It’s a fair question, and one I might not be perfectly equipped to answer. Standing at exactly 6′ I’m hardly a tall guy, but I still frequently stand above the heads in the grocer, so I don’t think I’m too far off. It also doesn’t hurt (from a review perspective) that my tall friend who bought this pack is 6’3″ – tall by any reasonable measure.
Kevin has used the 30L Futura EL from Deuter several times, and our buddy Jake also has one, so by all accounts it must be pretty decent. But if that’s the case, why was Kevin able to get two of these for an absolute steal at close-out prices? In all likelihood, it probably has more to do with a low volume of demand or moving on from the lineup (much like my beloved 30L).
From my prospective, the 30L Futura EL from Deuter is alright, I actually found the extra long fit to be quite comfortable (I can only imagine how much better this would fit for all those 6’+ people out there). On the other hand, some of the structural decisions here stop it from being exceptional for an all purpose pack.
A lot of the great features of the 30L Futura EL from Deuter are parallel – or identical to – the greatest day hiker of all time, the original 30L Futura. This pack is fundamentally a variation of that one, and “that one” is my favorite pack of all time, so I was unsurprisingly happy with most of it.
All the pockets for the 30L Futura EL from Deuter are fantastic, particularly the two side elastic pockets and the front facing one as well. They’re sturdy, reliable and have tie downs to make sure nothing goes anywhere. The hip-belt mesh pockets are also very useful, this is normally where I’ll keep my GoPro or snacks.
The frame style and mesh padding is also top-notch, best in class for anything like – genuinely one of my favorite features of Deuter packs. There are plenty of packs in their line-up that don’t have the off-the-back style frame, but this one and those like it are the absolute best. These style frames help to evenly distribute weight and the mesh allows fresh cool air to pass through your back.
The fitment and adjustability are also fantastic, the straps have the good kind of ‘give’ and the load lifters will help keep everything in the right place and at the right height. The Extra Length is nice for me, and nice for the extra tall people I know. Minor changes to the hip belt and straps seem to be well aligned and comfortable.
I’ve often said that the perfect daypack volume is somewhere between 28-32L, and I stand by it here as well. If you’re only ever going to have one, this is around where you want to be, size-wise. The 30L Futura EL from Deuter might not be perfect for you, but something pretty similar likely will be.
There are only really two differentiators between the 30L Futura EL from Deuter and its “normal, non-EL” counterpart – those being the length and the replacement of the bucket style compartment with two sleeve style pockets that are narrower and separated by a single plastic membrane. I consider this change to be a frustrating downgrade. I can picture in my mind the justification for these changes, while also keeping the packs’ Extra Long structure and 30L volume, but I don’t care – on a functional level it is so much worse.
I’ve opined on this before, but nearly all hiking packs benefit the most from having as little volume as possible taken up by pointless features or separators. This pack is guilty of some sort of egregious pocket gerrymandering that prevents either one from carrying as much as it should be able to. If you’re someone out there who’s just doing some research to see what they should get – I cannot stress this enough – make sure the main compartment is open and accessible.
No other significant Cons exists in my opinion for the 30L Futura EL from Deuter, but the one that exists is particularly terrible in my opinion.
Separating the main and front pockets
The main compartment fills up quickly
You will almost certainly have an impossible time finding the 30L Futura EL from Deuter out in the wild, since it’s part of the Futura line of packs that were basically discontinued and replaced with the Futura Pro packs – which I consider to be a good thing in this case.
My instincts tell me they figured out the flaws here in their construction of the newer Futura Pro EL packs, since none of those that I’ve seen have these flaws. If you’re interested in something like this I would recommend the current 34L Futura Pro EL.
Purchase links:
Deuter Purchase link for the 3L Futura EL
Backcountry Purchase Link