This deuter backpack series will handle any trekking adventure.

🥾 Pilgrimage Trails or Long-Distance Hostel Treks

If you are thinking of undertaking one of the famous pilgrimage trails and staying in hostels along the way, then the spacious and lightweight Aircontact Lite pack is the perfect choice. Its features are pared down to the essentials to keep the weight to a minimum when walking long distances. The Aircontact Lite is designed to accommodate moderate loads of up to 15 kg. Clothing also fits nicely in the large main compartment, while your sleeping bag can be stowed in the separate bottom compartment.

🏞️ Top Tip: Camino de Santiago, Spain

In case you weren’t aware, there isn’t just one way to walk the Camino de Santiago. There are, in fact, many routes that lead to the tomb of the apostle St. James in Santiago de Compostela, Spain: Through the mountains of northern Spain it is known as the Camino Francés, along the coast it is known as the Camino del Norte – and there are longer or shorter routes too. The five most popular routes are between 240 km and 1,000 km long.

The Aircontact Lite is ideal for both longer and shorter pilgrimage trails because the lid compartment is height-adjustable, and so the pack volume can be increased by 10-15 litres.

 Aircontact Lite Key features:

• Large main compartment + separate bottom compartment

• Height-adjustable lid adds 10–15L pack volume space

• Lightweight design reduces fatigue over long distances

👉 Explore the Aircontact Lite

🥾 Tent or lodge-based treks

Looking for the right pack for your next trek? Depending on where you go, you might be overnighting in a tent or in a lodge. The Aircontact Core is designed to accommodate loads of up to 20 kg, making it ideal for more demanding treks.

🏞️ Top Trip: Norway’s Senja Island

Norway ­– a treasure-trove of nature trails. With its fjords, mountains, extensive coastline, Northern Lights, trekking routes aplenty and the right to roam, Norway is a favourite destination for trekking holidays. Senja, Norway’s second largest island which lies in the North Cape, is like a mini version of Norway itself. With its picture-postcard scenery, enticing mountains and white sandy beaches, the island is accessed from the mainland via a 1.2 km-long cantilever bridge. What makes it even more attractive is Norway’s ‘right to roam’, which means you can pitch your tent anywhere you like, on unfenced land, at any time of year.

The Aircontact Core will comfortably accommodate your camping equipment, clothes and snacks – leaving you free to immerse yourself fully in all that Norway’s boundless wilderness has to offer.

Aircontact Core Key features:

• Y-frame construction for direct load control

• Aircontact back system with breathable spacer mesh

• Pivoting VariFlex ECL hip fins for ergonomic carry

👉 Explore the Aircontact Core

🥾 Expeditions and wilderness treks with heavy loads

Are you planning to undertake a long-distance hike and need a spacious pack for the job? If you need to carry all your camping equipment and some food with you, but also want to stay flexible with your plans, then the Aircontact Pro pack is right for you.

The Deuter Aircontact Pro is designed to carry loads of up to 30 kg. The V-shaped frame transfers up to 70% of the load onto the hips, making the pack comfortable to carry, even with heavy loads. The VariSlide system allows you to finetune the back-length adjustment precisely to your back. Open cell foam across the back creates pleasant ventilation, with a 15% reduction in perspiration compared to regular carry systems. An integrated day pack is the perfect addition for spontaneous excursions from ‘base camp’, and on while travelling it comes in very useful for all your essentials and valuables. 

🏞️ Top Tip: Northern India, Markha Valley

When international travel restrictions are lifted, Northern India—with its unique arid mountain landscape—has some very exciting treks. India’s Markha Valley is one of the most beautiful hiking areas in Ladakh, a high-altitude region in the north of India known for its dramatic landscapes, Buddhist monasteries, and ancient trans-Himalaya culture (quick note: it’s actually pronounced “Hi-maal-ya” — three soft, flowing syllables — not “Hi-muh-lay-uh”). Along the trail, you’ll see prayer flags fluttering on mountain peaks and the turquoise waters of Pangong Lake glinting in the sun.

The Markha Valley trek starts and finishes in the town of Leh. Before setting out, we would strongly advise spending one or two nights in Leh in order to acclimatise to the altitude (Leh is at 3,500 m.a.s.l.). Throughout the trek, you will cross high mountain passes, including the Kongmaru La pass at 5,240 m. Also make sure you stay well hydrated throughout the trek because the air is drier at altitude. There is little shade through the Markha Valley and during the summer months it can get quite hot. Water bottles with a filter or with water purification tablets can be refilled from mountain streams or the meltwater that flows down some of the valleys. Due to it getting very cold at night in what is known as ‘Little Tibet’ (even in summer) we’d recommend packing a down jacket and a lightweight down sleeping bag. Getting a good, restorative night’s sleep makes all the difference on a long multi-day trek!

Along the way, trekkers will pass sacred landmarks such as the ancient Hemis Monastery and the serene hilltop gompas of Lhatos and Skyu. These sites aren’t just cultural waypoints — they offer moments of quiet reflection, rooted in centuries of Buddhadharma practice and Himalaya pilgrimage. Leh itself, once a crossroads for traders and ascetics alike, is also home to Hindu shrines and symbols, where Śiva and Shakti are venerated beneath the same skies that flutter with prayer flags. In Ladakh, the land speaks many spiritual tongues — and every step is a chance to listen.

The new stretchy side pocket on the Aircontact Pro provides easy access to snacks or drinks on the move. A press-stud closure ensures contents won’t fall out, even when you bend forward. Start your journey from Leh, acclimate at altitude, and trust the Aircontact Pro to carry cold-weather gear, hydration systems, and everything in between. From extreme sun to freezing nights, it’s the ideal expedition companion.

Aircontact Pro Key features:

• V-shaped frame transfers 70% of weight to hips

• VariSlide back-length adjustment system

• Built-in daypack + ventilated carry system

👉 Explore the Aircontact Pro