This Long ReView of the Lowe Alpine Mountain Attack ND 35:45 is supported by our friends at Nikwax.
I’ve had my Lowe Alpine Mountain Attack ND 35:45 since spring 2014, and since then it’s been my main rucksack for work and play in the mountains, in all seasons and weathers. It’s still nearly always my first pick for carrying my equipment on the hill.
Main image: On winter break with an enduring backpack | Credit: Lucy Wallace
I’m a Mountain Leader (Summer and Winter), and I need a pack that’s big enough to carry my personal gear, spare kit for my group, emergency equipment such as a rope, and in winter, crampons, ice axe and mountaineering helmet. It’s unusual to find a women’s walking and climbing rucksack that will comfortably carry up to 45 litres of gear. It’s all usable space, with a main compartment that is wide enough to pack easily without creating dead space. It just seems to swallow anything I put in it, and the floating lid (with pocket) extends if I need to cram in a bit more on top.
The Lowe Alpine Mountain Attack ND 35:45 is perfect for winter use and big enough for lightweight multi-day trips and hut-to-hut journeys. This bag has seen some action. It’s been squeezed up winter chimneys, dragged over rock, stuffed to the brim, and used day in, day out. It’s faded a little thanks to continuous exposure to UV, and there’s some wear on the base, but none of the fabric damage is terminal, and all the buckles are intact. I get to test a lot of rucksacks, and this one has outlived many that have seen far less use.
It’s deliberately streamlined for mountaineering, where side pockets and mesh pouches would get in the way. That said, there’s no skimping on thoughtful design: it has little rubber docks for trekking pole tips, straps for securing skis and ice axes, and climbing gear racking loops on the removable hipbelt. I love the metal buckle on the lid, which doesn’t clog with snow or ice. There’s also a side-entry zip, which is handy for quickly grabbing the emergency kit that lives at the bottom of my bag.
The back system has no fancy adjustment or airflow system. Instead, it’s super-stable and fits me well, thanks to the women’s-specific back size. The pack is sadly discontinued, and although sister company Rab makes some interesting mountaineering rucksacks, its closest equivalent, the Ascendor 45, lacks a women’s-specific back system (but it does come in two sizes). The nearest alternative is from Deuter: the Guide 32+8 SL, which I’ve also used extensively. It’s both comfortable and rugged, though noticeably smaller in volume.
Caring for my Lowe Alpine Mountain Attack ND 35:45
The pack has seen very minimal care, but I do always ensure I dry it out fully, and from time to time it gets a cold bath and a good scrub before a drip dry, to prevent odour and grease from sweat and sunscreen building up.
Nikwax makes a 2 useful products called Tent & Gear SolarWash and SolarProof which are designed not only to clean and waterproof but to add protection from UV damage. Both products are easy to use, don’t contain harmful chemicals and can double the life of fabrics exposed to UV.
