PlanetMountain.com put the new Fly Runner HL 30 through its paces. This is what we thought of the lightest in Ferrino’s High Lab range:

With its 700g the Ferrino Fly Runner HL 30 can be considered an excellent product for lightweight ski mountaineering and is also ideal for one day outings or climbing.

The simple and functional Fly Runner has a single central buckle, a front ski loop and an elastic ice axe loop. Its dual Ripstop and Cordura Dupont® reinforced Kevlar construction at the critical stress points render the rucksack particularly resistant. Thanks to its ergonomic back the rucksack “fits” extremely well; it sits closely, distributing the load evenly also with mounted skis.

The two mesh side pockets, useful and large
enough to stow away wet climbing skins

While we would have liked to see side compression straps, which have been excluded for weight reasons, we very much liked the front ski loops. This method straps the skis diagonally across the rucksack, stopping the skis from hitting the skiing boots when walking on steep terrain. The elastic ice axe loop proved to be a good choice; essential but perfectly adequate for modern lightweight ice axes used in ski mountaineering.

We feel that the lid pocket for small objects (map, compass etc.) could have been a bit larger and closed with a protected zip, just as the fabric used on the liner to seal the main compartment could have been a waterproof nylon instead of mesh.

The two mesh side pockets are useful and large enough to stow away wet climbing skins, but perhaps slightly too high to be used effectively when the rucksack is mounted.

The Fly Runner HL is sold with a hydration system, the so-called H2 Bag. Without a doubt extremely useful during the ascent, it unfortunately lacks an important “clamp” that squeezes the tube and stops the liquid from dripping out.

The rucksack also comes with a removable mesh pocket on the waist belt. Unfortunately this fabric, just like that used on the liner, enables snow to enter and is thus not waterproof.

The diagonal ski loop and elastic ice axe loop