this is a backpack made for superhauling and has a huge capacity full of handy organizing features, it is not a surprise that it weighs more than most.
The Aircontact is easily adjusted on the fly via Deuter's Varislide torso adjustment system. Instead of simply offering a few set size options, the mechanisms can freely slide and be set to exactly where you want them to be.
While the torso height of the Aircontact is easy to adjust for comfort and correct sizing, the downfall is that this pack only comes in one size. Passed back and forth between a tester who is 5'2" and one who is 5'10", both found the Aircontact to be equally comfortable when directly compared to other backpacks for women, though the smaller of the two often felt dwarfed by the height of the pack itself. Because the Aircontact's shape is thinner and taller than some, the height can feel imposing and overpowering on small frames. Other super hauling packs that we tested rely on a shorter, wider pack size, which tends to suit the “average” woman's center of gravity better. Because of the height of the pack, we do not wholeheartedly recommend this backpack to smaller-than-average people, as it is better suited for taller wearers.
If you are a larger person who wants a slightly larger capacity, the men's version of this pack offers five liters of additional packing space and can more easily accommodate larger people and those with broader shoulders. In most of the important ways, the men's version of this backpack is nearly identical to the women's, making it the obvious choice if you want to “size up” but have your heart set on this specific backpack.
If organization is paramount to you on the trails, this is absolutely a worthwhile backpack to consider. It is well-featured and provides pockets aplenty without pigeon-holing itself into one rigid packing system. The price tag of the Aircontact is lower than many, making it a durable beast of a backpack that is available for less than others with the same features.
