Very consciously built to a weight rating, this 32-litre rucksack comes in at just 650g. The closest rivals in the same mould (which include models such as the Lowe Alpine Peak Attack and the Montane Medusa 32) are roughly half as heavy again. The question is, how much does the Scopi sacrifice to get down to that figure? The answer is: quite a lot.
Minimalist climbers will be thrilled by the Scopi's design - it has a huge, untrammelled main compartment secured by both zip and roll-top fastenings; hydration pack compatibility; a removable hip belt; dual ice axe loops and (equally removable) top fixing straps. The build is tall and narrow, so ideal for climbing or scrambling; and you can even remove the aluminium stays and padding to get the weight down even further.
However, the shoulder straps and belts sacrifice suppleness, comfort and padding to get there, while the back system is also a relatively thin pad system. The attachment of ice axes also feels neater and more secure on many of its main competitors. This wasn't due to lack of technical knowledge from Vaude, but rather a conscious choice to keep that weight down to such a record-setting level.
The siliconised 40D ripstop fabric and well-strengthened material on the sides and bottom is rugged, although the durability of some of the zips is questionable (we broke one of the inner examples early on in testing). But the body of the bag should prove up to the long-term task of alpine climbing or simply lightweight walking.
In conclusion: if you're counting grams then this will prove a highly tempting option for super lightweight tours, climbs and scrambles. If you value comfort above weight, then you may find its minimal design a little too uncompromising.
