32L Groden from Deuter: A Nearly Perfect Day Pack – Gear Review

"For everything it does perfectly, there's something else that's slightly botched. The 32L Groden from Deuter has the makings of a perfect pack but has a few undeniable misses that can be hard to ignore. The lack of load lifters makes the pack less than ideal for longer treks."

Clark Rasmussen

The Founder, author and primary proprietor of Stream & Steeple. Based in Upstate New York.

Very Few Things are Perfect.. The 32L Groden from Deuter

And such is the case with the The 32L Groden from Deuter (GRÖDEN), with an incredibly streamlined and simplistic design . This pack is incredibly well priced, versatile, and has made it through several iterations of production without facing discontinuation. I know multiple people who own versions of this pack and speak highly of it (although whether or not they use it often is a different story).

Let me start this whole thing off by saying I’m a huge fan of Deuter as a brand and I believe that their quality is unparalleled. Most of my packs are Deuters and my all time favorite (the 30L Futura) is one of their older discontinued models. This was also one of my first ever packs, and was the perfect choice for getting into Adirondack adventures.

Let me also say that I’ve taken this pack up at least 20 High Peaks and have relentlessly tortured this thing. It has all the marks and dings of a bag that has been through its paces and it has never disappointed in that regard. That being said, Kevin and I both have this pack and I can’t think of a time either of us have jumped to it for climb in at least a year or two.

A great way to think of the 32L Groden from Deuter is as a “jack of all trades, master of none.” As my inventory expanded, I found myself using it less and less. Let’s go over the pros and cons real quick for a better picture and broader understanding of the strengths and the minor pitfalls.

THE PROS:

To start things off, the 32L Groden from Deuter is perfectly sized. Deuter refers to this as the Air Comfort system, which still makes an appearance on newer lines to this day. The Bois and I have had our fair share of adventures and used plenty of different packs along the way. I’ve developed a pretty strong opinion the between 28L and 34L is the “Magic Size” for day pack. And when I say day pack I don’t mean 3 hours on a nice trail, I mean 12 hours in the back woods. The 32 liters available here are totally unencumbered by needless pockets and internal organization, the main pocket is top down, “bucket style” and completely open, allowing you to utilize the space however you see fit. The single top flap is the only entrance, meaning considerations for accessibility need to be made when packing.

Where it does have pockets, they are minimal, intuitive and make prefect sense, which can be a huge frustration in other packs, where thin membranes and useless pockets just take up space and stop you from packing effectively with larger items like extra layers for example. There are 5 pockets in total, two large side pouches, one smaller front pouch, and two on the top flap, one of which is on the outside and the other is one the inside. The top pockets are perfect for nick-naks and random gear, and the front pocket is also good for smaller items and snacks.

Although it may be controversial, the side pockets on this pack are arguable one of its greatest and most underrated features. In these modern times, exterior “pockets” with elastic bands or tie-downs are all the rage. The traditional outer pocket with a full zipper is virtually unheard of, yet its rigidity and easy access is incredibly convenient. There are people who will always prefer the more final side pouches with elastic support, but the actual zipper here makes the pack feel more secure and tightly packed.

Another one of my favorite features here, and something I’m always looking for now when shopping around, is a full off-the-back style frame. This is another one that can be hit or miss for some people, but I get far too sweaty not to have it. The mesh style allows for a level of breathability that you just don’t get from something with more touch points, a feature that becomes the most pressing in those June/July months up in the Adirondacks.

In some sense, the most attractive quality is the price, since, for less than $100, there are very few packs that are as well made and offer as much as this one does. For someone just getting into hiking and climbing, who wants a decent pack that isn’t going to break the bank, you could (and probably will), do much worse. This price point is unbeatable and incredibly budget friendly. If you’re looking for the best price and trying to work within a budget, you’re going to have to accept trade-offs somewhere, and the cons here are things you can get used to with a little time and gumption.

Other great features include an awesome built-in rain tarp, a hose loop on the chest strap and some useful emergency information on the inside of the top flap, there is also an elastic pouch on the inside of the main pocket that can be used for a bladder. The 32L Groden from Deuter has several other little quarks that make it a great day pack.

The bucket/duffle stye top opening here allows for a lot of packing space.

The Groden is a larger pack than pictures often make it seem.

THE CONS:

Let’s start with real issue here, a lack of load lifters on the shoulder straps makes this pack unsuitable for long treks, a feature that is in direct conflict with it’s ideal sizing. Any other cons on this pack are inconsequential in comparison. The inability to make proper adjustments to your load can be incredibly painful on your shoulders during those 8, 10 or 12 hour days. No amount of adjusting the pressure on the chest or waist strap will properly mount the pack to your shoulders, it is an unfortunate reality baked into the design.

Other minor issues are less of a bane but still marks against it’s overall score. The hip belt here is.. not great, thin and lacking in terms of general support. More padding and hip pockets that are commonly seen on other packs of this size would go a long way into making it significantly better. Not terrible, just not particularly great. This are some of the features that were likely shorted for a lower price on the pack.

The support for bladder use here is also fairly odd, since some features are included but others are not. For example; there is a pouch on the interior and a band for the bladder to be mounted, but no hole for the hose, meaning it just has to be lazily draped out of the side of the main pocket. For the 32L Groden from Deuter, none of this is a deal-breaker, just not particularly ideal and very goofy-looking.

In Conclusion: An Ideal Starter Pack

So if this is a pack I have, and almost never use anymore, could I still possibly recommend it? The answer is yes, with a simple caveat: if you’re on a budget and you can only have one, this would be an exceptional choice. One of the things that happens when you start to collect a lot of outdoor gear is that you tend to get things that are more and more specialized, leaving those generalized tools and gear in the grey area of good, but not as good, as something else. I have a 30L with better ergonomics, a 26L Alpine with snow show carrying capacity, a 13L short day pack and 65L for overnights…. the general purpose function of my 32L Groden from Deuter has been replaced with more specialized packs that I use more frequently.

As mentioned, Deuter is a favorite of mine, and their German engineering is truly unparalleled. They also have an incredibly renowned and robust warranty program and are deeply committed to environmental conservation. I would highly recommend perusing their inventory and seeing if they have something suited to your outdoor needs. Their flagship Futura line is very well made and has several sizes for nearly every use case. You can find an official link to the Groden here and online purchasing links from vendors here.