User Review: Lowe Alpine Contour IV

Reviewed September 10, 1997 by Mike Martin

Rating:
Design: internal frame pack
Size: 5000 cu. in.
Number of Pockets: 3 addt'l pockets
Max. Load Carried: 60 lbs.
Height of Owner: 6' 0"
Price Paid: $229

This is my first Lowe pack, and overall I'm pretty satisfied with it, save for a few minor design flaws. So far I've only used it once on a 4-day trip, but it was easy to get it dialed into my body shape. The pack itself is touted as being a pack for women or people with shorter torsos, but I bought it because it is slightly more compact than some of the more average sized internal frame packs for weeklong endeavors, such as the North Face Renegade. It still fits me quite well, despite my being slightly larger than its intended user. It is a nice choice for someone like myself that likes to pack light for a trip. My 3 season 15 degree bag just fits into the bottom, which makes me think that getting an overstuffed 4 season bag in there come winter may be trouble. However, I can always get a compression sack for my winter bag if I need to.

My biggest and only real complaint about this pack is the pretty major design flaw in that the 2 pockets on the bottom sides where you can ususally stow a Nalgene for easy access are two small to fit a normal wide mouth 1 liter bottle. Instead, I keep one clipped to the back with a biner and one in the lid pocket, but I can't get to water without taking it off. I plan to invest in an Outdoor Research water bottle holder that fits onto the waist strap to remedy this.

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