Jack Wolfskin 3D Prelight Rise 35 backpack review: a sustainable waterproof pack that lets you move like a mountain goat

Meet the reviewer

Julia Clarke

Julia Clarke is a staff writer for Advnture.com and the author of the book Restorative Yoga for Beginners. She loves to explore mountains on foot, bike, skis and belay and then recover on the the yoga mat. Julia graduated with a degree in journalism in 2004 and spent eight years working as a radio presenter in Kansas City, Vermont, Boston and New York City before discovering the joys of the Rocky Mountains. She then detoured west to Colorado and enjoyed 11 years teaching yoga in Vail before returning to her hometown of Glasgow, Scotland in 2020 to focus on family and writing.  

Jack Wolfskin 3D Prelight Rise 35 backpack: first impressions 

Back in January, we reported that Jack Wolfskin had rolled out a new hiking backpack made using 3D printing process, and over the past month, we've had the privilege of getting to test it out in the mountains. The 3D Prelight Rise is a 35-liter pack that can be used for day hiking and fastpacking and makes a great carry-on for active travel. Narrowing towards the bottom and with loads of compression straps, this thoughtfully designed hiking backpack holds a heavy load close to your body so you can move more efficiently.

Instead of using foam, the load-bearing back panels consist of fine-grained plastic, layered in the 3D printing process to create an open cell structure that is both strong and maps individual torsos. With well-padded shoulder, waist and chest straps, we found the 3D Prelight Rise to be a comfortable and breathable carry over a long day. The 3D printing process is also said to be highly sustainable as hardly any material is wasted in production as compared to traditional methods

Constructed using recycled waterproof polyamide, the main body of the pack has a built-in roll-top dry bag that allows you to keep all of your gear dry in a downpour, or separate wet water shoes and bathing suits from the rest of your gear when your adventure includes a wild dip. It's also equipped with a RECCO reflector for those venturing into avalanche-prone terrain.

Ample pockets for smaller gear you want within easy reach abound, between a zipped top pocket, stretchy mesh side pockets and smaller zipped pockets on the hip belt that are just big enough to fit a smaller phone. One of the things we love most about this pack is that it functions well whether or not it's full.

We have a few small gripes – it took us a while to figure out the main fastening and when we took it off after a long hike, the lumbar padding had left a little bruising because it's so firm. But compared to similar-sized packs, this one was leaps and bounds above the others in terms of performance. It's a pricey pack, but if you've been seeking a mid-sized waterproof pack that functions whether it's half-empty or full, you're going to want to try it on.

Jack Wolfskin 3D Prelight Rise 35 backpack: in the field

I've been searching for the perfect 35-liter pack for a while as I prefer having something bigger than a daypack for active travel but don't necessarily need a bigger pack if I'm not hauling tons of camping gear.

Though I've found a few decent contenders, I keep coming up a little short with my main complaint being that many packs in this realm don't function as well if they're not completely full, and when the top pocket has gear in it, it tends to swing around annoyingly if the main compartment isn't stuffed.

I had heard about the 3D Prelight Rise 35 back in January and was of course eager to test out something that was 3D printed, as this is reportedly more sustainable than traditional construction methods. So far, I've had it out on a few mountain day hikes and one overnight trip.

Here’s how it performed:

Sizing and fit

This backpack comes in only one size, which definitely had me curious to see how it would fit on different bodies. I'm 5'4" with a short torso and am able to adjust it so that it sits comfortably high with my hips taking the load, and for once the hip belt isn't too loose. 

That said, my boyfriend is 5'11" with a long torso and he didn't love the way it sat on him.  He felt it was too high on him, but he tends to want more of the weight to be on his shoulders (don't ask me why). I think it's adjustable enough to suit a fairly wide range of bodies and it contours well to my body, as you can see from the photos, though they might want to come out with two sizes in the next round.

My favorite thing about this pack is how well it holds my gear close to my body. When I tested the Helly Hansen Transistor Backpack, the hip belt was too big and the whole load pulls away from my body, slowing me down. Also, when that pack isn't full and I have gear in the top pocket, the top pocket hangs down and swings around (I had the same issue with the Montane Azote 30L). This one keeps my gear close and high no matter how full or empty it is.

Weight and comfort 

Compared to other daypacks we've tested, this one is on the light end and doesn't add too much weight to my base load even despite the hefty padding on the back panel. 

It's super comfortable to wear, mostly due to the padding and the fact that it sits up nice and high and carries the load close to my body. The only thing I've noticed is that, when I wore it all day I did have a bit of bruising around the back of my pelvis when I took it off. I didn't notice anything during the day, and I don't have the most natural padding, but the 3D-printed padding may be a little too robust for some.

Storage and fastenings

The main compartment tapers towards the bottom, which means I spend less time rooting around for gear and it also helps keep the load up higher, for more efficient movement. It's big enough for some ultra-light camping gear, but what I really like about it is that there's an integrated toll-top dry bag inside it. You can ignore it, use it for all your gear (which I did on a very wet hike and everything stayed dry), or use it to pack away wet gear and keep it separate from dry gear. Genius.

Beyond that, there's a well-sized top pocket, pockets on the hip belt that are big enough for my iPhone (though I don't have a huge iPhone) and the stretchy side pockets fit my water bottles no problem.

I'm not saying this is a problem for everyone, but I'm increasingly struggling to work out new fastenings on backpacks. Gone are the days of a standard plastic buckle and I am mystified by the options that have replaced it. The first time I was going on a hike and wanted to test this backpack, I genuinely couldn't figure out how to open the top of it and access the main compartment. I ended up running out of time and grabbing a different pack.

When I got home, I figured out that it's a simple case of squeezing the two sides of the plastic fastening. I felt a bit stupid, but then I presented my boyfriend with the challenge of opening it, and he couldn't figure it out either, so either we're both equally clueless, or it's a little non-intuitive to start.

Once it's open, there's a drawcord to inch the main compartment and that also took me a few goes to get the hang of, but other than those two hitches, it's all fairly standard.

Durability and other features 

Something about the polyamide fabric feels a little cheap as compared to nylon backpacks, which is a shame as it's quite expensive, but when I tugged and prodded, I think it's a reasonably sturdy pack that should hold up to the test of heavy gear. Only time will tell.

Like many new backpacks, this one is fitted with a RECCO reflector which can provide a safety backup if you're in avalanche-prone territory. it's also got instructions for attracting a rescue helicopter, signaling for help when your phone doesn't work and making an emergency call in different countries printed on the inside. It has all the usual attachment straps.

Jack Wolfskin 3D Prelight Rise 35 backpack: the bottom line

So far, this is the best backpack in this size range that I've tested. It's pricey and it isn't perfect, though once you figure out the fastenings it's easy to use and has some really compelling features. The main issue is the slight bruising caused for me by the firm lumbar padding, which doesn't bother me on the trail but isn't ideal, and will be more of a problem the skinnier you are. That said, it far outperforms other packs in the genre, so I'm honestly quite willing to put up with it, but if you need a softer touch check out the Montane Azote 30L.

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