Stream & Steeple

16L AC Lite From Deuter: An Excellent Lightweight Contender – Gear Review

"The 16L AC Lite From Deuter could easily suffice as an all purpose day-hike pack, so long as you don't have much gear and won't be on the trail for too long. A small comfortable pack like this is perfect some food, water and 6 hours on the trail."
The 16L AC Lite from Deuter is the perfect little day pack for short and lite days.
Picture of Clark Rasmussen

Clark Rasmussen

The Founder, author and primary proprietor of Stream & Steeple. Based in Upstate New York.

Key Review Points

Quick Features:

  • “Air Comfort Lite” 1.9 lbs
  • Exterior Loops for Mounting
  • Off-the-back External Frame
  • Perfect Size for a Short Day Hike

The 16L AC Lite from Deuter is a compact day pack that packs a punch...

Being someone who classically packs way too much for day hikes, I bravely purchased the 16L AC Lite from Deuter as a smaller day hike option; before this one, my Freerider was the smallest pack I had. Good news off the bat is that i like it quite a bit.

For the madden voyage, we went back up into the Adirondacks wilderness to finish a mountain Range we had previously orphaned a peek on: Mount Seymour. This (roughly) 16 mile trip would end up taking us roughly 8.5 hours, consisting of a few steep miles, and an even longer flat walk out and back.

The 16L AC Lite from Deuter afforded me just enough space for some water, gatorades, my trusty Grayl and a handful of snacks. All-in-all, I enjoyed this pack quite a bit more than I thought I would, and was able to fit the hiking essentials with no problem.

I end up having a few minor gripes with it, but they’re mostly nitpicks. I think the average hiker will like this one, as long as they understand the limitations associated with the smaller size of the pack. Let’s get into the details.

I did not bring my DSLR on this trip, due mostly to the relatively small size of my new 16L pack.
Considering the relatively shorter day, bringing the 16L was absolutely the right call.

THE PROS:

My favorite thing about this pack is the retention of a solid, off-the-back style external frame. Many newer packs, especially these smaller ones, tend to use internal frames (or no frame,) which I dislike quite a bit. If you’ve happened upon any of pack reviews on this website before, you’ll know how big of deal this is to me. In this case, some light bars are visible behind the frame that give the whole thing a nice and comfortable arch. If you’re like us, and get real sweaty real quick, an off the back style pack is huge relief. 

I also love that all of the classic Deuter niceties are still present in the 16L AC Lite from Deuter. I’m referring to the bladder pouch,  hole for a bladder tube, pockets on the top flap and the built in rain cover. This could be my incredible Deuter bias shining through, but I’ve come to expect some of things, and get a little disappointed when I don’t see them.

And last, but certainly not least, is the open bucket style main compartment, which I love quite a bit. I’m not exactly sure what all the fuss is about in the modern environment, with backpack style flaps and lots of internal pockets, but I personally don’t “get it,” and I’m glad when it’s not around.

I took my new pack on a hike up to the peninsula in Ponderosa State Park, ID.
I took my new pack on a hike up to the peninsula in Ponderosa State Park, ID.
This little pack is great for carrying around a jacket, water bottle and camera for day of exploring.
This little pack is great for carrying around a jacket, water bottle and camera for day of exploring.
We were blessed with ideal weather conditions for this trail, it only started getting cloudy later in the day.
We were blessed with ideal weather conditions for this trail, it only started getting cloudy later in the day.

THE CONS

Another reoccurring theme in our pack reviews is my undying love of load-lifters, which often adjust throughout the day as my pack shrinks. Much to my dismay, most smaller packs like this don’t have lifters, this one included. I suppose there’s an argument to be made that they are “less necessary” the smaller the pack is. To whatever extent this is true, I would still prefer to have them on the 16L AC Lite from Deuter, I would consider it a better pack.

This pack has a single external elastic pocket on one side, and a smaller “compartment style” pocket on the other side that isn’t good for much more than a cell phone or something like that. These are the sort of extras that I don’t particularly care for, I prefer that kind of “drop it all in” style of bag. It’s worth noting that 16L isn’t good for too much, and I can’t imagine myself choosing this one outside of the hot Summer months, where I’m looking to carry as little as possible.

The 16L AC Lite from Deuter is the perfect little day pack for short and lite days.

This side of the pack has some loops instead of an elastic pocket.

The off-the back frame of the 16L AC Lite from Deuter is my favorite feature by far.

Small Side Pocket

In Conclusion: A Fantastic Little Pack for Day Climbs.

There are no shortage of options when it comes to these smaller packs, the 15-30L range is probably the most common one out there, so which ever direction you go you’ll have offerings from all the major brands. My personal opinion here is that I really like the off-the-back frame, and I don’t see that feature in a lot in packs of this size.

Also worth noting that this one is relatively inexpensive, and can frequently be found for less than $100 online; I personally got mine for $60 on Sierra (the best shop in the world). 

Although I don’t have any crazy issues with this one, and I liked it quite a bit, I wouldn’t recommend it as a first purchase or anything like that. If you’re interested in something a bit smaller that your current pack, this could be exactly right for you.

Purchase links: 
Dick’s Sporting Goods 
Direct From Deuter
Enwild

Verdict: A Nice Small Pack

Comfort
Size/Weight
Functionality
Price