Alpha 25

The Marmot Alpha 25 is a nice backpack option for those looking for a backpack they can take for a hike, snowshoes, or head into the backcountry skiing and snowboarding. We used this pack on various hikes, from a 5 mile quick hike to 20 mile day hikes to hiking Colorado’s 14′ers. With a 25L/1550 cu inches capacity, we could load pretty much all our gear and then some. We found that it was hard to pack the bag out to its capacity, but it was nice to have the room for stashing unexpected gear. A few of the features we liked on the Marmot Alpha 25 included the hip belt zip pockets and the water bottle holder pockets. The hip belt pockets were roomy enough to stash all of our essentials while hiking, including a cell phone, camera, and energy bars. The side pockets for water bottles were convenient as we often find it difficult to reach our water bottles in many of the packs we have tested in past. The backpack comes with a roll top closure that comes with its pluses and minuses. Typically you can lose a little weight with a roll top and it helps with sealing the bag to make it waterproof. The downside to a roll top is that it can be a bit of a hastle to get something out the backpack vs. using a zipper. The verdict is still out on the front stash flap as we think this could have been a mesh compartment and worked just as well. Overall, we liked the Marmot Alpha 25 and recommend it to our viewers. For more information on this backpack, please visit Marmot.com.

Please visit ActiveGearReview.com for more reviews.

This 25-liter, soft-frame pack earned high-comfort points thanks to its well-padded back, shoulder straps and hip belt. Store gear in the roll-top main compartment and under the external stash flap, and water bottles in side carriers. Keep it all dry with the stowable rain hood.

If you’re the kind of hiker who likes to stash things on the outside of the pack, rather than in it, the Alpha is your carrier. The roomy main pocket is nothing fancy: a hydration sleeve and a top-loader opening with an easy-to-use rolltop closure. But the outside offers a pocket on each hipbelt, two water bottle-style pockets on the sides, two ice-axe loops, a rain cover, and an extra panel that clips down (perfect for holding another layer).

Outdoor junkies who dabble in everything – from skiing, peak-bagging, and mountain biking to trail running and fastpacking – were thoroughly impressed by this simple, light-weight, roll-top pack. “I like the easy hip-pocket access to food and sunscreen,” said one tester. “And the soft shoulder straps let me reach easily for holds.” It’s also well laid out as a ski-touring daypack, with a deep shovel pocket and enough capacity for camera gear or climbing toys and a couple of liters of water. The padded backpanel has no stays or stiffener sheet, so it carries best when packed carefully. Loaded well, it showed great stability and freedom of motion during summit climbs and rough cross-country hikes. Size note: The fixed suspension is best on broad shoulders and torsos from about 18 to 21 inches. – Steve Howe