This is a review of the Deuter Speed Lite 20, a daypack for light backpacking and bicycling. The Speed lite 20 has a slim profile that tapers at the bottom. This is a part of what makes it so unique. It allows for more movement and very active play.
We love the Speed Lite 20 for the perfection in its design. It balances adjustability with simplicity and comes with many attachment points for external paraphernalia.
For City Travel and Light Hikes
The Speed Lite 20 carries 20 liters of gear, so it is optimal for daytime use. We would not recommend this backpack for overnight stays because it does not have enough room for that much gear. That is unless you are packing very light.
Part of what makes this useful for hikes is the fact that it is compatible with hydration packs. It has a spot where you can run through your hydration pack’s hose and attach to your shoulder harness.
Optimal for Cyclers
The Speed Lite 20 was also created with cyclers in mind. It has a bicycle helmet attachment loop on the top side of the backpack. This allows you to fit and remove a bicycle helmet without needing to take the backpack off of your shoulders.
To make this backpack safe to travel with at night, it has a 3M reflective loop at the bottom center. Also, the tapered slim profile means that you get better forearm movement. This makes it important for any person who loves riding their bicycle but doesn’t want the extra fabric around their waist.
Slim Profile Makes it Packable
The Speed Lite 20’s material is dense and durable, yet its design footprint also allows it to be folded in such a way that it fits into larger backpacks. This means that you can pack it into luggage easily without wasting any space. This backpack is incredibly lightweight and only 1 pound 3 ounces. This is far lighter than most of the backpacks that we have featured on this site.
Highly Efficient Compression System
The compression system on the Speed Lite 20 is one of the best that we’ve seen. Its compression straps allow you to really compress the gear that you have in your main compartment. But not only that, the compression straps can be hooked at the front of the backpack.
This fosters much more compression than regular backpacks that only have the straps. If your backpack is only filled halfway, this is even more useful because you can sit down your backpack to a very small footprint.
Awesome Extras
There are a few other features that make the Speed Lite 20 just awesome! For example, we have said in the past that a front stretch pocket is one of our favorite features for a backpack. This one has a front stretch pocket that allows you to store larger gear that you do not want to put in your main compartment and take up space.
The hip belt on this backpack is completely removable. But when used, it can really help to stabilize it and not sway back and forth while you are going about your activities.
The sternum strap that is attached to the shoulder harness can be adjusted for height for maximum comfort. If you are wearing gloves, you will love the fact that the main compartment comes with very large zippers. Specifically designed for those moments when you absolutely need to open your main compartment and you do not want to take off your gloves.
The side mesh pockets allow you to store water bottles, but the Speed Lite 20 is also hydration pack compatible. As the icing on the cake, this backpack has an SOS label sewn into it. It has emergency numbers and international instructions in case of an emergency.
Deuter Speed Lite 20 Specs & Features
- Weight: 1 pound 3 ounces
- Dimensions: 19 x 10 x 7.1 inches
- Volume capacity: 20 liters
Features:
- Tapered slim profile
- Helmet attachment loop
- Lightweight and packable
- Front mesh pocket
- Side mesh pockets
- Ice pick attachment loop
- Reflective 3M loop
- Removable hip belt
- Lockable compression straps
- Large main compartment zippers
- Compatible with hydration bladder
- Sternum straps have adjustable height
- Reinforcements at the bottom of the backpack
- SOS label sewn into the inside
Pros
- Slim profile for better or for our movement
- Extremely lightweight and packable
- Reinforced bottom prevents tears
- Compatible with hydration bladders
- Optimized for bicyclers
Cons
- It will not hold enough volume for an entire day’s worth of hiking or overnight backpacking
Deuter Speed Lite 20 Price
Luckily, the Deuter Speed Lite 20 backpack is available on Amazon for your convenience. Listed below is its latest price too.
- Extremely lightweight Lite Contact Back System
The Verdict
We love how the Deuter Speed Lite 20 was made to such perfection. It includes many bells and whistles, yet it still manages to maintain its minimalistic feel. In addition, it has everything that you would want in a hiking backpack, but just remember that it is only a daypack. It will not carry enough gear for overnight stays.
The Osprey company also has a backpack for the same purpose. The Osprey Talon 22 is a daypack made for athletes. It is optimized for bicycles and active hikers alike. If you would like to see your comparison of these day packs, please see our Deuter Speed Lite 20 vs Osprey Talon 22 review.