Futura 25 SL

The Deuter Futura 25 SL is a women's-fit hiking pack for long days on track, with the Aircomfort mesh back that keeps the pack body off you. On a sticky summer climb in the Glass House Mountains, that gap is the difference between a damp shirt and a soaked one.

Who it's for

Women and smaller-framed walkers who carry a full day kit: water, lunch, a shell, a warm layer and a first aid kit. Deuter rate it five out of five for hiking, and the recommended 4-8 kg load suits a big day out on the Lamington ridges, a Blue Mountains canyon approach or a summit walk in the Snowies.

Capacity, and what actually fits

25 litres holds a 3 L bladder in the internal sleeve, a rain jacket, a fleece, lunch, a first aid kit and a head torch, with the top pocket for keys and snacks. The pack measures 52 x 28 x 20 cm. Side compression straps snug it down on lighter days.

How it carries

A flexi spring steel frame tensions the back mesh into an arc, and the mesh runs down into the lumbar area for airflow and a soft, wrapping fit. Pivoting ActiveFit shoulder straps move with your arm swing, and padded hip fins with Pull-Forward adjustment pull the load onto your hips. The shoulder straps and hip fins share one continuous piece of padding, so there are no seams to rub. Stabiliser straps and a one-handed sternum buckle finish the harness.

Fitting it

SL is Deuter's women's fit: a back length of 38-48 cm for walkers around 158-178 cm tall, with straps and hip fins shaped for women's shoulders and hips. Set the hip fins on your hip bones first, then the shoulder straps, then the stabilisers.

Access and organisation

The main compartment opens at the top under a zip, and a mesh front pocket takes a map or a wet shell. Two stretch side pockets hold bottles, and two hip fin pockets keep a phone and snacks reachable without stopping. Inside there is a wet compartment, plus a key clip, a glasses stow, an ice axe and pole attachment on one side and a grab handle on top.

• Top-loading main compartment with zipped top pocket
• Mesh front pocket, two stretch side pockets, two hip fin pockets
• Hydration compatible, up to 3 L
• Rain cover included
• Ice axe and pole attachment, glasses stow, key clip

Weight

1210 g empty. The steel frame and suspended mesh add weight over a frameless daypack and give you a cooler back and a steadier 6 kg load. For quick, light summit walks, the Deuter Speed Lite range is the lighter choice; for full days in the heat, the Futura is the one we'd reach for.

Looking after it

The body is 210D recycled polyamide X-Grid with 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.