Futura Air Trek 50+10

The Deuter Futura Air Trek 50+10 is a ventilated trekking pack for multi-day walks: 50 litres plus 10 more under an extendable lid, carried on a mesh back that holds the load off you and a harness you set to your exact back length. It is made from recycled polyamide and PU-coated polyester, with front zip access so you are not unpacking the lot to find dinner.

Who it's for

Walkers heading out for three to six days with a tent, sleeping bag and food on their back, especially in warm weather. Deuter rate it five out of five for trekking and three for travel. It suits the Larapinta in the cooler months, the Six Foot Track, the Fraser Island Great Walk or a few days on the Overland Track, with the 8-15 kg it is built for.

Capacity, and what actually fits

50 litres takes a sleeping bag in the base compartment behind a zip-out divider, a one or two-person tent, a stove and pot, four days of food and a change of clothes, and the lid extends to add 10 litres for the first night's food or a bulky jacket. Stretch side pockets carry bottles, a front stuff pocket swallows a wet fly or shell, and the elasticated inner compartment takes a 3 L bladder. The pack measures 75 x 34 x 25 cm.

How it carries

A round-profile spring steel frame tensions the Aircomfort mesh, so a ventilated gap runs between the pack and your back the whole day. VariFlex hip fins of bilaminate foam with PE reinforcement move with your hips as you walk while still taking the weight, and pull-forward adjustment snugs them in. Stabiliser straps and a two-way sternum strap tidy the top of the load.

Fitting it

VariSlide back length adjustment runs from 42 to 62 cm, and Deuter match the pack to walkers around 170-205 cm tall. Load it with 10 kg, set the hip fins on your hip bones, then the shoulder straps and stabilisers. With a full multi-day load, getting this right is what makes day three comfortable.

Access and organisation

The front zip opens the main compartment from the face of the pack, so the gear in the middle comes out without unpacking from the top. Two zipped hip fin pockets hold snacks and a phone, the lid pocket takes maps and a head torch, and an inside valuables pocket and key clip keep the important things put.

• Height-adjustable lid adds 10 L; zipped lid pocket
• Front zip access; zip-out divider to the base compartment
• Front stuff pocket and stretch side pockets
• Two zipped hip fin pockets
• Hydration compatible, up to 3 L; removable rain cover
• Ice axe attachment; helmet holder loops (holder not included)

Weight

2050 g empty for a 60 litre ventilated trekking pack with an adjustable back. The frame and suspended mesh add weight over a frameless pack, and they are what keep a 12 kg load stable and your back drier on a long, hot day.

Looking after it

The fabric is made without intentionally added PFAS. Deuter back it with a 2-year warranty.