FEATURES
The most important feature with the Montane Ultra Tour 40 is the weight of just 754g for a 40 litre capacity, which is remarkable (and ideal for anyone keen on limiting their load). The saving comes from the scant stiffening in the back panel, but you do get some padding. Also, the main compartment has a rolltop closure rather than a conventional lid. There are zipped pockets on the hipbelt, but no other zipped pockets. 4/5
Related: Best Backpacks
FIT
There is no women’s version of this pack but the men’s does come in two back length versions of S-M and M-L. The back panel is not stiffened, so it tends to hug the body, while the wide hipbelt and shoulder straps are also not as stiff as others, so again they tend to hug the body. Top tensioning straps on the shoulder straps stabilise the load. 4/5
COMFORT
The level of comfort is below that of other packs, if you pack this badly or carry a heavy load, as there is no stiffening in the back, and the load does not transfer easily to the hips. Also, there is less airflow than trampoline designs. But of course it is much lighter, so arguably that increases comfort a little compared to a big, stiff and heavy pack. 3/5
IN USE
The Montane Ultra Tour 40 would be my first pick if I really wanted to save weight for a long trip in the hills, but there are drawbacks. The main compartment has a rolltop lid, with no zip pocket, which I find annoying. However, I do like being able to strap trekking poles to the compression straps and stretch wand pockets, and I like the front stretch stash pocket and hipbelt pockets. 3/5
VALUE
Cheaper than other packs we looked at, but fewer features mean you get less bang for your buck. 4/5
VERDICT
The Montane Ultra Tour 40 is perfect for fast or long trips where weight really matters, but for average hill and mountain walks, other packs offer more features. 3.6/5
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Review by Graham Thompson
First published in Trail magazine September 2016