Description
Extreme Line: Sometimes you just need more. The Extreme Line was created with the deep adventurer at heart. These products are built to last with durable material, stronger breathable mesh, and function for any adventure scenario. This category goes beyond running and hiking and branches into mountain biking, rock climbing, skiing and so much more. The Extreme Line adopts the minimalist mindset of “one item that does it all, and does it well” while staying true to the UltrAspire code, to create an inspired outdoor experience,.
Recommended Use:
Fast high mountain ascents, ultra races, mountain biking training/races, climbing scenarios, mountain running.
Details:
- Universal Fit
- Sweat Proof Webbing
- Rapid Access pockets
- XT Fabric- Stronger than steel ripstop fibers.
- Small Footprint for better cooling
- XT Mesh to pull moisture from the body and evaporate it
- Insulated Bladder Compartment
- MAX 02 XT Sternum
- Small Footprint
Fit:Â Unisex
Size:  Universal (Chest Size: 26″-48″)
Color options: Pitch Black
Hydration (included):Â Not Included
Reservoir Compatible (not included):Â Â Up to 3L
Capacity:Â 915 c.i.; 15 L
Tyler King –
I haven’t actually gotten this in the field yet but I’ve put my gear that I’d normally take in it and it seems like it’ll be perfect. I’m planning on using it for shoulder season climbs and runs. My biggest like is that I can put a helmet (Black Diamond Half Dome) in the outer stash pocket and have it be completely secure without having to rig something up. The material definitely feels tough and very high quality. It has a 15L capacity but the compression straps take the main compartment down to practically nothing. The compression straps also are place to where it makes sense to compress the load nice and evenly. The front pockets are quite large and can fit all the nutrition I need in them for probably up to 10-12 hours, maybe longer. The front left pocket is large enough to fit a Galaxy S7 with a Lifeproof case in; most pockets on hydration packs seem to accommodate only phones without cases so they’re always just barely not big enough. The zippered pocket inside the main compartment is also very nice and will probably be my first aid pocket without having to carry a separate case for those items. Also the gear loops on the front of the pack are a great addition, especially when you need a quick spot to stash your ice axe for a quick move.
There is a lot of adjustment available between the 2 sternum shock cords and the 2 lower side straps. The side straps are easy to adjust on the fly without having to be a contortionist to reach them.
One thing I don’t like, but might not be an issue after I actually use it, is there is no ice axe shock cord handle retainer. To keep the handle in place it must be tucked in the top compression/stash pocket strap.
All in all, feels like a very well thought out and designed pack that should last many years.
Matt –
Great pack. I’ve used this for a little while now. Very durable. I have put this pack through the wringer and it still performes+fits perfectly. Great for a variety of adventures from skiing to climbing. Love this piece!!
Beth Ann –
This pack is rugged enough to handle the activities I did which were hiking, trial running and cycling. Plenty of room in the front pockets for nutrition and necessary items. The main pack has plenty of room to store change of socks, shirts, etc. and even held my bike helmet! The adjustable straps are easy to use and the pack is very light weight.
Melissa –
This pack is fabulous. Very well organized pockets and nice quality materials.
Brendon (verified owner) –
No regrets with this purchase. Took it out for an inaugural outing up Mt. Washington in central Oregon, and it performed as expected. Easy to carry, holds LOTS of water and gear, thanks to the back panel that compresses down. I carried a nearly full 3 liter bladder, a climbing harness, first aid kit, multi tool, a couple of PBJs in a rigid plastic container, gels, phone, handkerchief, eyeglasses case, etc. The back panel has a handy internal elastic cinch that worked great for holding trekking poles when not in use. Super versatile piece of gear.
Courtney C (verified owner) –
This is a great pack. I took it on a short run with the pack almost empty and found the straps were flapping around and hitting my arms, but when I got home I was able to make some adjustments so that didn’t happen. That’s the only issue I had with it! I took it out on a trail run/high country snow traverse the next day and was impressed! Great weight distribution, comfortable, no hot spots in the 8 hours I was on my feet.
gcollins207 (verified owner) –
I purchased this vest to complete an unsupported speed run through the Appalachian Trail’s Hundred Mile Wilderness in Maine. I needed 3 things: space for all of my gear, hydration capacity to support the run, and comfort enough to avoid the rugged terrain. The Bryce XT seemingly checked off all of the boxes.
Here are the positives:
It is very comfortable on the shoulders. I had light chafing and bruising as expected (see below). The wide straps very much help with this but extend over the edges of most running tank tops. Lube accordingly.
It holds a lot of gear in its numerous pockets and flaps. The magnetic clasps are particularly helpful. I had nearly 17lbs in it at one point.
It breathes well for a large pack that comes only in black.
Here are areas for improvement:
The dry/wet storage seemed either or. Dry goods within the back pouches interfered with the operation of the 2 liter bladder. I struggled to fill the bladder to capacity since it had to fight with the reinforced insulated padding and the carried goods. Forget taking the bladder out. Sometimes I had to remove objects from the pouch to make it work. There was a ton of space but it seemed like it couldn’t all be used at once.
The lowered center of balance angle of the bag made for an uneven angle on the body. The shoulder straps were great for helping to offset some of this issue. I could not pull the side straps tighter to fix this so I pulled the chest straps tighter instead. This heavily interfered with my diaphragmatic breathing. I reached a point where I stopped trying to pull things tight and just let the bag bounce at run speed.
The chest straps are simple in design but the small clips were difficult to connect at times. They also had to constantly be pulled tight. I’m not sure if this was because they were compensating for the side straps or just not a good design.
The upper shoulder strap upper pockets did not allow me to put anything in them that was hard or irregularly shaped and still remain comfortable. For example, I had planned to use them for my car key and electrolyte tablets. Both pressed into my shoulders as I ran. I moved them and largely left these pockets empty.
My suggestions? Find a better clip for the chest straps that’s not like trying to stick two forks together at their points. Find out why they won’t stay locked in under load. Can they have vertical adjustment added in too? Allow for side expansion of the hydration pocket. This way it will push in toward the back instead of out toward the pouches. Add a tiny bit of padding to the upper shoulder strap pouches.
I used this pack in a pretty unique way for an extreme adventure. Overall it was a great piece of equipment to have with me! It was noticed by many thru hikers on the trail.
Paolo Girolami –
I already owned the Zygos 4.0 and the Epic XT 2.0 and eventually went for the Bryce XT too.
I have now been using the Bryce XT as a running pack every day for over two months.
The Good
Build quality is excellent with the same durable XT materials used on the Epic XT 2.0.
The zip pulls and zippers are really good – just like on the Zygos and Epic.
The pack is comfortable and can be adjusted easily – I can fit it perfectly to my body and it does not bounce when running. If not full the pack can be cinched tight to keep contents from moving around.
The reservoir sleeve is external and it is insulated to keep water chilled.
The harness pockets are generous and allow storing quite a bit of gear, especially the left harness zipper pocket which is really spacious.
The harness is long enough: the higher pockets (zipper and magnetic) sit low enough and not on the shoulders like on the Epic XT 2.0.
The expandable pocket on the back is nice to have to store extra gear or even poles.
There are two more small zipper pockets: one on top of the pack with a key clip and one inside the main compartment for valuables.
Pitch black is absolutely awesome!
The Bad
The only downside I have come across is that if the pack is almost full, it’s really hard to take the reservoir out to refill it and even hard to put it back without first temporarily removing items from the main compartment.
Overall, I really recommend this pack.
Suggestions for Improvement
Size: 15L total is not bad but the Zygos is already 14L so there’s some redundancy in the UltraSpire offering with multiple packs/vests having about the same size. Especially considering the Bryce XT is a multi-sport pack, I’d like to see a 2.0 version in 20 liters. It would fill the gap between the Zygos 5.0 and the Epic 2.0 XT. Also, hiking and climbing are lower output activities so having some additional space for extra layers or gear wouldn’t hurt.
Poles storage: they can be carried in the outer mesh pocket. If you don’t use the internal cinch, you can even pull them out without removing the pack but you can’t store them back in unless you take the pack off. Having cords at the bottom like on the Zygos and Epic would allow storing and removing poles without taking off the pack.
Top zipper pocket: is somewhat shallow and could be slightly deeper.
Side pockets: the sides of the pack can easily be reached when wearing the pack. It would be nice to have side mesh or zipper pockets of some sort to store small items. Even if the harness pocket organization is generous, the more quick stash pockets you can access while wearing the pack, the less you have to store in the main compartment, and the less you have to stop to remove the pack when you need something: it saves a lot of time during long outings or ultra races.
It would be nice to have a MAX02 FORM adjustable system like on the Zygos 5.
Charlie (verified owner) –
I wanted a spacious running vest that I could use for all day runs and hikes with no support and am filtering water from streams. I’ve used the Bryce XT for 10 sessions totaling >200 miles. I wear a mens medium and found that the pack fits great whether it’s over my t shirt or if I’m wearing several layers. I appreciate the wider cut around the neck and shoulders and how the pockets sit a bit lower. The shoulder pockets are large and accommodating. The pack stays stable even when I’m running fast on the downhills.
I have 2 pieces of criticism. First, the small upper shoulder pocket with magnetic closure is not useful for me. It seems too specifically designed for little packets of electrolyte tablets. I currently use it to hold my chap stick, but would prefer a larger general pocket. Second, some holes have formed on the stretch mesh snack pockets. I typically just store a sandwich bag of candy or pretzel sticks in them, and this early wear and tear is alarming. I estimate much more life before it fails, but this is nonetheless concerning.
Overall, I would recommend this pack. I have tried 15-liter vests from other major brands and they all either had small shoulder pockets that could only hold sport-marketed candy like gels, a non-ideal pocket layout, or rode poorly when loaded. I’d love to see a lighter runner-specific Bryce XT vest.
Cozette (verified owner) –
I really do love the size of this pack. I love hiking up and trail running down. But I do wish that they have different sizes. My adjustable straps dangle so long. I want more smaller straps. Bryce help a girl out and make a smaller one not just “Unisex.” But other than that perfect pockets placed in different spots. I loved the zipper pocket for my phone.