Deuter have been manufacturing equipment for eccentric German adventurers for over 100 years, and these days, one of the favourite adventures for any German mountain biker is to embark on a summer pilgrimage over the Alps by bike. Every year groups of families, friends, and colleagues set out to ride hundreds of kilometres with one change of clothing, from southern Germany to the sun-soaked town of Riva del Garda in Italy.
Deuter pioneered the
idea of a bike-specific backpack in 1990, and the legendary Deuter Trans Alpine
backpack has long been the baggage of choice – so much so, that any change to
the design of this iconic bit of kit can spark outrage in the European mountain
bike community. If you’re ever riding around the great Alpine passes in
Germany, Italy, or Austria in summer, it’s inevitable: you’ll spot groups of
tired, unwashed cyclists from miles away, picked out against grey skies by the
distinctive fluoro rain covers – a standard feature of the Deuter Trans Alpine
bag – parachuting behind.
In recent years,
Deuter have added a women’s ‘slimline’, or ‘sL’ version of the Trans Alpine to
the range, retaining all the usual favourite features, including the Deuter
Airstripes back ventilation system, rain cover, and helmet holder, but with some
adjustments to the straps and length to suit women better.
Comfort
The bag differs from
the men’s version in that the straps, buckles, and the bag itself are narrower and
shorter, and the waist straps curve up slightly and fasten higher. In practise
I thought the narrower straps were a great change, particularly because you’re
always reaching forward with your arms when you’re riding, and not only are women’s
shoulder’s narrower, but the fact that we have boobs means there’s definitely
less room in this area.
The narrower back also
made sense, cutting down the gap between the ridges of the Airstripes design.
Deuter’s patented Airstripes system is basically two contoured ridges of foam
designed to keep the rider cool by allowing airflow over your spine and through
the sides of your back. If you’re quite narrow around the upper body, and many
women are, there’s a chance your spine can come in contact with the bag when
you’re riding, and roll uncomfortably.
side compression straps,
shoulder straps to even out the load, a removable foam insert (that doubles as
a cushion when you’re in the wild), and my favourite, zips that snap together,
all help make this pack comfortable when overloaded.
The bag is also
marketed to ‘male users with shorter backs’, but as a woman with a pretty long
back, I did find that the curving waist strap meant that it fastened somewhere
near my diaphragm and I was constantly tugging it down to somewhere more
comfortable.
While I loved the
turquoise colour of the bag, the prize for the most girly feature I’ve
encountered in an entire year’s testing goes to the detachable yellow hibiscus
flower that come with the Deuter Trans Alpine sL. I detached mine, but if you
did lose a hair tie somewhere in the Alps, the elasticated flower would be a
reasonable understudy.
A look inside
While this bag was
conceived for lofty adventures, its day-to-day life could very well be in
faithful service to the humble commute. The inside sleeve for the hydration
pack is perfect for stashing a laptop or notepad, while the front inside
pockets are perfect for makeup, toiletries, or pens. A small lower section of
the bag can be zipped closed and is ideal for wet or dirty clothes. The top
front pocket has places for keys, wallet and phone, etc. and there’s a helmet
carrier whose straps tuck neatly away when not in use. While few of us use maps
anymore, even when travelling over the Alps, I found the side map compartment perfect
for hiding blocks of chocolate from my partner: an invaluable alternate use.
SO GOOD
- Versatile size for
commuting, carry on or epic journeys
- Tonnes of internal
storage pockets
- Vibrant, attractive
colours
NO GOOD
- Favours shorter
riders, taller women should check the mens version
- 26L is too small for
multi day rides unless you’re ok with just one set of kit
- Unnecessary plastic
flower proved a hefty psychological burden for this reviewer
