The Ortovox Peak 42 S is a solid all-around summer alpine climbing and winter ski touring backpack. It is versatile enough…
Ortovox Peak 42 S Review
Unlike most packs, which are generally designed to fit people taller than 5’7”, the Peak 42 S is designed for shorter outdoor enthusiasts.
The Ortovox Peak 42 S is a solid all-around summer alpine climbing and winter ski touring backpack. It is versatile enough to handle a wide range of different conditions, including the frigid cold and midsummer heat. What makes this pack unique, though, is its sizing. Indeed, the “S” in the pack’s name refers to its shorter back length, which is meant for people with a torso that’s between 36-44cm long.
Who Is This Backpack Best For?
Who Is This Backpack Not For?
Ortovox Peak 42 S Review: At-A-Glance
Here’s a quick overview of the subjects that we’ll be covering in this backpack review. Click the links in the table of contents to jump to the appropriate section in this review.
Table of Contents
1. Review Summary
2. Size Guide
3. Specifications
4. Main Features
5. How We Got the Results
5.1 Comfort & Support
5.2 Weight
5.3 Versatility
5.4 Durability & Design
6. Testimonials
Price: $220 List | $189.95 at Amazon
Pros: Great durable design with a lot of attachment options for skiers and climbers
Cons: Only available in S-size. No for those on a budget.
Manufacturer: Ortovox
By Nanna Ottos · Tester & Editor · July 5th, 2020
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Ortovox Peak 42 S – Rating
OVERALL RATING
83
Review Summary & Conclusion
The Peak 42 S is more than just a gear carrier for shorter climbers, skiers, and mountaineers. It’s also designed for maximum organization of all of your most important pieces of outdoor safety gear.
Additionally, this pack features some unique fabrics and technologies that aren’t found in other comparable models. These unique features include a Swisswool Full Contact back panel that helps to wick away moisture from your back as you charge uphill.
Plus, the Peak 42 S has a super-durable 420D ripstop nylon shell that’s water-resistant and strong enough to withstand years of use in the world’s harshest environments. It also has broad and padded hip and shoulder straps that help make carrying heavy loads that much more comfortable.
Finally, this pack is chock-full of added features and storage options for all of your climbing and skiing gear. This includes different attachments for ropes, crampons, and ice axes, as well as a map compartment and multiple ski fastening options.
Of course, no great piece of gear is without its faults. While I’ve used this pack for years and have always been impressed with its performance, it’s not the lightest option on the market. Indeed, at 51.9oz (1.45kg), it’s by no means the lightest alpine pack available. But when it comes to performance, comfort, and storage options, then the Ortovox Peak 42 S is a great all-around choice for mountain environments.
Ortovox Peak 42 Size Guide
| Gender | Pack Size | Your torso length | Your height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unisex | S | 36 - 44 cm / 14 - 17 in | 150 - 175 cm |
Specifications
Main Features
Comfort – Ortovox Peak 42 S
From my point of view, the Peak 42 S gets a good rating in terms of comfort. However, the pack does feel a bit rigid and uncomfortable for the first few outings until you break it in.
That being said, the Peak 42 S has wide, well-padded hip belts and shoulder straps, which provide ample comfort when carrying heavy loads. Its short length also makes it one of the most comfortable options for people, like me, who have a short torso length.
Additionally, Ortovox’s Swisswool Full Contact back panel really does make a difference in terms of comfort on hot days. The merino wool in this back panel is very efficient at wicking away sweat from the body, allowing for added breathability without sacrificing durability in the design.
Weight – Ortovox Peak 42 S
At 51.9oz (1.45kg), the Ortovox Peak 42 S is pretty heavy for an alpine climbing day pack. However, much of this added weight comes from the pack’s heavy-duty materials and plenty of gear storage options. It also has a variety of different zippers that allow for easy access to your gear, plus many straps for attaching your skis, ice axes, and crampons.
So, while I can’t exactly label the Peak 42 S as a lightweight pack if you value versatility and durability more than weight savings, it’s still a great option. However, if ultralight trips into the mountains are your top concern, it might be best to look elsewhere for your pack needs.
Versatility – Ortovox Peak 42 S
Ortovox designed this pack for use in alpine environments. When it comes to summer alpine climbing, mountaineering, and winter ski touring, it performs exceptionally well.
This is because the pack is full of various features that help you more easily store important pieces of climbing gear, such as your helmet, rope, and crampons. It also has multiple ways to strap on a pair of skis or a split board for easy gear transport in the mountains. In particular, I like the pack’s separate safety compartment, which is the perfect place to store avalanche safety gear for quick deployment in an emergency.
However, I’ve also used this pack for summer day hikes and it performs just as well below treeline as it does high up in the mountains. Since it is a hydration system compatible, the Peak 42 S is a good companion for warm weather hiking. This is particularly true if you enjoy having lots of organization options and different compartments for storing your gear in your pack.
Pros
Cons
Build Quality & Durability – Ortovox Peak 42 S
The Ortovox Peak 42 S is built using tear and abrasion-resistant 420D nylon fabric. This high-quality material provides the pack with the durability you expect for use in remote environments. For comparison, many other similar packs use 200-300D nylon, so the Peak 42 S actually has some of the thickest and burliest fabric on the market for added strength against sharp rocks and foul weather.
When it came to crafting this pack, though, Ortovox did not skimp on quality. Right out of the packaging, the Peak 42 S feels durable and like it’s well made. In particular, the zippers and zipper pulls are all made with quality materials that can hold up throughout frequent use.
Testimonials – Ortovox Peak 42 S
– Very nice quality and style for a good price
Bought this bag a few months ago. I took this backpack deep into the backcountry only once, but it was amazing how stable it felt when it came to boulder hopping and glacier traversing.
It is a very comfortable fit for people under 6′.
I traveled with it around the world, and it hasn’t disappointed me once. I get a lot of compliments on how it looks.
It has so many handy hooks and straps for strapping skis and ice axes, and an easy to access hook for climbing rope.
– Taken from: https://www.bergfreunde.eu
– Love this pack!
Works really well as a winter mountaineering and ski touring pack. Attachment point for ice axe is well thought out as is pocket for avalanche shovel. Good size top pocket too.
– Taken from: https://www.bergfreunde.eu
– Very pro pack!
Very pro pack! It is not great only for mountaineering. It´s fantastic for hiking too. There are many technical features which come in handy hikers too. The helmet mesh is perfect place for jacket or drinking bottle for instance. The carrying system is clever. I have serious problem with my back and this is the best backpack for me. There were no problems to carry equipments in my five days hike in fells. I’m very happy about my Peak 42S. Thank you Ortovox!
– Taken from: https://www.ortovox.com
Author
Nanna Ottos
Tester & Editor
Nanna is also a certified Adventure Guide and works with people from all over the world to show them the best of Iceland.
