Customer Reviews Arc'teryx 40 L Alpha FL Backpack

I got an Arc'teryx bag, the FL40 model, 2 weeks ago for a trip that I've planned. I hoped the bag would 'resist' the weather, but it didn't ... the 'WaterTight' zip was not watertight at all ... I'd say it was very WaterLoose, I got rained on for 30 min while hiking and got everything flooded, the front pocket was full of water, I had to turn the bag upside down in order to clear it and although the system of having a dry bag and a bag combined together ... the inside pocket that has the same zipper as the one outside got flooded too. And from there the water dripped in the main bag where it accumulated at the bottom of the bag destroying all my valuables and soaking my clothes ... the solution is to get another dry bag to wrap everything in and put it in the so called main dry bag ... to me it makes little sense. The comfort level was horrendous ... unless you have the bag on for a very short amount of time it becomes very very uncomfortable. It's a product that I thought it would be reasonable coming from a brand that is renowned for delivering quality. I guess I'll never buy anything arc'teryx ever again, It's a massive disappointment. I'd give a negative review if possible, considering how much this bag costs

I got an Arc'teryx bag, the FL40 model, 2 weeks ago for a trip that I've planned. I hoped the bag would 'resist' the weather, but it didn't ... the 'WaterTight' zip was not watertight at all ... I'd say it was very WaterLoose, I got rained on for 30 min while hiking and got everything flooded, the front pocket was full of water, I had to turn the bag upside down in order to clear it and although the system of having a dry bag and a bag combined together ... the inside pocket that has the same zipper as the one outside got flooded too. And from there the water dripped in the main bag where it accumulated at the bottom of the bag destroying all my valuables and soaking my clothes ... the solution is to get another dry bag to wrap everything in and put it in the so called main dry bag ... to me it makes little sense. The comfort level was horrendous ... unless you have the bag on for a very short amount of time it becomes very very uncomfortable. It's a product that I thought it would be reasonable coming from a brand that is renowned for delivering quality. I guess I'll never buy anything arc'teryx ever again, It's a massive disappointment. I'd give a negative review if possible, considering how much this bag costs

This is my go-to backpack for anything climbing related. Whether I'm cragging or heading out on a multi-pitch, I go for this one. 40L is the perfect size to hold anything you might need, and the option to sling a rope over the top is great if you need that extra bit of room. The AC^2 material is robust and confidence inspiring. A friend of mine beat this thing up for 5 years straight and it's still standing! One of the best parts about this pack is how surprisingly comfortable it is. For something with little to no padding between the back and shoulder straps, this pack has no right feeling as good as it does while being worn. Something about the shape of the back just sits right and feels great.

I've dragged it around Pine Creek Canyon in Bishop, rugged desert terrain around Moab, and everywhere between. Really enjoying this pack. It's lightweight, durable, and seems like it'll be pretty water proof as well. It easily fits a harness, helmet, double rack, two liters of water, and some snacks. The strap on top makes it super easy to secure a rope on the outside as well. It's a very streamlined, low profile bag. Not much to it really which is great. You can just pop it open, drop all your things in, and close it up. It also has a roll top liner in the bag so you can jam WAY more than 40L worth of goods in this thing and secure it with the top strap. Do recognize however that this pack is meant to be light and streamlined so there isn't too much padding. I take a little extra care when packing so I don't have the sharp corner of a cam lobe jamming into my back on a long approach. Otherwise this is a great climbing pack. On a different note - I did fly with this recently and was able to fit it under the seat in front of me as a personal item. It was tight for sure but it did work.

Love this bag so much I bought a second one. It's super durable, just the right size for my sport climbing needs, and carries very comfortably, even when fully loaded. Love the sleek design and minimal features.

I already owned the 30l but I needed a little extra space during the winter outings. No doubt about the choice !!

I bought this pack for mountaineering, but find myself using it for everything else too. It's lighter and more durable than my other packs and waterproof to boot. The only annoying thing for me is that the ice axe attachment system doesn't work very well with the first generation Camp Corsa Nanotech axe I use. Still my favorite pack though.

Pack is incredibly light and holds up to Rocky Mountain weather quite well. With a light setup like mine I can easily pull off ~days trip into the mountains with minimal gear or solid overnight with a decent amount of climbing gear.

The lightest backpack ever! Super simple, yet durable and waterproof. Can even fold it super flat to pack into another backpack

This is my go-to backpack for hauling climbing and alpine gear with me for day trips. It feels super comfortable and is compact which is great for trekking through brush and not getting caught on things. The outer material looks no different from the day I got it despite rubbing up against rock, trees, etc. for the past few months. You do have to be intentional with packing because of the top-loading nature of the bag, but the upside is that it is waterproof when used correctly.

I have the predecessor to this pack - the FL 45. It has proved very durable and far more comfortable than you might expect given its minimalist construction. It's my dedicated rock & ice climbing pack - although you could easily use it for hiking, skiing, etc. as well. A few suggestions for the Arc'teryx designers: 1) Expand the line. I would love to see a smaller version around 20-25 liters and a larger version around 55-60 liters to follow in the steps of the old NoZone 55. 2) Offer more bright colours. I like being seen in the backcounry - black is a poor option. Bring on bright blue, orange, yellow, etc.

3 seasons ago I bought what at that time was called the Alpha FL 45. The first thing I noticed when I loaded it up was that it wasn't the most comfy pack I've ever used.... but saying that it was spring and it was loaded up to the point that I usually get bruising around my hips from the amount of weight inside for working on new routes. Ie drill, bolts, chains, crowbars, hammers etc. (I did find a mod to pad the hip belt!) Now it's been almost 2 1/2 yrs I've used this thing. It's been all over Western Canada on winter routes, mixed climbing projects, cragging, rock climbing projects, hauled up cliffs, thrown off of cliffs, months worth of days with +75lb loads in it and I haven't destroyed it yet! Massive thanks to these guys for making a core product that's dependable day after day. They achieved the same quality level as the old school co-operative products that are still good but you can't use it coz the "90's purple colour" gives away how ancient you are. Please don't ever stop selling the non stamp black version. This pack is truck strong and outlasts 6 packs at the same price.

Bought for a variety of alpine activities, it works superbly in all environments. I find that simplicity is key in the mountains and this works really well. Do not be put off by the lightweight axe attachments, it excels with walking or climbing axes equally. The straps are ergonomic and add a little bounce for your shoulder comfort.

Have used this pack hiking and climbing all over the world and has never failed me. The last test was the Matterhorn in Zermatt. Well worth the money for a no-frills and simple pack.

I have three of these packs (30 and 45L personally, 45L for work). They have all the features you need in a very simple stripped down package, with few straps to get hung up on trees l or in the helicopter basket. They carry exceptionally well, and don't bounce around when skiing. Durability has been good for me considering the weight, I have a few small holes after 5 years from one pitch of hauling the bag on limestone (not recommended). By adding a loop of cord to the bottom attachment point for the elastics, and clipping the top of your skis under the rope strap, you can set up a more comfortable ski carry than the Alpha SK or Khamski, both of which I have owned. A helmet fits nicely in the top of the pack when it's full of ski mountaineering gear. My only gripe is there is no version of this same pack with an avalanche gear pocket. It would be an absolutely perfect ski pack.

I've owned this bag for two years and it has been great for hikes and short overnight trips. It is very light and has lots of room to carry anything you need to take on your adventures. Even though most of the bag is very weather resistant with the AC material, the top portion that can extend out to carry more unfortunately isn't. I found that since the roll-top design extends out a lot, it makes accessing the bottom of the bag somewhat difficult since there is an excess amount of material that gets in the way. I still love the bag and definitely recommend it!

After struggling for years to find a truly bomber bag, I have finally found one. I was initially cautioned for planning to ski mountaineer with such a basic bag, but strength often outweighs function. Single overnight trips are absolutely doable with this stripped down 40 L bucket. My only wish list item would be a very basic internal organizer to keep a shovel blade in place.

Ein Rucksack ohne viel Bnder und Schnickschnack der auch wenn er gut befllt ist sich angenehm tragen lsst. Mein schwarzes Modell ist ist innen wei und daher findet man seine Sachen auch recht gut. Einziges Manko: mir fehlt die gewohnte, groe Deckeltasche etwas.

For it's size, this is a light and well made pack. It climbs well when the heavy stuff (rope, rack, tools, 'pons) are removed. The current version has some nice upgrades over the original = bigger outside pocket (which is still hard to used when pack is full), new inside pocket (which is very useful and useable). But the new "buckle" clasp thing on the rope compression strap is horrible and hard to use. The big downsides for me is the pack is not waterproof. The zippers on the pockets leak and the roll top lets lots of water in. When loaded, I find the pack relatively uncomfortable and the lack of load lifters on the shoulder makes the pack sway and bounce awkwardly. Not good when skiing.

I just got the older 45L version on this pack to replace a cierzo 25 and wow is it way more comfortable and packs oddly shaped items well for being frameless. The waterproof roll top is great for when your bag hangs on the rack in the bugaboos waiting out thunderstorms and stays dry inside after days of rain. However I managed to poke through a couple of holes on a day of just walking around. My crampons where never inside and I didn't climb any chimneys so I was surprised. I'm guessing the holes came from laying the pack down on the rock when I took it off. While this pack is simple, comfortable and waterproof the fabric isn't as durable as I thought it appeared to be.

I own the previous version of this bag. It's great, sturdy, and overall a very good bag in the mountains. However, I didn't use the bag for a season, and now I noticed that the inner side of the rolltop turned sticky, like old plastic. I've never seen this on any backpack before.

I bought the 45 version of this pack and it didn't work out. The bag got holes and tears very easily and the buckles all broke. Now I see they replaced the buckles with this plastic clasp which is on the alpha and is extremely hard to undo. If you want to fiddle around for an extra 15 seconds just to open your pack, this is for you. I returned the bag for service and they replaced the buckles with some random parts from a black backpack. I hoped they would just replace it because of all the tearing after less than a season of light use but no. Arcteryx bags aren't even a shadow of what they used to be. So sad.