Vango Hex Rolltop 25L backpack review: stripped back to the essentials

Vango Hex Rolltop 25L: first impressions

One of my bugbears with backpacks is that, in recent years, virtually every single one of them seems to be ridiculously overspecced – they are all posturing as alpine packs, with attachments for carrying everything from trekking poles to ice axes.

This is all well and good when you’re on a mountain mission, hut hiking in the Alps, bagging ice-topped peaks as you go, but in all honesty, how often do the majority of us need this kind of technical carry capacity?

And when you’re not using all the myriad straps and hoops so many packs now come with, they just get in the way. The cynic in me sees this tendency to make gear needlessly technical as an excuse to push the price up.

For the vast majority of the time, most people simply need a pack that allows them to comfortably carry the requisite amount of gear to stay warm, dry and fed for a few hours out in the hills. The unpretentious Vango Hex Rolltop 25 backpack is exactly that, and it comes with a suitably sensible price tag too.

I’ve been trail testing this refreshingly simple bag to see how it compares to the best daypacks on the market.

Vango Hex Rolltop 25L: design and materials

Made with British brand Vango’s Excel Eco fabric, a 600D ripstop material that is both robust and recycled, this pack – as the name indicates – has a rolltop closure system for the main compartment, which you clip shut with tough Duraflex buckles. This design means you can reduce or expand the size of the pack depending on how much gear you’re carrying, cutting down on the need for compression straps and complementing the non-busy design of the bag.

While the main compartment has a fairly modest capacity of 25L, there is a large pocket on the front of the pack, and bungees on the exterior mean you can carry wet weather gear such as a waterproof jacket and rain pants on the outside. There’s also a side zip, which gives you access to a padded rear compartment designed for taking a laptop, should you choose to use this pack for commuting.

The harness is relatively simplistic, and doesn’t include a waist belt or a sternum strap. The shoulder straps and two fins on the back panel are all made with a breathable mesh, and there’s a really substantial grab handle.

There’s no dedicated pouch for a hydration bladder to slip into (you could potentially carry one in the laptop compartment, using the buckle at the top to secure it, but that’s a bit of a stretch, and there’s no port for the hose), but there are two mesh pockets on the side of the pack, perfect for carrying hiking water bottles.

Other features include reflective elements on the front of the shoulder straps and the rear of the pack to make you more visible to traffic when walking on roads in dark or poor light.

Meet the reviewer

Pat Kinsella

Pat has hiked all over the world, his adventures taking him to Mont Blanc, the roof of Western Europe; the Norwegian Alps; the highest peaks in Australia; and New Zealand’s Great Walks – among others. He’s an experienced tester of hiking gear and gives kit a thorough thrashing before reviewing.

Vango Hex Rolltop 25L: on the trails

I’ve been using the Hex Rolltop 25 backpack from Vango for the last couple of months, while doing relatively short and easy day hikes in largely non-technical terrain – along riverbanks, through woodlands and gentle vales, and to the top of modest hills.

These ambles have typically been less than four hours long, and while I’ve been walking in variable weather conditions as winter fast approaches, I’ve been able to comfortably fit everything required in this pack – from extra base layers and fleece tops, to hiking hats, gloves, dry socks and wet-weather gear. There has still been room for a packed lunch and a flask for the longer treks, but for much of the time I’ve simply been stashing some energy bars and snacks in one of the water bottle pockets.

Capacity-wise, I think this simple pack is perfectly proportioned for this kind of easy escapade. I really like the fact the design is clean and uncluttered, and there are no straps, hooks and other attachments hanging off it and getting caught on bushes and branches. I’ve been carrying waterproofs in the front pocket of the pack, where I can quickly and easily access them, and after use, when they’re wet, the exterior bungee cords provide the ideal storage space to stash such items, so they can drip dry and not make the rest of the bag’s contents damp.

The harness is comfortable and breathable, but I really can’t understand why Vango have opted to completely dispense with a waist belt and a sternum strap. I appreciate that this bag is intended for carrying relatively small amounts of fairly lightweight gear and a few provisions, and the rolltop design does allow you to compress it nicely, but I think a minimalist belt and chest strap would still improve comfort levels and keep the bag from moving around if and when you’re tempted to break into a trot while out on the trails.

This is a durable and highly functional pack, however, which is refreshingly simple and very weatherpoof. I’ve found myself using it almost daily, whether I’m out strolling on trails, or when walking or cycling to a café with my laptop.

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