Rab is a brand most people meet through its jackets and sleeping bags, not its rucksacks. That changed in 2025, when Rab relaunched its entire pack range from the ground up, replacing a patchy older line-up with a proper family of packs that runs from a sub-600g fast day pack to a 65 litre expedition hauler. This is a research-based guide to that new range, built from Rab's own specifications, retailer listings and the first wave of editorial coverage, laid out by what each pack is actually for so you can find yours quickly.
If you already know and trust Rab from its insulation, the pack range now carries the same design signature: hard-wearing technical fabrics, considered carry systems and a clear sense of what each model is meant to do. Below I run through the packs by category, with a short spec block, who each suits and an honest pick per group, then a buying guide and an FAQ at the end. For the brand itself, the guarantee and whether the prices are justified, see the Rab brand review.
What Rab packs are about
Rab's design ethos on packs mirrors what it does with clothing: pick the right technical fabric for the job, build it to last, and keep the feature list purposeful rather than bloated. Across the 2025 range you see the same materials logic repeating.
The core shell fabrics are Robic and Cordura ripstop nylons, finished with Rab's Hydroshield coating for weather resistance, with the tougher packs stepping up to heavier deniers and the ultralight Muon using a Spectra reinforced weave for strength at low weight. A large share of the fabric in the day packs is recycled, and Rab carries its wider sustainability position (B Corp, PFC-free treatments) across the pack line too.
The other half of the story is the carry system, and Rab gives its packs different backs for different jobs. The day packs use the Air Contour system, a close-fitting moulded back panel with adjustable length on the Protium. The Airox gets the ventilated Aerofit suspended mesh back for hot days. The big trekking packs use the fully adjustable V-TRAX system to dial in torso length and carry heavy loads. Matching the back to the job is most of what choosing a Rab pack comes down to.
The 2025 relaunch at a glance
The relaunch splits into four clear jobs. Here is the whole range in one view before we go through it.
- Day packs
- Protium (18 to 35L), Nitron (12 to 25L), Airox (18 to 30L)
- Everyday and commute
- Adrift (24 and 30L), Tygen (6 to 22L)
- Ultralight backpacking
- Muon (40 and 50L)
- Multi-day and expedition
- Exion (35 to 65L), Hyperon (50 to 80L)
- Fast and waterproof
- Veil XP running and fast-hiking packs (20 and 30L)
- Carry systems
- Air Contour (day), Aerofit ventilated (Airox), Tri-Flex (Muon), V-TRAX adjustable (Exion, Hyperon)
- Fit options
- Standard plus Narrow Dimensions (ND) fits for smaller frames on most models
Most models also come in a Narrow Dimensions (ND) version, Rab's fit for smaller frames, which is worth knowing if the standard back length has never sat right on you. This guide focuses on the packs most UK hikers will be choosing between; the Veil XP running packs are a separate fast-and-light story we will cover elsewhere.
Day packs: Protium, Nitron and Airox
This is where most people will buy, and Rab sensibly splits the day-pack job three ways: an all-round load carrier (Protium), a fast and light minimalist pack (Nitron) and a ventilated hot-weather pack (Airox). Pick by how you walk, not just by litres.
Protium 35 (our day pack pick)
The Protium is the flagship of the new range and the Rab day pack I would point most UK hikers at first. The 35 litre version is the sweet spot for a full day on the hill: enough room for waterproofs, insulation, food, water and the bits a British day out demands, without tipping over into an oversized weekend pack.
What makes it the pick is the carry system. The Protium uses Rab's Air Contour back with a vacuum-formed, precurved ABS back panel and an adjustable back length (roughly 48 to 53cm), so you can tune it to your torso rather than accept a fixed fit. The shell is a Hydroshield-coated Robic ripstop with close to half the fabric recycled, and it ships with a removable rain cover, a proper hip belt and multiple pockets. At around 1.15kg it is not ultralight, but it is not trying to be; it is a comfortable, adjustable, hard-wearing daypack in the mould of an Osprey Talon.
If you want one Rab pack for general UK day hiking, coast path, downland and hill days alike, this is it. It sits directly against the Osprey Talon 33 and the Osprey Stratos 36 in the best hiking backpacks guide, and on paper it matches them for adjustability and features.
- Volume
- 35L (also 18, 20, 25, 27 and 33L ND options)
- Weight
- ~1.15kg
- Back system
- Air Contour, adjustable back length (~48 to 53cm), moulded ABS panel
- Fabric
- Hydroshield-coated Robic ripstop nylon, ~49% recycled
- Features
- Removable rain cover, hip belt, multiple pockets, pole attachment
- Fit options
- Standard and Narrow Dimensions (ND)
- UK price
- ~£130 RRP
An all-round adjustable daypack for full UK hill and coast days. The Rab to buy if you want one do-everything pack.
Read our full Rab Protium 35 review
The Protium 35 is on Amazon UK, though as a 2025 model the listings are recent and review counts are thin. A Blacks (Awin) option can sit alongside the Amazon link.
Nitron 25
The Nitron is the fast-and-light day pack, and the 25 litre is the pick of the three sizes for a hiker who wants to move quickly. Rab has borrowed from running-vest design here: a frameless, body-hugging Air Contour harness with a double elasticated chest strap that stretches as you breathe and keeps the load stable and bounce-free at pace. It stays impressively light at around 596g for a 25 litre pack.
The detailing is aimed at moving rather than lingering. There are flask pockets and a zipped pocket on the harness for on-the-go access, a hydration sleeve sized for a 3 litre reservoir with a pass-through on the shoulder strap, and both standard and z-pole carry. The shell mixes a 100D Robic ripstop with a heavier 70D by 140D nylon in the wear zones, both Hydroshield or Trishield coated.
The trade-off against the Protium is support and adjustability. The Nitron is frameless with a fixed back, so it is happiest with a light, well-packed load rather than a heavy or awkward one, and it has no adjustable back length. If you like to cover ground fast on trail and value a stable, close-fitting pack over outright carrying capacity, this is the Rab for you. If you routinely carry a heavy day load, choose the Protium.
- Volume
- 25L (also 12 and 18L)
- Weight
- ~596g (Medium), ~558g (Small)
- Back system
- Air Contour, frameless, running-vest-style double chest strap
- Fabric
- 100D Robic ripstop and 70D x 140D nylon, Hydroshield/Trishield coated
- Features
- Harness flask and zip pockets, 3L hydration sleeve, z-pole and standard pole carry
- Fit options
- Small and Medium back lengths
- UK price
- ~£95 RRP (often ~£80)
Fast, light day hiking and long trail days where a stable, close-fitting pack matters more than carrying capacity.
The Nitron 25 is on Amazon UK (recent listing, thin reviews). A Blacks (Awin) option can accompany the Amazon link.
Airox 24
The Airox is the hot-weather specialist, and the answer to the one thing a close-fitting pack cannot do: keep your back cool. It uses Rab's Aerofit back, a suspended mesh panel that holds the pack body off your back and lets air flow through the gap, which is the same trampoline-mesh idea behind the Osprey Hikelite 26 and the ventilated Stratos. On a sweaty summer climb that airflow is the difference between a damp back and a comfortable one.
At 24 litres it is a short-to-full day size, built from a 140D ripstop nylon, with a perforated harness, an easy-access chest pocket, soft-flask storage and compatibility with a 2 litre reservoir. It weighs around 850g, a little more than the Nitron, which is the price you pay for the suspended-mesh structure.
Pick the Airox if you overheat, walk in warm weather, or simply hate a clammy back more than you mind a few extra grams. If your walking is cool and wet, the close-contact Protium or Nitron will carry a load more efficiently, so this is a pack you choose for climate rather than as a default.
- Volume
- 24L (also 18 and 30L in the range)
- Weight
- ~850g
- Back system
- Aerofit suspended ventilated mesh
- Fabric
- 140D ripstop nylon
- Features
- Perforated harness, chest pocket, soft-flask storage, 2L hydration compatible
- Fit options
- Standard; women's and ND options in the wider Airox line
- UK price
- ~£115 (see note; not confirmed on Amazon UK)
Hot-weather and summer day hiking where back ventilation matters more than a body-hugging fit.
Everyday and commute: Adrift and Tygen
Not every Rab pack is for the hill. The Adrift and Tygen are the crossover packs, built to move between the office, the commute and lighter outdoor use, with laptop protection and town-friendly styling rather than full trail carry systems.
Adrift 30
The Adrift 30 is Rab's multi-activity commute-and-crossover pack, designed to go from the office to a post-work walk without looking out of place in either. Note that despite what you may read elsewhere, this is not a roll-top; it is a panel-loading pack with a zipped top pocket and a zipped front compartment, built around a 15 inch padded laptop sleeve and an internal tablet sleeve.
The build is a hard-wearing 210D nylon ripstop with a Hydroshield Dura coating, so it shrugs off a rainy commute, and it weighs around 713g. The carry is a simple padded back panel with a removable hip belt, side mesh bottle pockets, external lashing points, a bike-light loop and an internal security pocket with a key clip. It is a genuinely useful daily pack that will also handle a gentle day walk, rather than a technical hiking pack.
Buy it if you want one bag for commuting, work and occasional light outdoor use. For anything involving a real load or rough ground, one of the day packs above is the right tool.
- Volume
- 30L (also 24L)
- Weight
- ~713g
- Back system
- Padded back panel, removable hip belt
- Fabric
- 210D nylon ripstop, Hydroshield Dura coating
- Features
- 15in laptop sleeve, tablet sleeve, side bottle pockets, bike-light loop, security pocket
- Closure
- Zipped top pocket and front compartment (panel loader, not roll-top)
- UK price
- ~£90 RRP (often ~£75)
Commuting and everyday carry with laptop protection, plus the odd light day walk. One bag for work and weekends.
The Adrift 30 is on Amazon UK (recent listing, thin reviews). A Blacks (Awin) option can accompany the Amazon link.
Tygen 22
The Tygen is the lighter, more pared-back everyday pack, topping out at 22 litres and sitting below the Adrift in both size and structure. It is a lightweight, breathable daypack pitched at travel, commuting and light hiking, with an Air Contour back using padded mesh and ventilation channels, a removable hip belt and a sternum strap. At around 505g it is the lightest pack in this guide bar the running-focused models.
It is the pack for someone who wants a tidy, comfortable town-and-trail daypack for lighter loads: a day in the city, a travel carry-on companion, a short local walk. It does not have the laptop-focused organisation of the Adrift or the load-carrying back of the Protium, and it is not meant to. As a light, versatile everyday bag it does the job cleanly.
- Volume
- 22L (also 6, 12 and 18L)
- Weight
- ~505g
- Back system
- Air Contour, padded mesh with ventilation channels
- Fabric
- Lightweight ripstop nylon
- Features
- Removable hip belt, sternum strap, breathable back
- Fit options
- Standard
- UK price
- ~£65 RRP
A light, breathable everyday and travel daypack for smaller loads, city days and short walks.
Ultralight: Muon 50
The Muon is Rab's ultralight backpacking pack, and it is the model to feature if you are moving from day walks to lightweight multi-day trips without wanting the weight of a traditional expedition pack. The 50 litre carries a genuine multi-day load while keeping the pack itself down to around 950g, which is remarkable for the volume.
The clever part is the fabric. The Muon uses a Spectra ripstop, a grid of high-strength polyethylene fibres woven into a 210 denier Cordura nylon base and finished with Hydroshield, giving a strength-to-weight ratio a standard nylon cannot match. The carry is Rab's Tri-Flex system, a close-fitting wraparound harness with a shaped lumbar pad and a supportive hip belt, and the lid is removable so you can strip weight for shorter trips. It is hydration-compatible for a 3 litre reservoir.
This is a pack for the hiker who counts grams and packs light: fastpacking, lightweight wild camping and long-distance trails where you have your kit weight under control. It is not a load-hauler; if you carry a heavy or bulky multi-day load, the Exion or Hyperon below are the right packs. Note that within the Muon line, the 50 is the one on Amazon UK; the smaller Muon 40 currently appears only via third-party sellers there, so the 50 is the cleaner buy.
- Volume
- 50L (Muon 40 also in the line)
- Weight
- ~950g
- Back system
- Tri-Flex wraparound harness, shaped lumbar pad, supportive hip belt
- Fabric
- Spectra ripstop woven with 210D Cordura nylon, Hydroshield finish
- Features
- Removable lid, 3L hydration sleeve, multiple lid pockets
- Fit options
- Standard and women's ND50
- UK price
- ~£240 (see note)
Lightweight multi-day backpacking, fastpacking and wild camping for hikers who keep their kit weight down.
Read our full Rab Muon 50 review
The Muon 50 is on Amazon UK (recent listing, thin reviews). A Blacks (Awin) option can accompany the Amazon link.
Multi-day: Exion 55 and Hyperon 65
For heavier and longer trips, Rab splits the job in two. The Exion is the streamlined multi-day trekking pack; the Hyperon is the load-hauling expedition pack. Both use the fully adjustable V-TRAX back to set torso length and carry weight properly, which is what separates them from the fixed-back day packs.
Exion 55
The Exion 55 is the pack for multi-day trekking when the miles stretch out and you want a comfortable, adjustable carry without excess bulk. The V-TRAX system lets you dial in the back length, the harness and hip belt are well padded for sustained loads, and larger models in the line add a U-shaped front zip for easy access to the main compartment. It weighs around 1.92kg in the 55, which is reasonable for an adjustable pack of this size. This is the sensible choice for UK backpacking, hut-to-hut trekking and multi-day trails where you need 55 litres but are not hauling a full expedition kit.
- Volume
- 55L (35 to 65L across the Exion line, with ND options)
- Weight
- ~1.92kg (M/L)
- Back system
- V-TRAX fully adjustable
- Features
- Padded harness and hip belt, front-zip access on larger models, low-bulk design
- Fit options
- Standard and Narrow Dimensions (ND)
- UK price
- ~£230 RRP
Multi-day trekking and UK backpacking with a controlled load, where adjustable comfort matters over several days.
The Exion 55 is on Amazon UK (recent listing, thin reviews). A Blacks (Awin) option can accompany the Amazon link.
Hyperon 65
The Hyperon 65 is the biggest, most feature-heavy pack in the range, built for long-distance treks in remote regions and the heaviest loads Rab expects a walker to carry. It shares the V-TRAX adjustable back but adds far more storage and organisation, and it weighs around 2.46kg, which reflects the harness structure needed to carry serious weight comfortably. This is the pack for expedition-style trips, extended remote treks and anyone who genuinely needs 65 litres of well-supported capacity. For most UK backpacking the Exion is the more sensible size; the Hyperon is for when the trip and the load are genuinely big.
- Volume
- 65L (50 to 80L across the Hyperon line, with ND options)
- Weight
- ~2.46kg (M/L)
- Back system
- V-TRAX fully adjustable
- Features
- Extensive storage and organisation, heavy-load harness and hip belt
- Fit options
- Standard and Narrow Dimensions (ND)
- UK price
- ~£290 RRP
Expedition and long-distance remote trekking with heavy loads that need a fully supportive carry system.
Read our full Rab Hyperon 65 review
The Hyperon 65 is on Amazon UK (recent listing, thin reviews). A Blacks (Awin) option can accompany the Amazon link.
Rab packs at Blacks
Prices pulled live from Blacks, updated daily. Links are affiliate links.
Rab Protium 6L Belt Pack
£44
Rab Nitron 18L Daypack
£80
Rab Nitron Lightweight Pack 25L
£95
Rab Nitron 25L Lightweight Pack
£90
Rab Nitron Lightweight Pack 18L
£85
Rab Tygen 12 Daypack
£55
Rab Airox 18L Day Pack Backpack
£90
Rab Protium 27L Daypack
£130
Rab Veil 1L Belt Pack
£35
Rab Nitron 18L Lightweight Pack
£75
Rab Nitron 12L Lightweight Pack
£65
Rab Airox 18L Day Pack
£90
How to choose a Rab pack
Start with volume, then match the back system to how and where you walk.
Under 25 litres covers short walks, fast days and commuting: the Nitron, Tygen or the smaller Airox and Protium sizes. 25 to 35 litres is the full UK day-hike bracket, where the Protium 35 sits, with the Nitron 25 for fast-and-light and the Airox for hot weather. 40 to 55 litres moves into lightweight and standard multi-day, the Muon 50 for grams-counted trips and the Exion 55 for a supported load. 65 litres and up is expedition territory, which is the Hyperon.
Then choose the back for the job. Air Contour is the close-fitting day-pack back for general use. Aerofit is the ventilated mesh back for hot days. Tri-Flex is the ultralight wraparound on the Muon. V-TRAX is the fully adjustable heavy-load back on the Exion and Hyperon. If a fixed back length has never sat comfortably on you, look for the Narrow Dimensions (ND) fit, which most models offer.
If you want a wider field than one brand, the best hiking backpacks UK 2026 guide compares the Protium's natural rivals, the Osprey Talon 33, Stratos 36 and Hikelite 26, across the same use cases.
A note on buying a brand-new range
One honest point worth making. Because Rab relaunched these packs in 2025, there is very little independent, long-term test data on them yet, and on Amazon UK most listings are recent, often sold by third-party sellers, and carry thin or zero review counts. That is not a mark against the packs; it is simply where a new range sits in its first year.
What we can judge is the design and the specification, and on both counts these look like well-thought-out packs from a brand with a strong record on materials and build quality, backed by the Rab guarantee covered in the brand review. If you like to wait for a body of owner reviews before committing, that is a fair reason to hold off for a season. If you are happy to buy on specification and brand, the range covers the jobs cleanly. Where a pack is thin on UK availability, buying from an established retailer like Blacks rather than a marketplace third party is the safer route.
Frequently asked questions
Are Rab backpacks any good?
Which Rab daypack should I buy?
What is the difference between the Rab Exion and Hyperon?
Is the Rab Muon 50 an ultralight pack?
Are Rab packs available on Amazon UK?
Is the Rab Adrift 30 a roll-top backpack?
Found this useful?
Coast & Fell is independent and reader-supported. If something here saved you time or a bad buy, you can buy me a coffee. Thank you, from Maple and me.
