MEC SERRATUS Pace UL 40 Review

I’ve never been obsessed with truly ultralight gear, but I can see the benefits of keeping my stuff lighter. Ultimately, I can be faster, more agile, and more efficient on the trail. Of course, there should always be a balance between being light, durable, and comfortable – and this is usually a place where ultralight gear (especially taken to the extreme) often fails. Some designers forget that carrying comfort is not only about the weight of a backpack. And also, the longevity of equipment is an essential factor for the users too.

MEC (Mountain Equipment Company) is not only a big Canadian retailer of outdoor gear from all over the world, but also they design and sell their own line of mountain equipment, under the MEC brand naturally. Designed by MEC, produced for MEC, with their own supervision, material choice, and quality control. And the MEC SERRATUS Pace UL 40 is an excellent example of that approach.

Design

Looks

The Serratus 40 is a cross-over pack with an ultralight-styled main sack and a modern trail-running vest-like suspension. It’s available only in a white color scheme, which enhances that pure ultralight look. With its tall, slim, roll-top design it just screams “I’m a modern mountaineer’s tool of trade!” It’s clearly an attractive and up-to-date-looking pack.

Construction

I will not dive into all the technical details of the pack itself – you can find all specs online. But still, I checked the weight of the package to check the honesty of MEC in the product description… and it tipped the scale at 989 grams, which is perfectly in line with the advertised value of 992 grams. This might be the most accurate score I’ve ever seen in the pack industry. Now, some of you might say, “Wait, that is quite lightweight for 40 liters, but not truly ultralight.” But that weight includes all the features you won’t find in a hardcore ultralight pack: a fully padded waist belt with a zipper pocket on each side, a breathable padded back panel, wide and well-padded shoulder straps with multiple pockets, and last but not least – a full frame sheet with adjustable (bendable) aluminum stay, which you can remove to save 200 grams and make the Serratus 40 genuinely ultralight.

Materials and Hardware

The main material is a nylon and Spectra blend with a TPU coating, so essentially a Dyneema fabric, which is a perfect recipe for good weather resistance and durability. And indeed the Serratus is robust enough for rocky mountaineering. As expected all hardware is made of plastic, which is not bad… but some of these tiny buckles look really fragile. That’s the price you pay if you want to join the ultralight club. So… just be careful, and don’t step on those buckles. But anyway, I spent an entire week in rocky terrain in the Tatra Mountains with this pack on my back, and I even used it to explore local caverns. The Serratus held up great, without any damage – it just got a bit dirty from muddy water after crawling through the cramped caves. That white limestone mud residue was most visible on the black parts of the pack (webbings, harness, etc.) and entirely blended with the white/gray outer fabric. But other than dirt the pack is as good as new.

Features

If we consider low weight a feature, that’s the number one characteristic of the Serratus 40. Despite that low weight, multiple pockets are present on the pack (more on that in the next paragraph). It’s hydration compatible too – but make sure your hydration kit is a lightweight variant; my military Source system with an insulated hose (heavy) was a bit overkill for this pack (but as always worked like a champ).

There’s also a dedicated backpack Recco reflector built into the Serratus 40… which could be considered a controversial decision under some circumstances. If the pack is used for summer hiking in non-avalanche terrain, the built-in Recco can be used to find lost hikers in the wild (in a forest, between rocks, etc.). Also, if combined with other Recco reflectors, it gives much better signal reflection than just one unit. It makes sense, especially on long multi-day trails or thru-hikes, when finding a person without Recco in a forest-covered or rocky area can be a real challenge otherwise. But in winter conditions, Recco (just like an avalanche beacon) should be rather worn on a body, jacket, belt, or vest. If you’re about to be caught by a rushing avalanche, you should first drop the pack – otherwise, it will work in snow like an anchor. And if you drop a Recco-equipped one, the rescue team might start digging into the snow to find your backpack instead of you. So check with your local mountain rescue team what they recommend, what are the actual conditions on a trail, and what kind of Recco spotting equipment they use. A final note: Recco can help, but it can’t be considered a substitute for an active avalanche beacon in the winter or something like Garmin InReach during long hikes as an actual rescue signaling device. An avalanche kit (active beacon, shovel, and probe) is a must when mountaineering in snowy conditions.

Another small but essential feature is a set of side bungee compression cords with hooks, which give a lot of freedom when strapping gear to the outside or when adjusting the pack’s volume for the final summit climb. I really like that system on the Serratus – it works well with many different pieces of equipment. Add to this two daisy chains along the front mesh pocket, and you can easily attach trekking poles or carabiners to the Serratus. And last but not least – there’s a Y-shaped set of webbing straps on top of the pack, which keeps the rolled section tight and allows you to carry a climbing rope or similar stuff under that webbing.

Performance

Space and Access

It’s a spacious pack – the Serratus gives you a true 40L volume, while many ultralight pack companies add side pockets and fully stretched mesh pockets to the total volume of the pack. So your ‘other’ 40L pack could be even below 30L in the main sack. Of course, it’s almost impossible to check the exact volume of the main body, but it feels like 35+ liters easily. It’s a top-loader with roll-top closure, so you should be careful what and where you load into the pack. Otherwise, digging into your pack to find what you need might be frustrating. The pack opens fully on top, so access is not bad, actually. And even the smallest gear is easily visible inside the pack thanks to its white color.

Pockets and Organizing

An internal hydration pocket (could be used for a map too), two pockets on the waist belt, a zipper pocket for valuables, a front mesh pocket on the pack, and two side pockets – it’s a good storage and organization combo for an ultralight pack. I usually carried small EDC items in the waist belt pockets, a bladder in a hydration sleeve inside, car keys and a wallet in the top zipper pocket, and trekking poles outside. One remark – those side ‘bottle’ pockets are long but relatively narrow (without any stretch), so they are more suited for slim items like soft bottles, tent poles, etc. than for a bulky canteen or hefty 32 oz. Nalgene. But still I was able to squeeze a Grayl UltraPress filtering bottle in there. It’s also a good spot for trekking poles – it’s faster than using webbing loops and bungee attachments and prevents snagging rock with the poles when scrambling in rocky terrain.

The front mesh pocket is big enough for a rain jacket or some other clothing or items, which I need quick access to. I also used it to dry my gear after a short summer drizzle. However, that mesh is not stretchy, which makes it very durable… but also not as spacious as I thought at first glance. The pocket opening could also be wider, to make it easier to load oversized items.

And finally, all four pockets in the shoulder harness – I used one for a soft water bottle, the other one for sunglasses, another for a lightweight knife, and the last one for some snacks. In contrast, they are really stretchy; no complaints at all here.

Comfort

Surprise, surprise! It’s a genuinely comfy ultralight pack! Padded suspension, mesh back panel, vest-like shoulder harness with double sternum cord, and load lifters – it’s a fully spec’d out harness. The Serratus also has long shoulder straps with enough adjustment for anyone – that is crucial for winter use over a puffy jacket, especially if you’re tall. And if you find them too long – roll them and attach them with a rubber band – it’s an easy fix. And finally, there’s an easy-to-adjust waist belt with two padded side panels so you can tighten it and put a lot of weight directly on your hips. As I said – it’s a superbly comfortable pack, which I had usually loaded with anything between 16 and 24 lbs of gear. Any negatives? Well, I’d prefer to have the option to remove the hip belt altogether for a final summit attack with just bare essentials in the pack, but that would surely add another 70-80 grams to the total weight: extra buckles, webbing, velcro and actual belt also behind the back.

Weatherability

The seams are not taped, which is the only thing I’d wish for. Still, it’s a very weather-resistant pack. I had it in light summer rain, and it held up great without any leaks, so snowfall during winter mountaineering won’t cause any problems either. Sure, in a heavy storm the Serratus would certainly let some water in through stitching lines. So if rain is in the air, just protect your gear inside in an easy way – it’s a top-loader without side access, so a simple 40L plastic bag inside solves all issues without sacrificing any functionality. A rain cover is not something I’d recommend for this sort of pack.

Verdict

When choosing a pack, it’s up to you if you prioritize only the pack’s weight or you put more weight (pun intended) on features like carry comfort, pockets, durability, and price. The Serratus 40 delivers a good mix of all these features, plus very good materials and manufacturing. It’s made in Vietnam to keep the cost reasonably down, and at $189.95 (CAD) is a pretty good deal if you’re looking for a new lightweight hiking daypack or even a weekend pack if you stick just to essentials in gear choice. It’s comfortable to carry throughout the whole day in the mountains and durable enough for tough rocky terrain. The color scheme looks good and modern, so if you’re not too picky about the colors, this pack should be on your shortlist when looking for a new mountaineering backpack.

Thanks to our friends at MEC for this sponsored article.