New Backpack: Deuter Airlite 26L SL

I've been trying to pack lightly for trips for the past several years, ever since I traveled in Europe for a month with just a Tom Bihn Aeronaut back when there was still just one size. It's a lot easier to not need to worry about dealing with the baggage claims.

I usually travel with my Tom Bihn Aeronaut or Synapse 19, but I have a work trip this week that requires walking 8-10 miles a day while carrying a first aid kit, food, a bunch of papers, and other goods. My Synapse can definitely handle this amount of items, but I wasn't sure how my back would feel after a day of walking since the Synapse doesn't have the most robust waist belt. I love the Synapse as an EDC pack and travel bag, but I thought I might need something different for this trip.

I've been thinking about trying out some longer hikes, so I decided that this would be a great time to purchase a new pack that had a suspension system. My goal was to find a pack that I could use when walking Hadrian's Way, which I may do this summer.

I debated several packs that filled my main criteria: 25 to 32L, waist belt and suspension frame, carry on size, integrated rain cover, clamshell or panel loading preferred. There were quite a few that fit the bill, with varying amounts of reviews. I wound up going with the women's version of the Deuter Airlite, the Airlite 26 SL. 

There wasn't a lot of information about this pack online, but I managed to get a great deal on a discontinued colorway. The pack is a couple shades of green that I wouldn't typically purchase, but it was $71 instead of the typical $119 price. 

My Synapse definitely has more organization since it has way more pockets, but I was able to fit a good amount into the Airlite. The pack was fairly heavy, but felt light once I adjusted the waist belt and shoulder straps. The suspension system, which has a stainless steel x-frame that distributes weight and mesh panel that keeps the pack away from the back for ventilation, is very well-designed. I'm looking forward to using the pack on my work trip and will try it out on a longer trip over Spring Break as well. 

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