Montane Grand Tour 55 (2014)

I first used the Montane Grand Tour 55 back in May 2013, and it has become a regular hiking partner. It is intended specifically for lighter-weight backpacking and is credited with having been designed for use on the Pacific Crest Trail in the USA. At 55 litres it is good for lightweight overnight trips and also winter trips when you have more gear. Other sacks offer more capacity though and it is designed only for loads up to 15kg, so make sure your gear fits these volume and weight limits or the pack won’t be as comfortable or stable as it should be. It’s built around a relatively plain back panel with internal alloy framing that transfers loads to the hipbelt, which is also stiffened. I like its simplicity, and certainly with lighter loads it is great. You get a single main compartment with top entry where the top lid has a single buckle, all features I like. On the outside are two large mesh pockets and I’ve found these ideal for taking a water bottle and lightweight waterproofs. Deep stretch wand pockets and side compression pockets mean you can easily stash a tent on the sides of the Montane Grand Tour 55 if needed, or a pair of trekking poles. Some people will prefer a sack with a base compartment with external entry while others will prefer an extending lid so you can really overstuff the main compartment.

Capacity 55 litres

Weight 1290g

Internal compartments 1

External zipped pockets 5

Wand pockets? yes

Compression straps? yes

Women’s version none

Website www.montane.co.uk

Verdict

For lighter loads and year-round use, the Montane Grand Tour 55 is hard to fault; but if your gear weighs more than 15kg, others have advantages.

Review by Graham Thompson

First published in Trail magazine Spring 2014