Rab Exion 55 Backpack review: a one-pack wonder for big day walks, overnight camping adventures, lightweight multiday escapades and hut-to-hut hikes

Perfect for big day hikes and hut-to-hut treks in all seasons, while being big enough to take everything required for lightweight overnight camping adventures, this versatile gear-hauler is the best hiking pack I have used for many years. The exceptionally well-made Exion 55 is a real all-rounder, offering exactly the right amount of storage space for the vast majority of my outdoor escapades, paired with exceptional functionality, support and comfort.

First impressions

I have long been a big fan of premium British brand Rab, whose apparel offering and kit quality just keeps getting more comprehensive and better every year. I wear the Rab Capacitor Hoody so often people have started making comments and my wife has to convince me to put something different on at least every now and then. The sleeping bags are excellent too, but this is the first Rab backpack I have tried in the field – not least because it’s a new product category for the Derbyshire based brand, named after Scottish climber and alpinist Rab Carrington.

The Exion is available in several sizes, but I chose to trail-test the 55-liter version. When they feature compression straps (as the Exion does), I love the versatility offered by packs of this size, which are ideal for big one-day outings when you’re with the family – especially in spring and fall when waterproof jackets, rain pants, fleeces and puffers might be needed, but it’s too warm to wear them from the trailhead – and can also swallow everything required for a lightweight overnight or multiday adventure, including a sleeping bag, camping mat, backpacking tent and stove.

Suffice to say, I was looking forward to getting out in the wilds and testing the handsome-looking Exion 55, to see how it would perform compared to the most capacious daypacks and best hiking backpacks on the market. Spoiler: I wasn’t disappointed. But read on for details about what I did and didn’t love about this versatile pack.

Design and materials

The first thing to note is that the Rab Exion is available in several sizes and styles, including some specifically aimed at women, with an ND (narrow dimension) design tailored to fit more comfortably, and this includes a version of the 55L pack.

A central part of the design of all the Exion packs is Rab’s easily adjustable V-TRAX carry system. This is comprised of a supportive thermoformed harness mounted on a featherlight 6mm aluminium frame, and is made with dual densities of foam to spread the load, provide well-cushioned support where it’s required and minimize contact with your back, thus reducing rubbing and sweating.

The hipbelt, which has generous pockets, is tightened by pulling the straps forward, which is much easier and more effective than yanking belts to the side. There are huge mesh side pouches on this pack, perfect for carrying water bottles, but the Exion also has a dedicated compartment for hiking with a hydration bladder, complete with a hang loop and hose portals.

The versatility of the Exion pack is one of its greatest strengths, and the compression straps on the side mean you can increase and reduce the size and volume of this pack to suit the adventure you’re on, and according to the amount of gear you’re hauling. The extendable hood delivers an extra 5L of additional storage space if you need it, and boasts three pockets, one internal and two external, all of which zip shut. There are also hoops, loops and toggles on the exterior for carrying trekking poles and ice axes.

One of the best features on the Exion pack, though, is a large U-shaped front zip, which allows you to access the main compartment and find whatever it is you're looking for without emptying everything else out by the side of the trail. There is also a large mesh pouch on the front of the pack, where waterproofs can be stashed wet or dry. One thing to be conscious of, though, if you’re using this pack while travelling, is that it does make it quite easy for thieves and pickpockets to access it during bus and train rides.

On the trails

I have been using the Rab Exion 55 backpack during big day walks along the coast and cliffs close to where I live, on the South West Coast Path, and for multiday adventures whilst wild camping on Dartmoor, as I’ve been researching walking routes for a new book.

It has excelled in both capacities – as a large daypack and as a modest-sized overnight hiking pack that forces me to be frugal with what I take, thus enhancing the enjoyment of my outings. The carry capacity can be dialled up or down really easily, according to the kit required on any given mission, thanks to a clever combination of compression straps, mesh pouches on the front and sides, and the incredibly capacious hood.

Although the hood - which boasts two exterior zipped pockets plus an interior one - offers loads of storage space, it never bumped against the back of my head, even when I had it fully loaded (something that has happened, annoyingly, with other packs I have used over the years).

On day walks I can keep the Exion nice and tight to my body, but when I need it to load it up for a bigger escapade, it comfortably swallows my Jetboil stove, MSR Hubba Hubba tent, Therm-a-Rest camping mat, sleeping bag and enough food and supplies to keep me warm and fed for several days exploring hills, tors and moors.

In my experience, while the V-TRAX carry system allows your back to breathe beautifully, the full-contact wrap-around harness and hip wings provide excellent levels of support. It's extremely easy to pull the waist belt nice and tight, to lift the bulk and weight of the load into the most comfortable position for efficient hiking, and the fully adjustable sternum strap completes the set-up in seconds.

It's possible to reach water bottles stored in the angled side pockets without removing the pack, but I took full advantage of the hydration reservoir carry capacity, which means you can haul plenty of H2O in the most balanced way.

Little touches like the emergency whistle on the chest strap and the emergency instructions on the inside of the hood are great, although, to be picky, I would have like to see a Recco reflector included for the price of this pack. My only other complaint is that it's not made (so far as I can see) with any recycled material. All up, though, this is an excellent pack for all kinds of hiking adventures, and it has been robustly made, so I look forward to taking it on many more escapades.