I mainly used the pack in the city – for work, school and training. I often had several training sessions a day, so I wanted one that would comfortably fit everything – clothes, sports kit, a laptop or tablet. Thanks to well-arranged pockets and a roomy main compartment, packing and unpacking was really easy.
The shoulder straps and back system made sure this pack sat snugly even when fully loaded – and its low weight made it comfortable to carry all day long.
I also liked how stable it was on the move around town – the pack didn’t twist or get in the way when I was rushing between sessions. In this setting and for everyday use it really did its job, and I enjoyed wearing it.
For a while I’d been eyeing up a pack that would have enough room for all the stuff I take to training and look good at the same time. The Rab Adrift caught my eye straight away. And when I first put it on my back, I thought: “Wow! This’ll be great for work and school.”
The Rab Adrift is a versatile pack that can take a beating. Any dirt brushes off in no time. Take it to work in the morning, to the climbing wall in the afternoon, shopping in the evening and into the mountains at the weekend.
In my view, the Rab Adrift is really well designed. I went for the white and grey colourway, which goes brilliantly with the pack’s black back system, and altogether it looks sleek, clean and modern.
The material feels high-quality and tough. The fabric is strong, waterproof and light at the same time, so the pack is pleasant to carry. The seams are precisely finished, with nothing sticking out or fraying anywhere. Overall, the build quality made a really good impression on me – it will easily handle everyday use and frequent travel.
For this pack, Rab used tough 210D Nylon Ripstop with a water-resistant Hydroshield Dura coating. So it can take a lot, yet weighs just 662 grams.
In my experience it stands up to just about anything. Even with frequent use it shows no signs of wear. Thanks to its water-repellent finish it also copes well with light rain and damp – and the things inside stay dry. It isn’t fully waterproof, but for normal everyday use and shorter trips the protection is more than enough.
The pack is very comfortable. The shoulder straps are softly padded, spread the weight well and don’t dig in even when worn for a long time with a full load.
The back panel is lightly padded and well ventilated, so your back doesn’t get too sweaty even on longer carries. And thanks to its shape, the pack adapts to your movement, whether you’re heading to work, school or on a trip. The pack also has a hip belt, but I didn’t use it much. It’s removable, so I took it off.
The Rab Adrift has a padded sleeve for a 15" laptop, an internal tablet pocket and an organiser for other office bits. On the outside there are gear attachment points and a sturdy carry handle.
It’s really well thought out. The main compartment has plenty of space for bigger items, while the smaller pockets and compartments are great for keeping small stuff in order. Against your back there’s a separate, well-protected laptop sleeve, and inside I used the smaller compartment for my tablet and other bits and pieces.
The lid has a handy pocket for your phone and other things – there’s even a key clip. The clear layout makes it easy to find your way around the pack, and you can clip a bike light to it too, which comes in handy in town in the evening.
Before, I used a roll-top city pack, but it had a really poor back system and shoulder straps. With a heavier load the straps cut into my shoulders, which wasn’t pleasant at all. The Rab Adrift 24, on the other hand, ticked all my boxes – the back system is comfortable, the shoulder straps fit well and the pack is pleasant to carry even fully loaded.
A cracked buckle or torn fabric – it can all be repaired. Rab packs also come with a lifetime warranty, so even after the two-year statutory warranty period has expired, we’ll repair any manufacturing defects free of charge.
Definitely its light weight, its roomy main compartment and its well-made carrying system. The hip belt is a bit pointless, though – it doesn’t add much stability with a full load, so I took it off and didn’t use it.
