What's It For?
The Attack MX50 is a year-round, alpine / mountain pack designed to be able to carry pretty much anything from skis, through winter climbing equipment to a big rock rack and ropes. It's also large enough to swallow bivvy and camping gear and a respectable amount of food. So while it's not a backpacking sack, it's useable as one on scrambly mountainous ground.
Technical Lowdown
Lowe Alpine doesn't always get the credit it deserves for its packs, but build quality and design are both first rate. Fabrics are tested for tear strength and abrasion in house at Lowe's pack design facility, while construction is bombproof with all major stress points bar-tacked and seams effectively triple-stitched - they are very, very tough packs.
The MX50 uses ballistic fabric reinforcement for its base section and front pocket along with Hypalon reinforcements at key points like the main strap attachment. There are plenty of other neat touches too. Forged metal buckles are made by DMM in Wales and have hook and lock action that's designed to be very secure but useable even with thick winter gloves.
The back panel is easily adjustable for length and uses a moulded, smooth panel to minimise snow build-up in certain conditions. The hip-belt and lid are both removable, with the belt replaced by a 20mm web belt to keep things stable.
How It Performed
We used the Attack MX50+10 for an overnight bothying come mountaineering trip in the Lakes and it didn't put a foot wrong. The pack is deceptively spacious and swallowed a lot of kit happily and, once adjusted to length, which takes seconds, carried with a reassuring solidity even when scrambling on mixed ground.
Cinch in hip, shoulder, top and compression straps and the pack feels bolted in place with no swaying or bouncing around which could put you off balance. It handles loads well too, particularly considering it's a simple back system and a decent load of climbing hardware doesn't phase it.
The alloy Load Locket and Web Catcher buckles work brilliantly even with gloved hands, though anyone with 45cm axes might want to note that they're too short for the pack - stow them under side compression straps instead.
A propos of which, wand pockets make for easy storage of skis or snow stakes, if you're that way inclined. The outer lid pocket is big and easy to use, swallowing hats, bars and more and is also extendible if you need to overload the pack. The big front pocket is ideal for stowing crampons and we like the design of the rope strap, which holds the rope in towards your back.
Overall it's hard to fault the MX50+10. We've got used to packs that use inward pulling belts, so the Attack's more conventional outward design felt slightly 'wrong', but it's hardly a deal breaker.
Verdict
Solid, unflashy and immensely capable year-round mountain pack that'll handle pretty much everything you can throw at it thanks to solid build quality and well thought through design. The simple back system is a deceptively good carry even when loaded up and the pack is very stable on your back with no swaying or bouncing around. And the adjustable back length means you should get an optimum fit.
Buy if you're looking for a tough, versatile, medium to large-ish capacity mountain pack which carries well and will cope with everything from skis through to summer mountain rock hardware
