Deuter
Deuter Aircontact Ultra 45+5 SL
The women's-fit Aircontact Ultra, at 1,210 g for 50 L. Between this and the 35+5 SL at 1,140 g, it is the lightest framed pack Deuter offers in a women's fit, and one of very few ultralight packs with a genuinely women's-specific carrying system rather than a short size of a unisex design.
Specifications
Sizes Available
| Capacity | Price | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 35+5 L | $275 | 2.51 lbs |
| 45+5 Lthis pack | $295 | 2.67 lbs |
Features
Pros
- ✓1,210 g in a women's fit is exceptionally light for a pack with a frame and an adjustable back length.
- ✓Both SL sizes have published weights, so the 35+5 at 1,140 g is a quantified option for shorter trips.
- ✓The 35-56 cm Clip & Loop range is properly short at the bottom end rather than a capped men's range.
- ✓Most ultralight packs offer women's fit only as a size run, so a genuinely SL-specific carry is rare here.
- ✓Roll-top plus removable lid gives the same strip-down flexibility as the men's version.
- ✓175D ripstop Ultra HD is a real fabric upgrade over the Aircontact Lite's 140D.
- ✓Spring-steel perimeter frame keeps load on the hips at a weight where many packs give up and go frameless.
- ✓Lifetime repair policy, which almost no cottage ultralight brand matches.
Cons
- ✗12-15 kg ceiling is the binding constraint, and 50 L can be loaded past it easily.
- ✗$295 is the same as the men's 50+5 for 5 L less capacity.
- ✗Only 60 g separates it from the men's version, so the choice is entirely about fit rather than weight.
- ✗Reduced back panel ventilates less than the suspended-mesh Futura Air Trek.
- ✗Roll-top and lid together are fiddlier than a simple top-loader.
- ✗Hipbelt pockets are not listed in the specification.
- ✗Newer to market than the cottage ultralight packs it competes against.
- ✗Bear-canister fit is not stated by Deuter.
Compare the Deuter Aircontact Ultra 45+5 SL
Related backpacks
More from Deuter →The Aircontact Ultra is Deuter's move into genuine ultralight territory: 1,270 g for a 55 L framed pack with a roll-top closure and a removable lid. It keeps the Aircontact name and Air Spacer mesh but swaps the aluminium Y-frame for a spring-steel round-profile perimeter frame, which is where most of the weight saving comes from.
Weight
2.8 lbs
Capacity
50+5 L
Frame
Internal Frame
Also in 40+5 L
The SL is Deuter's women's-fit Aircontact Core, and the changes are structural rather than cosmetic: a 35-56 cm back length range in place of the men's 42-62 cm, shorter and more steeply curved shoulder straps, and hip fins shaped for a higher, narrower iliac crest. Frame, fabrics and feature set are otherwise identical to the standard Core.
Weight
4.98 lbs
Capacity
55+10 L
Frame
Internal Frame
Also in 45+10 L
The Aircontact Core is Deuter's mainstream load-hauler and the pack most often cross-shopped against the Osprey Aether and Gregory Baltoro. Its Aircontact back uses foam ribs and Air Spacer mesh against an external aluminium Y-frame, which prioritises load transfer over the suspended-mesh airflow of the Futura line. The +10 collar and detachable lid make the stated 50 L closer to 60 L when loaded for a longer trip.
Weight
5.09 lbs
Capacity
50+10 L
Frame
Internal Frame
Also in 60+10 L