Aircontact Ultra 35+5 SL

The Deuter Aircontact Ultra 35+5 SL is a lightweight women's-fit pack for multi-day walking: 35 litres with a 5 litre extension, a ventilated Aircontact back with an adjustable back length, and a lid you can leave at home. The body is 175D ripstop polyamide, tough enough for weeks of trail wear.

Who it's for

Women heading out for lightweight overnighters and long days in the mountains. Deuter rate it five out of five for trekking. It suits the Overland Track with huts and a light tent, the Australian Alps Walking Track in sections, or a three-day loop in the Victorian high country where every gram on your back counts.

Capacity, and what actually fits

35 litres, plus 5 in the extendable collar, takes a compact sleeping bag, a mat strapped outside on the modular gear straps, a stove, food for two or three days and a warm layer. A 3 L hydration bladder goes in its own sleeve, mesh side and front pockets take a bottle and a wet shell, and the zipped lid pocket holds the map and snacks. The pack measures 68 x 25 x 22 cm.

How it carries

Deuter's Aircontact back uses Air Spacer mesh over channelled padding, so the contact surface is small and air moves through. A round-profile spring steel frame spreads the load, a lumbar pad transfers it into the hips, and padded hip fins with pull-forward adjustment snug it down. Movable Active Fit shoulder straps with soft edges follow your arm swing, and stabiliser straps and a two-way sternum strap finish the harness.

Fitting it

The SL harness is shorter than Deuter's standard packs and shaped for a woman's shoulders and hips. Clip & Loop back length adjustment covers 35-56 cm, and Deuter match the pack to bodies around 158-178 cm tall.

Access and organisation

The main compartment loads from the top with a roll-top closure under a height-adjustable lid. Take the lid off and a drawcord and press stud seal the opening, and the modular gear straps move to wherever you want to carry a mat, a jacket or a rope. Attachment loops, a safety whistle on the sternum strap and an SOS label round it out.

• Top-loader with roll-top closure and 5 L extension
• Removable, height-adjustable lid with zipped pocket
• Modular gear straps and attachment loops
• Mesh side and front pockets
• Hydration compatible, up to 3 L

Weight

1160 g with the lid on, for a framed, adjustable pack that takes 40 litres at full stretch. Leave the lid behind and it drops further. For a trekker counting grams on a multi-day trip, that is a full harness and hip fins for not much more than a framed daypack.

Looking after it

The ripstop body carries a DWR finish made without intentionally added PFAS, and the pack is bluepass and Green Button certified. Deuter back it with a 2-year warranty.