With this pack I climbed Triglav, hiked through Durmitor in Montenegro and the Prokletije in Albania, made it (sadly only) to the foot of Kazbek, and finally took it hitchhiking through thirteen countries – from Czechia all the way to Pakistan.
Many times I was completely off-grid, at altitudes of around four thousand metres, carrying everything I needed for five or six days. Because the pack sat well on my back and the weight was evenly distributed, it was all manageable. And it was on these treks that I made full use of all its practical features – loads of pockets, side access and external gear attachments.
I loaded the pack straight away to over 20 kilos. A pack that heavy will never be “pleasant” to carry – but it doesn't have to be downright unpleasant either. I'm happy if I more or less forget it's there – if I don't have to keep adjusting the straps or take it off to give my back a rest. And that's exactly how this pack worked, which was a huge relief.
The Rab Hyperon expedition pack weighs 2.6 kg in the 65-litre version. The 80-litre version weighs 2.73 kg. The women's version has a back length range of 43–53 cm, the men's 48–58 cm.
For me, a really nice design. I do care about looks – I want a pack to look good on my back. And Rab nailed it with this grey and black combo.
Over three months on the road I put the pack through all sorts of conditions. I certainly didn't go easy on it – and it held up really well. I got plenty of rain and even more blizzards. No problem there either – and as long as I got the rain cover on in time, the pack didn't even get wet.
Thanks to Spectra® fibres, which are 15 times stronger than steel by weight, the outer fabric of the Rab Hyperon is exceptionally resistant to abrasion and tearing.
It's definitely not an ultralight pack, but it isn't needlessly heavy either. It's a true expedition model. It has loads of practical pockets, storage space and attachment points for mountain gear, which naturally adds weight. I used the pack to the full – with everything it offers. So I wouldn't take anything away from it just to make it lighter.
Thanks to the V-TRAX back system with Velcro adjustment, I could easily set the pack up to fit me exactly. I did it at the start of the trip – and didn't have to change a thing for the next three months. Perfect.
The whole back panel is well padded and breathable too. The same goes for the shoulder straps and hip belt. That's a big plus – especially when you're travelling in summer, and in countries like Turkey and Pakistan at that. I often had the pack pretty heavily loaded (many times over 25 kilos) and the weight was always well distributed.
The V-TRAX™ carry system is easy to adjust to your height using Velcro. And the wide hip belt with pivoting hip joints and a stabilising element transfers the load efficiently onto your hips.
The more pockets, the better. The most practical were the pockets in the lid, which you can reach into without taking the pack off. Another handy feature is the side and bottom access to the main compartment. That meant I could get to key items quickly, without having to unpack everything and pack it all again. It saves a lot of time and nerves.
I also liked the external straps for a sleeping mat and the trekking pole loops. On top of that, there are plenty of places to hang carabiners, so you can quickly clip on extra stuff – in my case a hat or an extra pair of shoes.
Not the slightest problem there. I dragged the pack through just about every kind of weather imaginable (yes, hail included) – and it barely shows. Sure, there's the odd scratch and some dirt. But what matters is that the pack didn't wear through anywhere and everything inside stayed safe.
Besides the weather, hitchhiking through Pakistan really put the pack to the test. It often ended up on a car roof, buried under all kinds of (and of course not very clean) junk. Even so, it came through with top marks.
The Rab Hyperon has two compartments separated by an internal divider. On the front there's a pocket for gear you need close at hand. And the lid pocket also has an inner security pocket with a key clip.
Comfort, for sure. When I was carrying a really big load (over 25 kilos), the well-padded straps and even weight distribution made it bearable. Though of course I could still feel I was hauling something.
And then practicality – the sheer number of pockets and straps. Everything you need in the outdoors (tent, sleeping bag, extra layers and so on) always fits.
