Patagonia Descensionist Pack Review

Thinking about buying the Patagonia Descensionist backpack? Then you’re definitely in the right place because this detailed review will tell you everything you need to know about that pack!

Materials, durability, pockets, and extra features are all covered in this detailed review. We’ll talk about the good and the not-so-good features of this backpack, which will hopefully help you decide whether the Patagonia Descensionist backpack is the right option for you!

Materials And Durability

Let’s kick things off with a detailed look into the materials and durability of the Patagonia Descensionist backpack.

Materials

The Patagonia Descensionist backpack is made from 420-denier recycled nylon, with an internal lining made from recycled polyester. The material is abrasion and water-resistant, but at the same time, it’s remarkably lightweight.

The backpack exterior is coated with PU, for even better performance in wet weather conditions. Overall, this backpack is well-constructed, and it performs great regardless of the weather conditions.

One thing to note here is that Patagonia is making an effort to become a more sustainable brand, which is why they use recycled materials for quite a few of their products. The Descensionist backpack is constructed with recycled materials, so it’s a great option if you’re looking to stick with more sustainable brands.

Durability

Nylon is a very durable material that holds up well with frequent use. This backpack has excellent abrasion resistance and it holds up very well in changing outdoor conditions. The PU coating ensures that the items inside the backpack stay dry in snow and light rain, while the durable construction can handle pretty much anything.

The first thing to wear out will be the PU coating, and you might need to reapply some sort of waterproof coating to the backpack exterior after a couple of years. Other than that, this backpack should last you a long time, unless you’re specifically trying to rip it or tear it apart.

Comfort

Is the Patagonia Descensionist backpack comfortable enough for long-haul outdoor expeditions? Keep reading to find out.

Backpanel

This backpack features a padded and ventilated backpanel for maximum carrying comfort. The padding ensures that you feel comfortable with this backpack regardless of what’s inside it and that you can’t feel the pack contents poking you in the back while you’re wearing it.

The backpanel is also ventilated so that your back can breathe while you’re wearing the Descensionist. This means you won’t sweat as much in the places where the back panel touches your body, and that even if you do sweat, there’s enough airflow for all that moisture to evaporate instead of getting soaked in your top.

Shoulder Straps And Sternum Strap

The Descensionist backpack has padded and ventilated shoulder straps, for maximum breathability and carrying comfort. They’re adjustable so you can make them fit your body perfectly, plus they’re covered with a breathable material so that you’re not profusely sweating in the places where they touch your body.

Also, the shoulder straps are equipped with a convenient sternum strap, which ensures that they will stay in place and help transfer the weight of the backpack away from your torso. There are multiple attachment points on the shoulder straps that allow you to adjust the height of the sternum strap, and you can also use them to attach some other smaller items to the exterior of the backpack.

Hip Belt

The Patagonia backpack is equipped with a padded hip belt, for maximum carrying comfort. The hip belt transfers the load of the backpack onto your hips, which are the largest muscles in the human body. That way you can remain comfortable even when this backpack is completely full, and your back and shoulder won’t hurt from carrying that much weight.

The hip belt is adjustable, and it’s equipped with two convenient pockets for items you need easily accessible at all times.

Accessibility And Organization

This section covers all the features the Patagonia Descensionist backpack has to keep your gear organized and easily accessible.

Main Compartment

The main compartment features a roll-top closure and top-loading access, for maximum safety of your belongings. This style of main compartment opening is not ideal for easy accessibility, but it does pretty much guarantee that the items inside are safe no matter what. Also, the pack has additional access points on the sides, so you can easily reach the items at the bottom of the bag.

Rolltop closure is also great because it minimizes the chance of water seeping into the main compartment through the zippers. The material of the backpack sheds water and the zipper is hidden, so there’s no way that the items inside will get wet in some light rain.

On top of that, the rolltop closure allows you to adjust the volume of your backpack, which is a very convenient feature to have. If you want to use this backpack on a shorter hike, you can do so. Fill up the main compartment with all the items you need, and then just compress it with the rolling closure and buckles, so that the items inside are tightly packed instead of bouncing around.

That’s also a convenient feature to have for travel – you can reduce the total size of the backpack, meaning you can actually adjust it to be just small enough to pass as a carry-on item.

Hip Belt Pockets

The Descensionist backpack is equipped with two hip belt pockets, which are excellent for keeping items handy and easily accessible. These pockets are great for all the things you want to have within your hand’s reach on long hikes, so stuff as protein bars, smartphones, GPS, maps, etc.

Outer Compartment

The Patagonia Descensionist backpack has an outer compartment that’s dedicated to snow safety equipment. It’s got dedicated pockets and sleeves that keep all your snow gear organized and easily accessible so that you can easily find an item as soon as you need it.

On top of that, it’s worth noting that the backpack also has external attachment points for the snow gear, in case that’s how you prefer to store it in your backpack.

External Gear Attachment Points

Does the Descensionist backpack have enough external attachment points for all your gear? Read on to find out.

Removable Snowboard Straps

This backpack feature two removable snowboard straps on the front panel. When they’re attached to the bag, they let you carry the snowboard attached to the front panel, which is very convenient for all of you who often go snowboarding.

The only downside is that the compartments aren’t quite as easily accessible when the snowboard is attached to the front panel, but that’s going to be true for most backpacks with this kind of attachment point.

Multiple Ski Straps

The Descensionist backpack is designed to carry all sorts of snow gear, not just snowboards. It has multiple attachment points for skis, which allow you to carry your skis in several different ways on this backpack.

You can attach them on the sides in an A-frame position, or diagonally across the front panel in a cross-carry position. The former carrying style retains the accessibility of the backpack compartments, and it’s the more convenient option.

Attachment Points On Shoulder Straps

This backpack doesn’t have attachment points just for super bulky items like skis and snowboards. It also boasts nylon loops on the shoulder straps, which you can use to attach pretty much whatever you want, as long as you use a carabiner.

These loops are primarily designed to allow you to position the sternum strap where it’s most comfortable for you, but there’s no reason you can’t utilize them for other items. Just keep in mind that whatever you attach to the nylon loops will be positioned against your chest while you’re hiking, so try to avoid using these loops for stuff that is extremely heavy or bulky.

Value For Money

Is the Patagonia Descensionist backpack worth it? That depends on what you’re looking for in a backpack.

If you want a backpack that’s designed specifically for multi-day hikes in changing weather conditions, then this is a great bag for you. It’s particularly designed for winter conditions, with multiple attachment points for skis, snowboards, and other winter gear. It is a pricey backpack, but the craftsmanship quality, durability, and all the extra features make it worth every penny.

On the other hand, if this isn’t the type of backpack that you’re looking to get in the first place, then it’s probably not worth the money for you. But don’t worry, there are plenty of other amazing backpacks out there, and we can help you find just the right one!

Patagonia Descensionist Pack: Final Thoughts

Should you buy the Patagonia Descensionist backpack? If you want an awesome backpack for winter hiking, skiing, snowboarding, and climbing, then you really should.

This is a high-quality backpack with a PU coating. It’s durable, water-resistant, and abrasion-resistant, for excellent performance in changing conditions. It’s also breathable, and comfortable to wear, and it has loads of external attachment points and internal sleeves for all the snow safety equipment you could need during winter hikes. It’s a pricey backpack, but if it’s exactly what you’re looking for, you won’t find a better and cheaper option.

If this isn’t the exact style of backpack you’re looking to buy, then the Descensionist is not the right pack for you. Check out the options in our related posts instead, to find that ideal backpack for your needs!

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