Neve Gear Wallaroo Pro 55L Ultralight Hiking Pack

I upgraded to a large Wallaroo Pro 55L from the old Wallaroo 50 v3 in a medium. It's a lot bigger, which was the goal — a better fit and more capacity for longer hikes. Its straps are also wider and have a lot more padding than the old model. But it did take a day or two to break in and feel comfortable and I didn't notice much of a change with the back padding.

While I used a pack liner, I didn't notice any water getting in after a few wet days. The large front pocket is also great for stuffing in a completely wet X-mid tent. While I liked the idea of the under pocket, I noticed it would get wet and dirty when you set the pack down. I mostly just used it for a small groundsheet for the tent entrance. The larger hip belt pockets are also great for storing all your snacks, a large phone, and even a whole bottle of Smidge.

If you're looking to take it on a plane, it would now be too large for carry-on. I used a cheap 80L duffel bag and it survived its long-haul trip in the hold fine.

On its first big test, it performed perfectly over 8 days on the West Highland Way in Scotland — and was a real head-turner among other hikers on the trail, sparking a few great conversations

I just wanted to write a quick review so those who are considering the pack have some more information.

I’ve just taken the pack away for the weekend and used it on the Main Range walk in Kosciuszko, where I carried approximately 13 kg.

Overall, my experience has been good. I opted for the large size pack, as my back measurements fell between both medium and large, and the guidance when I was buying online was to size up, so I did.

The pack feels good, the materials are good, and the shoulder straps are generally well-constructed and comfortable.

The hip belt pockets are easy to use and well designed for actual phones. The 4-way waist strap design works great and makes getting a good fit much easier. I imagine it works well for ladies as well. Personally, I wish there was a bit more waist padding. However, in its current state, it’s still good and is what you would expect for a lightweight backpack.

The pack is comfortable to put on and has the range of adjustment you would expect from this style of pack. I find the back comfort foam okay. It’s not a game changer, but I find it nice to have, as it keeps your back off the Ultra 200X fabric.

The snack pocket on the underside of the bag works well, but I do wonder about the long-term durability of this approach. No issues thus far, just wanted to point it out. I believe it is similar to Atom packs, so might be worth seeing how those packs have been holding up if its an area of concern.

The front pocket on the pack is massive and can hold heaps, I think I now prefer it to the mesh pockets found on many other packs.

Things to note: I did notice a few loose threads ends that hadn’t been snipped off, but I don’t think that will impact the functionality of the backpack just a bit disappointing for the price and a first production run impression.

Also, due to the nature of going ultralight, the adjustment straps used across the pack were quite difficult adjust at first, but as you use them more, they become easier to move around.

Overall, I would recommend this backpack. The pack seems like a mix of the Durston Kakwa and Atom Pack, in a good way. It is also a bit cheaper when considering equivalent fabric.

Best hiking pack ever. Well thought through. Sits perfectly.

I just used this pack on the Overland Track in for 8 days and it went reasonably well. Having said that I have never had a pack I didn't have to carry. :-) I also have a Durston Kakwa 55 and it is very similar. The waist harness and shoulder straps seem to be constructed a bit lighter but was OK. Max weight carried was almost 18 Kg. I wouldn't want to carry much more, but as we all know the weight will only get less as we eat some food. I wouldn’t have fitted any more gear anyway.
The bottom pocket soaks up water as you would expect so it is good and bad. Handy for rubbish. I use a pack cover to try and keep the mud off everything, so that helps. The side and front pockets are a nice size. I fitted some shock cord on the front for extra quick access external storage.
I used a large. The back length felt a just a tad long for me. I'm 175cm tall, back length falls in the large range of the pack. Maybe the medium would have been better. Bit hard to know until you get it. A third back length might be a good idea.
But overall, it performed as you would expect from this type of pack. Not perfect for everyone. Neve Gear stated it has a 3-year warranty. Time will tell on its construction.

Great pack, very light. Quite good value when you compare it to the Kakwa 55L or Hyperlite mountain gear.