I plan to do another Hehuan Mountain hike with JC next month here in Taiwan. We will stay in the SongXue Lodge and try to hit a few peaks. For the summits I wanted to take a running vest type roll-top backpack that is a little larger than the Salomon Active Skin 8 or Salomon S-Lab Sense Ultra 8 running vests which I had used when summiting from mountain cabins (Snow and Jade Mountains).
The Mammut Trion 15 L seems to be the perfect alpine daypack for my needs. I still like to use my soft flasks for hydration kept in front of a "vest." I also like my phone up front to take video. Additionally, there are small pockets for my snacks and gels without having to take off the pack. The 15 liter pack is large enough to take 3 liters of water, all my meals, a wind/rain jacket, rain pants, a ditty bag, head lamp, and even my puffy jacket (if needed). There is an inside mesh "wallet" pocket with key ring. The benefit of the roll-top is, as you go through water and food, you can roll it tighter to make for a smaller, less bulky pack.
On the outside of the pack are adjustable loops where you can attach your hiking poles or an ice ax. You can tighten up straps in several areas for a snug fit that won't bounce around.
With the roll-top closed and latched, I can still access items from the watertight zippers on the side. There is another waterproof pocket on the opposite side. See the video or Mammut's website for pricing.
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