Right, lets get one thing straight, I’m not an elite runner. I’m really, really not elite in the slightest in fact and ironically I was almost put off by buying this rucksack by the Elite moniker. Fortunately I wasn’t, because this is one of the best rucksacks I’ve ever owned.
Inov-8 Race Elite 25 litre rucksack
Why do I love it so much? Well, first off I’ve managed to fit my entire mountain marathon kit into 25 litres where previously I’d used a 35 litre Lowe Alpine Rush. Space has been maximised brilliantly – in particular the vertical zip means you can access every nook and cranny inside the bag (so you can stuff in your scrunched up wind-proofs or gas cylinder). The oversize waistbelt pockets compensate for a hood pocket and make accessing compass, gels, and so forth very easy although they can get in the way a bit when you’re swinging your arms.
The external pockets are huge (happily taking a full size SIS in each), with a zip on one you can run around without risking the loss of a hundred and fifty quids worth of waterproofs.
Maybe the best thing about the sack though is fit – it clings to my back like a smackhead’s monkey! I sometimes find sternum straps quite restrictive but again on the Elite 25 they’ve got it just right (and there’s a built-in whistle!). The other contributory factor is weight – this sack is seriously light – weighing in at just 363 grams (roughly half the weight of the OMM equivalent).
Bad points? Well, there’s not really a convenient point for holding a water bladder (no, it doesn’t have the Inov-8 horizontal option) – if you put it inside your sack you risk everything tumblng out when you refill (remember the vertical zip?) and the side pockets aren’t quite big enough either. Also, although it looks robust enough, the vertical zip means that if it goes you’ve got a serious problem on your hands (maybe worth keeping a couple of safety pins to hand!).
Finally, there’s the matter of colour. My failing aspirations for elite status is matched only by my lack of style, however even I recongnise the tasteful black/silver camo combo is prefefable to the garish schemes of certain manufacturers.
So, all in all, as you can see, I’m pretty sold – in fact I’m pretty close to forking out a further £40 or so on the 15 litre version… just because!