Last Updated on November 14, 2020 by Lisa Vargas
The Deuter ACT Trail 30 Hiking Backpack is one of Deuter’s most popular bags. The Trail 30 features the best of Deuter’s hiking and climbing packs in a lightweight, durable package.
Deuter has been around in Germany since the turn of the century and is known in the hiking and backpacking community as the maker of excellence. They are also recognized as the leading manufacturer of backpacks, suitcases and bags in Germany. They first emerged in the United States in 2001 and has quickly made their mark in the outdoor community with their extraordinary-quality backpacks.
We absolutely fell in love with the design and how lightweight and comfortable it was. I could imagine using this as a bugout bag with no issues.
Below you’ll find detailed information about the Deuter ACT Trail 30 Hiking Backpack including comfort, fit, storage design, and water resistance.
Deuter ACT Trail 30 Hiking Backpack
Editors Comments: If you want to use a lightweight, minimalist-style pack to carry all of your bug out gear, you will love the ACT 30 Hiking backpack.
Read Full Comparison Review: Best Bug Out Bag For SHTF
- Capacity: 30 L
- Dimension: 24 / 13 / 8 (H x W x D) Inches; Weight: 2.6 pounds empty (26 lbs. Maximum weight capacity)
- Pockets: Outside and inside storage compartments
- Hydration: Includes a place for a water 2 L bladder and includes a hydration port
- Material: 50% Nylon, 50% Polyester
- Manufacturer: Deuter
Bottom Line: A fantastic bag to be used for all of your bug out needs, especially for women who want a lighter pack.
Pros
- The front is zippered to allow for easy packing & unpacking
- The hip belt can be stored when not in use
- Has a deep water bottle pocket on the outside to securely hold your bottle
- A superior quality company that outshines most others.
Cons
- Doesn’t contain a MOLLE system to attach extra pouches
- May be too small if you’re planning to bug out longer than 2-3 days
Summary
The Deuter ACT Trail 30 has several admirable features including specialized compartments for your hydration system, pockets to organize your bug out gear essential, and a U-shaped two-way zipper opening so that you can easily access your gear.
For its size, this pack is lightweight, and extremely durable, which is one reason why we chose it as our best bug out bag for women. This bag also is prized for its strong ripstop threads and PU coating which makes the backpacks water- and abrasion-resistant.
The Deuter ACT Trail 30 also includes a fantastic ventilation system that allows your back to breathe but fit snug at the same time. In the manufacturer’s description, it claims to have 15% less perspiration than other body-contouring bags of its kind.
And finally, it has an ActiveFit pivoting S-shaped shoulder harness, mesh hip fins, and a flexible Delrin U-shaped frame.
Our Analysis, Comparisons & Test Results
performance comparison
The Deuter ACT Trail 30 Hiking Backpack is quite a bit different than the other bags we tested because it’s not your typical tactical-style backpacks that most people think of when shopping for bug out bags. But when you really think about it, it doesn’t matter what style you like, whatever holds your essential bug out gear comfortably and efficiently is what you’re after.
I wanted to make sure to throw in this backpack because I love to be in the mountains myself, and I would probably lean towards more of a hiking-style backpack like the Deuter ACT 30L Trail Backpack because if I was going to bug out it is definitely going to be to the mountains!
As a woman, this pack was perfect in size and weight and really fit well with a full load of 25 pounds on my back. Now granted, I’ve carried a little heavier before on previous hiking trips, but you are in a SHTF situation, you are going to want to move a little fast and be a little nimbler on your feet. So the lighter the better without compromising your health and safety and ability to get somewhere out of harm’s way safely.
Read Our Full Comparison For: Best Bug Out Bag For SHTF
Comfort And Fit
When it comes to comfort and fit, we gave this bag a 9 out of 10 because it doesn’t come much better than this. Lightweight and versatile, I loved how it snuggled up against my back and settled in nicely as I had it packed as heavy as possible to 25 pounds as recommended.
When you first try on the Dueter ACT 30 Trail Backpack, you’ll see it has integrated compression straps that allow your gear to stay in place. It also has additional carabiner holders on the shoulder straps so that you can attach a few extra items if you wanted.
There is a large 2-way frontal zipper for fast access to deeper lying items that come in quite handy. The backpack has helmet holder loops and pole attachments that can be used for other swappable survival gear items of the same size. there’s also a storable, flat lid which ensures that everything can move as free as possible.
Next comes the Flexible, tensioned Delrin® U-shaped frame that provides stability at the bag’s minimum weight. It helps when you are moving around so that the pack stays firmly pressed to your body. The frame combines with the body-hugging fit to create a compact carry system with even load distribution and effective load transfer.
You will also notice there are mesh hip fins with zipper pockets, which makes it easy to stuff smaller things into and access easily and quickly.
There are load-adjustment straps at the shoulders, which lets you adjust the pack so it’s as comfortable as possible with the weight. On top of this, like most quality backpacks, it has an internal compression strap in the main pack body to prevent unwanted shifting of contents.
And finally, there’s a unique Pull-Forward construction mechanism that makes the hip belt easy to fasten and tighten even with heavier loads.
All of these things combined made us give this bag high marks for comfort because there are so many different ways to make this bag fit exactly how you want it to.
Durability
We gave the durability of this bag a score of 8 out of 10 simply because the bag’s fabric is a little thinner than what you might want for a bug out bag. Now remember, at the same time, it’s designed that way specifically due to the fact it’s more of a minimalist bag for hikers. So don’t let the thinner fabric fool you.
The high-quality of these backpacks make them virtually indestructible and will withstand the test of time and all of the wear and tear of a normal tactical-style bag. Deuter’s well-established name in the industry gives us no doubt of the durability of their packs.
I would be careful not to put any sharp objects in this bag though because of the thinner fabric, you could have a problem with puncturing a hole accidentally.
Zippers, buckles, and stitching
The Deuter ACT Trail 30 Hiking Backpack is well made and put together with superior zippers and stitching across the entire bag. We opened and closed all of the different zippered pockets and had no issue. We were not surprised to feel how smooth the zippers were when we opened and closed the pockets and the durable metal felt extremely strong and durable.
One of the nice features of the bag is that there is a two-way zipper in the front for fast access to deeper lying survival gear that you may have tucked away. Everything about this bag is designed nicely and would make for a great bug out bag during a SHTF situation, especially if you plan on going cross-country to get out of town.
Storage Design (Pockets, MOLLE)
When it came to storage design, the Deuter ACT Trail 30 Hiking Backpack is extremely well put together. Even though it’s not a typical tactical backpack with MOLLE webbing, it still holds its own when it comes to storage capacity and organization.
With this backpack, it has a few accessory loops for survival gear such as a hatchet, folding saw, or whatever you find appropriate to put there.
Once you get inside of this bag, it has some nice internal pockets in which you can store your more valuable items. The top access pocket is good for personal identification documents such as birth certificates and passports.
Water Resistance
The Deuter ACT 30 Trail Hiking Backpack isn’t waterproof by a long shot, but the nice thing is that it comes with a rain cover. This is almost a necessity and I have used my rain cover on my pack several times when traveling. I don’t know what I would have done without it.
You might have read it before from me, but I’m a firm believer in coating all of your backpacks with some sort of waterproof sealant to help keep the water out. You can never have a 100% waterproof bag unless you buy a special cover for it. I always carry a large black garbage bag whenever I go hiking just for that reason alone.
Unless you plan on dropping it the backpack in a creek (which I know you aren’t) you should be fine with a light rain. Just make sure to take cover as soon as you can, because if you have clothes in your pack and other gear, once it’s soaked, you’re going to be in trouble.
Our Final Verdict
The Deuter ACT Trail 30 Hiking Backpack is an amazing backpack that we highly recommend if you like the hiking-style packs. Because of its lightweight and minimalist design, it is perfect for throwing everything together and getting out of dodge at a moment’s notice.
The comfortable fit and easily adjustable straps make it a wonderful choice for a bug out bag.
conclusion
Final Thoughts
The Deuter ACT Trail 30 Hiking Backpack is one of the best backpacks on the market and if you’re open to it, can be used as a non-traditional bug out bag for all of your essential survival gear.
This bag is great for women because it is light in weight and fits the curves of a women’s body. At the same time, it’s great for men who don’t want to carry heavy loads but still want a comfortable and rugged hiking pack.