Different iterations of the Speed 40 have been around almost as long as I have been climbing (8 years!), and for good reason. Using this bag, I can see each area where they have improved upon previous designs.

This pack is just enough to carry some pretty burly loads (i.e. hauling all your stuff into basecamp) yet it is easily strippable for lightweight missions. I usually roll without the lid and padding on the hip belt for spring and summer climbing. If I am going to be on a route for a long time, I will remove the aluminum frame sheet too. But when its time to carry something heavy, (like bivy gear or skis)I can easily convert the pack to heavy lifter mode again.

As a poor college student with way too many outdoor hobbies, I need my gear to be as versatile as possible. I have used this pack for numerous different mountain sports: Ice climbing and ski touring in the winter (the bag is the perfect size for yurt trips), and for rock climbing and backpacking in the summer (some folks may find it a bit minimal for backpacking, but it suits me just fine) I have even used it to haul a huge, heavy mess of highline equipment on a recent City of Rocks trip. If I had to own only one bag, this would be it!

I haven't had the pack for that long to comment on the durability. The areas that see the most wear like the bottom and under the compression straps (where ski edges rub into the fabric) seem to be doing fine so far. I will add that this is an alpine style pack so it won't be totally bomber, but compared to other ultralight style bags I've seen/used, this one is way more rugged.

A bunch of my gear got stolen a few weeks before I was scheduled to climb Mount a Rainier. I decided to replace my stolen Patagonia Ascensionist 45 with the BD Speed 40. The two packs are reasonably comparable but I'd give the Speed 40 the edge. The BD has more versatility and can be more stripped down for a summit push. The BD also has shown better durability, an opening that makes gear easier to get at, and a better frame. That being said the Patagonia has daisy chain loops for tying down gear, more aesthetic styling, and seemed to carry a load a bit better.



The Speed 40 worked great on Rainier. It expanded well to cary a large load up to camp Muir and then stripped down and compressed compressed for a successful summit push. Since then the pack has continued to perform well on a lot of other PNW peaks.



Cons: I'd like one side water bottle pocket for a water bottle or a snow picket.



If you have the choice I'd go with the Black Diamond Speed 40.

I purchased this excited about all the various weight-reduction features expecting to make great use of this pack for a long time. Unfortunately, all it took was one route in Red Rock to rip the 210D nylon in several spots on the bag. Probably contrary to what you'd expect, I was not aggressively chimneying - this tear happened while working my way up a corner crack. You might argue "Red Rock? That isn't alpine." You're right - while this is advertised as a pack for the alpine, I'd hardly expect anyone who calls themselves an alpine climber to readily embrace a pack lacking in durability.

Update: I filed a warranty request since BD list a year-long manufacturing warranty for the pack. The guys at BD were fast to reply, contacting me the day after I filed the request. Initially, I wasn't especially hopeful that I would receive a replacement since the tears weren't a manufacturing issue but rather due to wear and tear. However, BD were willing to overlook this fact and shipped out a replacement immediately after receiving my torn pack. Five stars for BD customer service!

I used this pack to climb Mt. Hood and was very disappointed. The waist belt was not very comfortable and it also ripped when I tried tightening it. This pack seems as though it cannot handle a load more than 20 lbs because more than that and the straps just start to hurt. The design is good but execution is off

I've used this backpack once for canyoneering. I was mostly worried about wearing a hole in the material over time but instead, as I was tightening the waist strap, the fabric tore away from the seam from the pressure of tightening. This was very disappointing as this was not natural wear and tear. This was from poor design/stitching, which I didn't expect from Black Diamond. I will be returning this backpack. Should have listened to the reviews that said this was not a durable pack!

I bought this pack to replace my 50L backpack and serve as a superlight solution for multiday ski tours/mountaineering trips. When I first got the pack in my hands, I was skeptical, but the design is actually quite well thought-out.

It's all in the details. It's slightly tapered shape hits the nail on the head, really striking a good balance of form and function. The closure methods are super easy to use (buckles/cinch), and I love how much it expands. I can carry 20L worth of gear without any weird flopping issues, or stuff up to 50L in with the expanding collar. Nice hydration pocket (fits my MSR hydromedary perfectly), nice rope strap, really nice ice tool carrying solution.

I haven'€™t put it to the test with a really heavy load yet, but for some long ski-mountaineering-style day trips, it's worked superbly well. Oh yeah, it's pretty light too, and the lack of padding on the shoulder straps isn't very noticeable.

The yellow really grows on you, don'€™t be afraid to get a little funky.

My one gripe is that it doesn't have a dedicated avalanche tool pocket. Anytime there'€™s snow on steep slopes, I need to carry avy gear and have quick access to it-- it's a matter of safety. Maybe I could sew one in...

Photo (c) Niles Andrus