David Lintern is impressed with the Cotopaxi Tarak 20l praising the fit and features of this brace of colourful, carbon neutral packs.
I’m raving about 2 colourful and well-made products from Cotopaxi. The Cotopaxi Tarak is a 20L pack designed with hiking, climbing and backcountry skiing in mind say the brand, and that’s reflected in the tall, skinny design overall.
David Lintern recommends
Beautifully designed and well made with an eye to environmental impact, the purpose is reflected in the tall, skinny shape overall.- 100% recycled
- well made
- good value
- back system lacks a little firmness for a climbing orientated pack
- small for intended purpose
| Quick Specs |
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| Price: £100 (now reduced to £70) Weight: 569g Materials: 210D ripstop nylon Features: hydration sleeve, tool ‘bucket’, plentiful lash points, removable waist belt Sizes: 1 size Unisex uk.cotopaxi.com |
Features wise, there’s loads of webbing for attaching poles, skis and more, including on both shoulder straps (useful for tying maps, bottle bags and more into). There’s a ‘bucket’ at the bottom of the pack for securing an ice axe which works well for 1 but is crowded for 2 (it works just as well for storing litter you find en route!). There are 3 large, zipped pockets – 1 on the lid, 1 on the front and 1 webbed on the inside – making the Tarak really user friendly as a day pack. In keeping with that climbing orientation, it lacks side pockets but has a hydration sleeve.
None of this would matter much if the pack didn’t fit and carry well, but thankfully it does. The shoulder straps are at the low profile end of the spectrum, but are beautifully contoured and with enough padding to be comfortable even when fully weighted. There’s also a sternum strap with a generous amount of vertical travel (another essential), but it was the waist strap that was the real surprise performer here. It’s a thin, single strip of nylon, designed to be removable for climbing, so I didn’t expect much. In practice, it’s really efficient. Even under a full load, the pack sits perfectly on the hips and the long, thin shape helps the weight close and in balance for more mobile activities – I’m still not much of a skier but it didn’t throw me off my very amateur practice lines.
As a crag or fully fledged climbing pack, I’m a bit less convinced, but not because of the excellent fit. A rope fits nicely under the lid, but the overall capacity is on the small side, and the pack – especially the back panel – has very little structure. It’s a bit of a cram for a winter hill walking day, too. That said, there’s something reassuringly old school about the Tarak – it feels like a knapsack your grandad might have used. It really comes into its own for smaller ventures, and I love the colours.
Because of the brand’s commitment to using recycled fabric, Every Tarak and Kapai is a unique colour way, and the brand are a B Corporation and certified climate neutral. Both items are beautifully designed and well made with an eye to environmental impact. Although I’d love to see a bigger, burlier 35L ‘all mountain’ version, the Tarak is still my daily carry at the moment – the fit is that true. The Kapai comes on every longer run, too.
Testing Conditions
David used both pack and hip pack over winter and spring of 2024-5 for local walks, runs and a little skiiing in the Cairngorms National Park, in all weathers. He’s a size medium with a short back relative to his 5’8”.
