Backpack "Aerotrek" by Salomon Incorporates the Advantages of Trail Running Bags

This season, Salomon has released a new backpack designed for mountaineering and hiking. In recent years, the brand has been best known for its compact, vest-style bags made for trail running and fast hiking. However, the latest Aerotrek series offers sizes for men—20L, 30L, 40L—and for women—18L, 28L, 38L—covering everything from day trips and mountain hut stays to minimalist tent lodging.

Salomon has a strong reputation as "the trail running bag company," but what makes this new, full-fledged backpack for hiking and mountaineering stand out? We consulted with Taku Yamamura, Salomon SG MD at Amer Sports Japan, to find out.

The vest-like fit that makes you forget you're even wearing it is a major strength of compact running vests, but that comfort can truly shine in trail running or fast hiking, where you only need to carry a few liters up to around 15L.

"For hiking and mountaineering, where you need to carry adequate gear, you really do need a backpack that comfortably supports both volume and weight. What makes the 'Aerotrek' special is how we brought in technology and innovations developed in our trail running bags, resulting in a backpack with truly unique advantages."

"The development team surveyed 500 people in 19 countries to find out what they look for in a backpack for mountaineering and hiking. The most common answer was comfort when carrying the bag. Next was ease of handling, such as pocket accessibility. The third key element—one not to be overlooked—was lightweight design.

While focusing on comfort and ease of handling tends to complicate the design, minimizing weight requires simplicity, making it extremely difficult to achieve all three at once. The 'Aerotrek' succeeds here: even with the complex structure needed for comfort and ease of use, the 20L model weighs just 845g, the 30L is 992g—both under 1kg—and the 40L is only 1,118g, which is still lightweight for the size."

When you visit an outdoor specialty store and look at backpacks, you’ll notice that models with a sturdy back frame and plentiful pocket options tend to weigh over 1kg for capacities above 30L. For under 20L, there are very few products offering a similar structure in the first place.

"I'm confident in saying that 'Aerotrek' is a backpack that achieves an excellent balance between comfort, convenience, and lightweight design. As for how lightweight it truly feels, you'll have to try it on for yourself. But I can explain a bit more about the comfort and ease of handling."

The Main Purpose Behind the 3D Back Frame? Surprisingly, "Fit"!

When you actually try it on, it is of course lightweight, but you’ll also notice the backpack sits high and stable on your back. This is likely due to the design of the back frame, shoulder harness, and main body. Could some of the know-how from trail running bags have influenced this?

"Through trial and error, we aimed to bring the comfortable fit of trail running bags, which are designed for ease of movement, into a backpack for mountaineering and hiking. That process led us to this three-dimensional design that combines mesh, frame, and padding."

The technology to create a three-dimensional air gap between your back and a backpack first appeared in the 1980s, and today, many brands incorporate it to improve breathability. What sets the "Aerotrek" apart is the primary objective behind adopting its three-dimensional structure. According to Yamamura, its main purpose is to enhance fit and comfort, rather than focusing solely on ventilation.

"You'd notice this if you compared products at outdoor specialty stores: the back frame of the 'Aerotrek' is closely spaced and designed to align with your spine. In contrast, other brands typically have wider frame gaps, resulting in a larger mesh area.

When we analyzed how your body moves in the mountains, we realized that even if the mesh is wide, one of the edges will end up floating away from your back. This reduces the sense of fit while walking, interfering with overall comfort. So, we placed mesh, frames, and pads only in the areas that are always in contact with your back as you step forward, alternating left and right legs."

Of course, breathability is also improved, so your back stays drier, but the original concept was all about improving the fit. Minimizing the contact area on your back also has the additional benefit of reducing weight.

If you have trail running experience, you’ll sense it intuitively. The "Aerotrek," designed for hiking and trekking, comes equipped with easy-access pockets, just like those on trail running packs. The 20L, 30L, and 40L models all have the same basic specs. And the bigger the pack, the more valuable these handy features become.

"The 40L 'Aerotrek' is the only one with a top lid. On it, you can access the main pocket from the top and the bottom. Being able to reach your items from the bottom as well is especially useful with large-capacity bags. It's ideal to stash gear like rainwear, insulation, or sleeping equipment—which you don’t use that often but that’s still bulky and lightweight—near the bottom for easy access."

It’s actually quite common for beginners to feel overwhelmed by the weight of their backpack when they first start hiking. Lightweight, comfortable, and convenient for organizing small items, the "Aerotrek" is a game-changing pack that will satisfy everyone from novices to advanced users. For casual day hikes, the 20L is perfect; for those planning to cook or brew tea outdoors, go for the 30L; and for overnight trips in mountain huts or under a tent, the 40L is recommended.