Reviewing the new Black Diamond Pursuit 15 Backpack. Is it the perfect daypack? Looking for something lighter in weight? Check out the Arcteryx Heliad 15 review: • Arc'teryx Heliad 15 Ba... #backpack #blackdiamond #hiking #pursuit
I got mine from REI with 20% coupon sale. To give you better background of what I am comparing to and also what I am in search of. I own Salomon Skin 12, Gregory Maya 18, Osprey Dyna 15 Ultimate Direction Fastpack 20. Majority of my day hikes involve some periods of running so stability of pack and fitting is essential. Here are my impressions based on my needs ( I always hike/run with my dog) but also based on what I and others look for in a pack: Seems to be good quality with some major omitting. No pocket for your phone or any phone. This is the biggest gripe that every hiker and runner has about hiking or running packs. We want front pocket for phone, for crying out loud. How many years will it take for manufactures to get that into their stubborn heads? Who wants to take the pack off every time you need to check or use your phone or perform some major gymnastics to try to get your hand reach the lower back side pockets? You may get a phone call or need to make a phone call or keep taking pictures or need to use maps and navigation on it or use it with garmin mini. There are 4 pockets on a front and not a single one fits the phone and pictures may fool you that that zipper pocket is for your phone, it’s not. It does not fit even IPhone mini. Even Osprey Dyna and Ultimate Direction used slightly wider and more stretchable mesh with plead with zipper to fit basic smartphone. I like the stretchable pocket with straight top for quick stuffing of jacket or other items unlike Dyna that has slanted top and V cone bottom leading to poorly designed stuffing option that leads to items falling out. I also like that lower, stretchable back pockets extend slightly towards side of the waist, although I would like them to extend little more by about 2 inches for easier access since it’s the only option for putting your phone, thin gloves and small water bottles if you don’t want to carry bladder. I like the waist wings with V strap attachment because we are all sick of narrow, non stretchable single waist straps that just cut into our abdomen. I like stability of the pack and overall design. Finally, I love stretchable front straps and running vest like front panels. All other running packs and fast packing packs except for Osprey and Salomon have regular non stretchable front straps that drive me crazy because they don’t allow for comfortable chest extension during variable exertion. Hiking involves climbing and sometimes hills are steeper and sometimes you have easier sections so your breathing changes. How many of us find ourselves constantly fiddling with front strap/ straps, I bet many. Overall I like the pack and will have to test it more and find a way to accommodate my phone. I will be looking into magnetic clip on or belt slide add on pockets for phone that I can either clip securely to taller chest mesh pocket or slide on belt ( but permanently affix so it would not slide off when waist belt is released). I am really sad that such a major thing that could have been easily integrated, was overlooked. Black Diamond Distance 22 seem to have better designed chest pockets but overall missing a lot of other features for summer fastpacking.
Thanks a lot for your input! I’m slightly perplexed the front zipper pocket doesn’t fit your phone. My iphone is fairly hefty and still squeezes in. Glad to hear otherwise it seems to meet expectations!
@@lifehiker Hmm, I wonder if male version pack has wider and longer front panels, hence wider and longer pocket. I have female version in medium. Today I fiddled more with it and I was able to stretch the mesh pockets little more and with some pushing and holding short pocket in front, I was able to squeeze my phone in taller mesh pocket or 2 nd option was lower back waist pocket but still no go on zipper pocket ( too short). For reference I have iPhone 11. I wonder if small in men would have bigger zipper pocket than female medium, but I am pretty thin in chest department so chest circumference may be too wide as well as waist. Fortunately they don’t carry them in store, but I may still try because I like how stable it fits. I need tall mesh pocket for bear spray. Pack seems well built and and stable. I may shoot Black Diamond email and ask about the sizing of zipper pocket on male vs female. By the way, do you know what the daisy loops are for? They oddly go down inside the lower side pockets, so I am not sure why. I wish backpacks would come with detailed instructions. Most of us end up missing extra functions because we don’t know about them.
Fantastic review! Well done. Very helpful. Thanks for making this video on the features of the pack. We are testing the 30L version here in Colorado. BD really nailed it with this one. Take care and best of luck on your channel!
Thanks for doing this review. I purchased the BD Pursuit 15 and just rec'd. Will probably order the next size bigger unfortunately. Question - I think you mentioned you had used the pack with a hydration bladder. I am not seeing a defined attachment for the hose. Did you just run it through the shoulder loop and tuck it in one of the front chest pockets? It would drive me nuts dangling there in the front.
Sure no problem. I’ll definitely be purchasing next size up too, but keeping the 15. Yes, the method you described attaching the hose is what I do. Glad this was a help!
Yes. I did. I just posted my impressions under your video. Thank you for your review. There is nothing out there about this pack and my store only Carrie’s it on line so I could not get my hands on it without actually ordering it first. I also forgot to mention that sizes run small as far as torso length compare to all other packs, so I had to order medium but that however, makes chest flaps pretty close to each other unless the pack is fully loaded.
@@makb5354 I had ordered a women's small but am exchanging for a medium - even though my size fell within the range of "small" on the size chart. oh well!
@@lifehiker It seems that I am not the only one that find the pocket too small for phone, so there is either quality control issue or different sizes have different length of front strap/ panels resulting if shorter zipper pocket on smaller sizes. What size of pack do you have in man? I am reordering the pack now as per email from Black Dimond, in woman's medium again and in man's small and perhaps also in female large to see which fits best. Fortunately REI does not carry man's medium. Hopefully one of them will fit right because it meets all my other expectations.
Anyone looking for a vest would want to know about up front storage. Both sides. And options for carry. Side pockets - only for poles or water or other stuff. Storage on wings? Not enough detail
@@Sharetheroad3333 thanks for the feedback. The front storage, as I mentioned could accommodate up to a Nalgene bottle in terms of capacity. The sides are suitable only for trekking poles.
What I meant by up front storage is, both sides of the pack. Some packs have a zip pocket on one side and nothing on the other. I missed the Nalgene bottle comment. Are you saying a 32 ounce Nalgene could go up front?
- Timestamp 2:46: I mention the convenience of the side pockets, if one was zipped I would have definitely mentioned that. - Timestamp 3:02 I mention that I have been able to fit a Nalgene in the exterior pocket. One can infer I mean a 32 ounce bottle since that size is synonymous with the brand.
@@lifehiker yes. Nalgene means 32 ounce to me. Hence the reason I was clarifying. If it was a 32 ounce, was that comfortable? When I was talking about zippers, I am referring to the storage up front (on my person front). Some packs have twin sides on the vest. Some vests are different on each side. That’s the detail I am trying to get.
@@Sharetheroad3333it was comfortable in terms of the Nalgene fitting in the exterior pocket, the material is very stretchy. I usually use a hydration bladder with it rather than the bottle. One side of the front vest is zipped, the other side is not.
@@lifehiker thank you, i have the distance 22, but i think i like this better. Just ordered the Salomon XA 25., we will see what i like better. Always in search of the perfect bag. Thanks..
