Highlander Recon Backpack

Based in Scotland, Highlander is one of the best-known brands of outdoor clothing and equipment for walking and climbing. Their gear is good quality, well thought out and functional.

Storage

This Recon backpack is a really well-built item with four separate compartments of various sizes, all well laid out for easy access. The main compartment has a clamshell zip opening to give full access and a mesh sleeve inner pocket to hold smaller items. The middle compartment is also accessible from the top and has internal zippered mesh pockets so that you can segregate your equipment and keep smaller items secure.

There are then two admin pockets on the front of the pack, with a smaller one at the top and a larger one below. Both are accessible via zippered openings on the front and an internal sleeve and pen pockets hold very small items securely in the lower of the two pockets. This level of compartmentalisation allows anyone who likes to be super-organised to carry their gear set out exactly how they want it, with a place for each and every item.

On the outside

The fully adjustable shoulder straps and the back of the pack itself are well padded, with an air mesh outer layer for comfort. Loops and D-rings are provided for attaching items to the fronts of the straps. Both the chest strap and hip belt are removable and they have quick-release buckles for convenience. The pack is very comfortable and although the shoulder straps are not particularly wide or heavily padded, they do a great job of staying in place and not digging in. There is also a reinforced carry handle on the top of the pack. Compression straps are provided on the sides of the pack, with quickrelease buckles so you can loosen them off with one hand to make accessing the contents easier.

On the outside of the pack, there are plenty of compression straps so that you can secure the load properly, plus plenty of MOLLE attachment points and a large Velcro panel on the front.

Details

The pack is made from a 600D Polyester material with a PU coating, making it hard-wearing and water-resistant. The 2-way zips on the four compartments are all good quality and have knotted pull cords to make operating them easier if you are wearing gloves. The squared-off shape of the backpack means that it will stand up on its base, if correctly loaded, so you can put it down and access the contents without it rolling over.

Conclusion

The build quality of the Highlander Recon Backpack is very good and at this price, it is great value for money. Weighing just 1.1kg, it is nice and light and the 28-litre capacity means it can hold everything you might need and provides all the segregation and organisation you could possibly want. Military 1st stocks the Recon backpack in a variety of colours, so you can either blend in or stand out with the colour of your choice.