User Review: Lowe Alpine Contour III

Lowe Alpine Contour III
Above: The current Contour III, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed October 9, 1998 by an anonymous hiker

Rating:
Design: Internal
Size: 70 litres.
Number of Pockets: top pocket only.
Max. Load Carried: 70 lbs
Height of Owner: 5'9"
Price Paid: $350-ish

Well, after six years, I've finally worn my pack out and so it's time to write up a review.

Right off the shelf I loved the pack with the sole exception of the two side "pockets." They were too small to contain my ski tails, tent poles, or av probe reliably--the newest models have fixed this problem.

The pack material has lasted without so much as a scratch through all the punishment I put it through.

This spring I carried about 70 lbs in it and discovered that the harness could no longer support the load properly. No matter what adjustments I made, the hipbelt kept slipping further and further down my hips. I suspect it's because the foam in the belt has broken down over the years. With the lighter loads (30 lbs) the pack still works reasonably well, but it's apparent that the harness isn't working the way it used to.

I'm not really too unhappy with the overall performance of the pack - it did give me six good years, but I would have expected the harness to last a little longer. Afterall, it rarely carried over 55 lbs.

The pack was a great pack for its time and I don't regret having bought it. However, there are now alot of packs out there with newer/better suspension systems and my next pack will be one.

I hope thats helpful.

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