Backpacks
Product 2019
Woman, Man
We had a bit of trouble believing the weight of this: 93g empty, 150g with empty flasks! A record… enough to fuel our skepticism.
So we ran with the Compressport Ultrun S-Pack for several months, doing three runs a week. It became our best friend, as well as the protective jacket from the same brand (https://www.test4outside.com/produit/compressport-waterproof-1010-jkt/).
Because, once in use you very quickly get used to having something so light and enjoying it…. provided that the bag is functional, comfortable and practical. And our test proves all these qualities. It does nevertheless have a few little flaws that we will address.
Its ultra-light weight and lack of carrying structure are not disadvantages, on the contrary, the pack molds to the runner’s morphology like a second skin. The Compressport developers designed it with various different stretch fabrics. Looking at it closer, some of the panels stretch in one axis but not or very little in the other. We get excellent support, both firm when it comes to ensuring the carrying water flasks or kit and flex when it comes to respecting the runner’s movements. We really liked this Compressport Ultrun S-Pack: there is very little that flaps around and for this style of hydration pack it fits perfectly.
The other notable point is its overall comfort. It is surprising how small it looks (tiny) before you put it on: once on, you forget it’s there! You could worry that it would prevent you from breathing properly but not at all. Once you are wearing it you completely forget about it because it is so comfortable. Designers have also put a non-slip band at the back to prevent the Compressport Ultrun S-Pack from rising up.
Unlike a brand like Salomon who choose to close their packs with thin elastic straps, Compressport has opted for a central zip. The advantage: it’s fast and practical. Disadvantage: you cannot adjust the chest size. What happens if the zip breaks? Because the zip is minimalist and must withstand a lot of pressure.
Like most products of the same type, it is wiser to position the flasks before putting the pack on. Because the fabric is very tight against the chest, it becomes difficult to slide in full flasks. Moreover, the day a brand will find the technical solution to simplify this operation, they will take half of the market …
Once the flasks are in position, they stay in place. A small elastic loop keeps the mouthpiece, its effectiveness is a bit limited. But most of the time we did not use it.
The flasks are made from recycled materials, BPA-free, work well. On the other hand, the pipettes need to be reviewed.
The minimalist approach is evident all over the pack. The pockets use Velcro. We would have liked bands a bit wider to make closing easier (and so as not to lose anything), during running. The two large pockets in the back are very practical, you can fit a jacket and/or light pants.
Two other pockets are available on the sides. At flask level, there is access to two other spaces on each side. The overall volume announced by Compressport is 4 liters.
At the back, two wide elastics straps enable you to carry poles, without adjustment possibilities.
There are two straps under the arms that we have never used. They are there for better adjustment. Thin, light, with an adjustment length, they can disconnect when you put the pack on in a hurry (refueling for example): pay attention to putting your arms in the right place and not under the straps.
Reflective tapes and a firmly fixed whistle (a great thing to point out, we too often see whistles hanging at the end of a cord) complete the accessories. You can wash the pack at 30 degrees. It does not smell too bad either. We weren’t able to test it in very hot conditions though.
The Compressport Ultrun S-Pack is not just an incredibly lightweight trail running pack, it’s also a comfortable and highly efficient carrying system. A product that has won the FIRST award.
We used this equipment over a long period of time
These are our thoughts after intensive use:
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