Berghaus Trailhead 65 review

Berghaus Trailhead 65 Litre Rucksack Review

Hi folks. So for the first few months of 2019, I went flash-packing across the USA. It was an exciting trip, and although I wasn’t actually camping out much, I did a lot of walking. During that time, I was been using the Berghaus Trailhead 65 as my main rucksack. And – having gotten a tonne of use out of it – I thought I would give a review of this sturdy backpack. But first, let’s take a look at the specs.

Overview / Specs

Berghaus is a brand that’s known for quality. Lots of their products have a limited lifetime guarantee. Wow. In return for that quality, you will usually find a heftier price tag. Not so with the Berghaus Trailhead 65 however. The Trailhead seems to be pitched primarily at folks doing their UK Duke of Edinburgh Award – although it would be suitable for general camping or backpacking use. It’s a tough but no-frills pack, with a very affordable price.

Size & Weight

The dimensions for the bag are 77cm (height) x 44cm (width) x 30cm (depth). For weight, it comes in at a fairly hefty 1.7kg – definitely not ultralight! What’s more, there aren’t a lot of extraneous bells and whistles that you could strip off the bag to improve that weight. If you’re interested in this pack, then think of that weight as a floor rather than a ceiling.

Features

The Trailhead has a large main pouch that’s divisible into two sections, allowing you to keep dirty gear separated from clean. The interior can be reorganized into a single compartment by adjusting a piece of fabric inside the bag though.

There are 5 pockets on the outside of the pack. On each side, you’ll find a large zipped side pocket and a separate elasticated pouch. At the top, a single zipped pocket. These pockets, combined with several attachment points on the front of the bag, means plenty of room for all your stuff.

The Trailhead also comes with an adjustable back system, which allows you to tailor the fit and weight distribution of the pack. There are waist and shoulder straps to help stabilize the bag. And, like most Berghaus packs, the Trailhead is hydration system compatible and comes with an integrated rain cover too.

The adjustable back 'Biofit' system on the Berghaus Trailhead 65.
The adjustable back ‘Biofit’ system on the Berghaus Trailhead 65

Berghaus Trailhead 65 Review

So, having had the chance to lug this bag around for the 3 months around most of the United States, what’s the verdict? Well, if you can look past its unfortunately high weight, then the Trailhead is a very capable bag.

Durability

In 3 months of near-constant abuse, the only thing that came close to breaking on this thing is a plastic toggle that fell off one of the zips. But guess what? After reattaching it, that toggle’s stayed there ever since. Apart from that, not a single thing has broken or really even shown signs of wear. All that despite being kicked and jostled around daily for 3 months. It’s also survived several airplane trips throughout that time. If it can survive baggage claim, it can survive anything.

Space

It’s definitely handy to be able to separate your clothes & shoes in the main pouch of this bag. It’s fair to say though that reorganizing the bag into its 1 or 2 compartment configuration is just enough of a hassle that you wouldn’t want to do it every day. I preferred to keep it in the 2-compartment configuration throughout most of my trip.

I also love the internal space and pockets on this pack. Despite having picked up a lot of souvenirs on my trip, the trusty Trailhead always seems to have a bit more space that I could squeeze stuff into. And I haven’t even used any of the attachment points yet. The adjustable back system really helps with this too – no matter how many times you add more weight or switch up how the bag is packed, you can always adjust the pack for a better fit and weight distribution. Adjusting the pack is quick, easy, and intuitive.

The top pocket on the Berghaus Trailhead 65
The top pocket on the Berghaus Trailhead 65

I haven’t had a chance to test the bag in the rain yet (lucky me!) but I’ve used integrated rain covers on other Berghaus bags and I know that they work well enough. You simply pull the cover out of a semi-invisible pouch on the bottom of the bag, and stretch it over the top, for a bit of instant waterproofing

Berghaus Trailhead 65: The Verdict

So, to sum up: if you can bear a slightly higher weight for your backpack, The Berghaus Trailhead 65 is a fantastic for your next trip. It has tonnes of space, an adjustable fit, hydration compatibility, and integrated waterproofing, meaning you’re covered for all the basics. And because it’s Berghaus, you can also be assured of good quality materials and workmanship. Best of all, the Trailhead comes in at a very, very modest price.

That’s it for now folks! Hope you enjoyed my take on the Berghaus Trailhead 65. Anyone else out there using this pack? Let us know in the comments! And don’t forget to check out the rest of our blog for more tips, tricks, and gear reviews from the trail! Until next time.

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2 thoughts on “Berghaus Trailhead 65 Litre Rucksack Review”

  1. you indicate that the backpack is quite heavy 1.7kg. is this really very heavy? we are now comparing and actually only find heavier and sometimes 1 that is 100 grams lighter.

    1. Hey Wes! It’s all relative I suppose, but Osprey for one make packs that are about the same capacity for around half the weight (e.g. the Levity). Although you’d certainly pay more for one of those than you would for the Berghaus! Thanks for giving your feedback 🙂

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