On paper, the Mountain Equipment Fang 42+ backpack has everything going for it as a winter hiking backpack. So here, experienced gear tester Matt Jones takes it into the mountains to see if that's the case in reality.
Another well-established British brand with a long and storied heritage, Mountain Equipment has pioneered plenty of outdoor gear innovations over the years. Its range of packs is fairly small, being almost exclusively focused on tough alpine-style rucksacks designed for climbing and mountaineering.
The main product lines are the stripped-back Tupilak – a lidless design – and the Fang (featured here), a slightly more conventional pack developed as a ‘do-it-all’ mountain rucksack.
Summary
The Fang comes in 42+ and 35+ litre variants, the ‘plus’ designation indicating that they can be overstuffed if needed to accommodate extra gear.
While the smaller of the two is a great choice for summer alpine missions, the bigger size seems particularly well suited to winter mountain use in the UK. You could conceivably use it for overnight wild camps in the hills too. Made from extremely tough fabrics, with a clean and classic look that nevertheless incorporates several modern features, it looks a compelling proposition. We took it to the snow-covered mountains of Scotland in a freezing cold February to put it through its paces.
LFTOwww.alpinetrek.co.uk
Pros
- Extremely tough and weatherproof
- Good volume-to-weight ratio
- Secondary access to main compartment
Cons
- Rivals carry heavy loads better
- One size only, no women’s version
| RRP: | £200 / $269.95 |
| Volume: | 42L |
| Sizes: | o/s (unisex) |
| Materials: | 420D Robic Nylon 6.6. |
| Weight: | 1.62kg / 3 lbs 9 oz |
Design and features
This pack has all the hallmarks of a classic alpine-style design, with a tall and slim profile. It’s tough and weatherproof.
The latest model has upgraded fabrics, being built entirely from 420D Robic nylon 66. This fabric has very good tear strength and abrasion resistance. It’s finished with a water-repellent treatment, so even though the pack isn’t fully waterproof (very few packs are, but some try), it sheds rain, snow and ice very well.
The big main compartment has a double drawcord collar protected by a floating lid, which fastens with a chunky single metal ‘Grappler’ buckle.
Once you learn how it works, this buckle is one of the best designs on the market – you slide the teeth down the stiffened webbing fin from the top until it grabs the lower loop.
It’s highly unlikely to snap like a plastic buckle and is easy to operate even with bulky gloves on. Inside the top drawcord collar, a fixed rope strap doubles as top compression.
Entry to the main body of the pack can be gained in two ways – either through the lid and double drawcord or via an angled zipper on the side of the pack, which gives useful secondary access if you want to get to your gear quickly.
The pack is hydration compatible, with a stretch sleeve for a water reservoir inside the main body and an exit port for a drinking tube at the right shoulder.
The floating lid can be extended to give you a fair amount of extra storage, but still offers a secure and protective seal, thanks in part to a clever third buckle positioned between the shoulder straps.
Alternatively, the lid can be removed to save weight if desired, which takes the pack from 1.27kg down to 1.15kg.
Either way, it was the second lightest option in our 2024 winter packs group test (40-50L). That’s impressive for such a tough, roomy and well-built pack.
Harness and back system
Here’s where you can tell Mountain Equipment has trimmed some weight. The Fang 42 has no internal frame, which means the pack’s rigidity and load transfer comes solely from a stiffened plastic framesheet.
The Alpkit Orion 45 is built in the same way and, though they’re both decent at carrying loads up to 10kg, I found they start to reach their limits beyond that.
The harness consists of EVA foam padded shoulder straps and hip fins, while the back panel is simple thermoformed foam. It's slightly contoured to give some lumbar support, but unusually has no central spine channel.
Overall comfort is therefore adequate but not exactly outstanding. What you do get is good stability, as the pack keeps all the weight very close to the body.
Lastly, it’s worth noting that the Fang is marketed as a unisex pack. It only comes in one fixed back length (18”), so it will either fit you, or it won't.
Pockets and storage
Essentials like winter gloves, sunglasses or goggles will all need to go in the lid, since the main body has no pockets apart from that internal hydration sleeve.
Luckily, the lid has both outer and inner pockets. The latter has a handy key clip, while the outer pocket is deep enough to cram a fair bit of kit inside it.
The sides of the pack feature dual buckled side webbing straps, which can be used as compression or to lash extra kit. The upper set double as attachment points for ice axes or walking poles, with plastic dogbone toggles at the base on elastic bungees and a central pick guard.
There are also ski carriers, and one side of the pack has a small, tough fabric wand pocket intended to secure the tips of trekking/ski poles or an avalanche probe.
Performance and comfort
The padding on the back panel, hip belt and shoulder straps is made from EVA foam, which feels firm but forgiving. The hip belt (which can be removed for climbing) and the shoulder straps are all on the narrower side, but nicely contoured for full freedom of movement.
I really like the oversized waist belt buckle, which is easy to operate while wearing bulky winter gloves. The belt also adjusts easily with a simple forward pull at either side. I’d class overall comfort as average – it does the job but nothing more.
Otherwise however, performance on test was excellent. This is a robust and weatherproof pack, ideal for winter use.
I particularly like the zippered side access to the main compartment, which ensures you can get to extra layers quickly. Though, admittedly, it’s not quite as practical as packs with a zippered rear panel, since if you’ve got poles or an ice axe strapped to the pack, they tend to get in the way of the side zipper.
Of course, the pack’s technical focus means it lacks some more hillwalker-friendly features like side or hipbelt pockets. And if I was really nitpicking, the Fang 42+ does seem to have a lot of excess webbing straps, which tend to whip about in high winds if you aren’t careful to tuck them away.
The Fang has a good volume-to-weight ratio, being commendably light for its 42-litre carrying capacity. Among the winter packs we tested in 2024, only the Alpkit Orion 45 was lighter on the scales.
Sustainability
The pack contains no recycled fabrics but employs high denier 420D ripstop Robic nylon 66 for increased durability, effectively increasing the product’s sustainability through longevity.
Mountain Equipment is signed up to the Fair Wear Foundation, an initiative working to achieve fair working conditions worldwide.
The brand also offers a full guarantee (to the original purchaser) against defects in components, materials and workmanship for the reasonable life of the product. If the product is found to be defective before use, or fails during use for one of these reasons, they’ll repair or replace it.
Price and competition
The Fang 42 has a RRP of £200 ($269.95), which puts it at the same or similar price points to other stand-out packs in this category like the Mammut Trion 50, the Berghaus MTN Guide 45 and the Gregory Alpinisto 50. Then there’s the Rab Ascendor 45:50, which is £50 cheaper.
It’s stiff competition, since those rivals all have similar features and functionality. They’re also a bit better equipped to lug larger loads compared to the Fang, since they have bigger carrying capacities and internal wire frames – whereas the Fang just has a plastic framesheet.
On the other hand, the Fang 42 is arguably the toughest of the lot, while also being one of the lighter winter packs on the market. So, if those are your priorities, it’s still a compelling choice.
Verdict
The Mountain Equipment Fang 42+ is a no-nonsense mountain pack with a technical focus, an extremely rugged build and commendably low weight, but some rivals offer superior load-lugging ability.
About the author
Matt Jones is a freelance journalist based in the heart of Snowdonia National Park, he’s a vastly experienced gear tester and self-confessed outdoor kit geek. Matt’s been one of our main gear testers for the last couple of years and is the first person we call with any complicated kit queries that need in-depth and forensic analysis.