Review: Deuter Trans Alpine backpack

I truly enjoy visiting manufacturers from the bike industry at their digs as it allows me to take an exclusive look behind the scenes. Our trip to premium back maker Deuter in Southern Germany marked a highlight, as it included a face-to-face with one of their designers.   

The Deuter HQ is housed in a modern building that suggests the shape of a bird’s nest – just smaller than the Chinese Olympic stadium. We were greeted by Martin Zanker, Deuter’s young head of sales for the bike division. Once on the inside, the building combines design with functionality and a sense of nature, exactly the values Deuter stands for.

The new Deuter Trans Alpine

Then we meet up with Fabian Rampelmann, one of Deuter’s product developers. He presented us the new Trans Alpine backpack, using the previous model to demonstrate the new features and improvements, I was especially interested as I had a multi-day MTB trip across the Alps planned for the coming weeks.

His personal favourite of the Trans Alpine is the new stowable helmet holster that is functional, lighter and looks more aesthetically pleasing than the previous solution. The mesh net can also be used to dry apparel, which is very useful on long trips.

Another improvement are the mesh wings for the hip strap. They have moved inwards towards the Airstripes to make for a more snug fit of the Trans Alpine. It’s amazing how much thought Deuter’s R&D puts into the design of each little detail.

After the presentation, I couldn’t wait to test the Trans Alpine on my trip.

The Deuter Tour

After the chat with Fabian, we got a guided tour of the Deuter premisies. We saw the marketing department, product management and R&D and learned how new models go through the stages from idea to production. Backpacks are all over on every wall and in every corner. Deuter also makes co-branding models form other industries like a Deuter BMW bag and custom builds like a special edition backpack for Mrs. Merkel, who is an avid hiker.

The product managers showed us samples of prototypes that never made it to the market and of things to come. That’s top-secret though. A lot of their work is done on the computer of course, but they explained that there is nothing like making a real sample.

Later we toured the adjacent 7200 square meter warehouse and the workshop. Deuter is proud of the high quality of their products, but also offers a well-sought repair service for out of warranty models. According to Martin Zanker, satisfied customers routinely send in backpacks that have been around the world twice, but need a new strap or zipper after 20 years of use.