Black Diamond Speed 40L Backpack
Our tried-and-true on-route alpine pack, proven everywhere from the Canadian Rockies to the Fitz Roy massif, the Black Diamond Speed is designed for lightweight performance on rock, snow and ice objectives the world over. Featuring an updated BD X-rip 210d fabric with UTS™ coating, the new Speed is built to withstand season after season of mountain abuse. The pack is also fully strippable with a removable waistbelt, lid and frame-sheet, for minimalizing your set-up. We’ve improved the comfort as well with a moisture-wicking, updated back-panel and redesigned shoulder straps of dual-density foam for better load distribution on the approach while remaining streamlined on route. Ice tool PickPockets™ now feature a new custom metal dogbone ice tool attachment, boosting ice tool security, plus the snag-free crampon straps and a tuck-away rope strap secure gear to the outside. Surface-mounted glove-friendly main hood-buckles are a new addition and the drawcord skirt provides easy access and keeps out spindrift and light precip.
Details
- Item #BLDZ9WJ
This item is made with PFAS chemicals and cannot be shipped to some states. View Shipping Policy
- Material
- 210D nylon ripstop, 420D nylon, UTS coating
- Volume
- [small/medium] 38L (2319cu in), [medium/large] 40L (2440cu in)
- Support/Suspension
- thermoformed backpanel, removable framesheet / bivy pad
- Shoulder Straps
- padded, contoured
- Waist Belt
- removable
- Hydration Compatible
- yes
- Access
- top-loading drawcord skirt
- Pockets
- 1 zippered lid
- Gear Loops
- tuckaway rope strap, 2 hipbelt gear loops
- Ice Axe Carry
- custom dogbone ice tool attachment, Pickpockets, removable 20mm crampon straps
- Compression
- 2 side
- Rain Cover
- sold separately
- Dimensions
- [small/medium] 24 x 13 x 8in
- Claimed Weight
- [small/medium] 2lb 8oz, [medium/large] 2lb 9oz
- Activity
- hike & camp
- Manufacturer Warranty
- 2 year
Reviews
Q&A
What do you think about this product?
Overall Rating
4.5 based on 24 ratings
Review Summary
Customer Images
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Selecting an option will reload the available reviews on the pageAugust 11, 2025
This is an excellent backpack
This is an excellent backpack — exactly what I needed. It’s lightweight, and the material looks durable and sturdy. Perfect for working on the route. The only downside is that when it’s fully packed and you have a helmet on, it’s hard to look upward — but that’s an issue with almost every backpack when it’s fully loaded. My recommendation: this backpack is perfect for its intended purpose. I like that it doesn’t have unnecessary pockets or straps — it’s wonderfully practical.
Originally reviewed on blackdiamondequipment.com
July 23, 2025
Pretty Fair Design; Pretty Poor Durability
I rate the design at 4/5; durability at 2/5. The drawstring system for getting into the top of the pack is unnecessarily fussy. The crampons straps don’t have fastex buckles, which means that the only thing that secures crampons to this pack is compression; you can’t thread the straps thru crampon bales, so the crampons are constantly at risk of slipping the grasp of the straps. Nobody wants to experience dropping their crampons off the back of this pack in the backcountry. On the topic of durability, I like the lightweight design of this pack, but I wore thru the bottom of the back pad in about a year of use, principally cragging, and now the bottom corners of the plastic back sheet (stay) are poking out of the bottom of the back pad and are digging into the back of my hips. The Mission line’s fabric might be a better choice for this pack.
Originally reviewed on blackdiamondequipment.com
June 17, 2025
Perfect all around for long day hikes
This is the perfect all rounder backpack. I am extremely impressed with the quality and thought that went into every accessory on the pack. The speed 40 is not meant for multi-day function, but the speed 55 would be perfect. This pack performs perfectly on any mountain condition. It’s comfortable, super light, and easily adjustable to fit your body type. I would highly recommend, I feel that the speed series is one of the best packs black diamond has ever produced.
Originally reviewed on blackdiamondequipment.com
March 28, 2025
Great All Around Backpack
This backpack has so many features and is awesome overall. I will say, one issue is how low the bottom back frame goes. It rests on my lower back making me worried to carry a lot of weight in it. I tried adjusting the straps to make it sit better, but it’s just a little too long. I compared it to my osprey and the bottom of their frames is rounded up and shorter to prevent lower back rubbing.
Originally reviewed on blackdiamondequipment.com
January 23, 2025
Mountaineering backpack
Great backpack for hiking/mountaineering/alpinism. Very strong build, feels like it'll last a lifetime
Originally reviewed on blackdiamondequipment.com
December 18, 2024
Phenomenal pack
Love the simplicity of this pack and very comfortable. Fits a lot more than expected and great for stayin on the move!
Originally reviewed on blackdiamondequipment.com
December 16, 2024
First Alpine pack- LOVE
I bought this for my first mountaineering excursion. A nearly 9000 foot elevation in Patagonia of Cerro Creston. Held my crampons and ice axe perfectly during the 1 hr+ hike to the base of the mountain and super comfortable to wear. Love the attached gear loops around the waist band. Side straps held my mountaineer boots very solidly until needed. Functional, lightweight, simplistic, and efficient.
Originally reviewed on blackdiamondequipment.com
September 4, 2024
One pack to rule them all...ALMOST.
There's a lot to love about the Speed 40. It's the perfect size for overnight objectives - I've used similar packs for up to five days. The fabric feels light but is durable. The hip belt has the perfect amount of padding to carry the load that the pack is capable of. It hikes and climbs extremely well. I've come back around to really wanting a lid - everything I keep in the over/under pockets are things that I am forced to keep in stuff sacks in packs without a lid. And those stuff sacks inevitable drop lower in the pack throughout the day and become less accessible. I would prefer it have a single lid buckle like the Speed 30 - so much that I went ahead and also bought the Speed 30 and switched lids, which required me to add a loop through the ice axe pick sleeve to attach the single-buckle strap from the Speed 30. I also wish the lids were somehow fixed to the pack, eliminating two straps that flap around in the wind to slap me in the face. I'm actually looking for a hook attachment (S-carabiners are probable the most likely) that I can then remove these straps altogether. I don't like overpacking, and when I do I can usually strap things onto the outside (on the compression straps) or over the top of the entire pack. I also wish it had lower ice axe velcro straps, or the ability to remove and adjust the velcro. All of my ice axes of choice are the shortest available on the market, and I can actually slip them out of the velcro while the pick is still secured in the sleeve. A cord daisy running down the outside of the pack from the current velcro to the pick would be perfect. The crampons straps are superfluous for most of my use and the aforementioned cord daisy would give me the option to strap crampons, helmets, or whatever else on the outside. Thanks for making them removable - that was the first thing I did when I started adjusting the pack. Finally - I do wish the side compression straps were removable too. Like a certain competitors' pack (their name rhymes with "Blue Dice") these could be easily removed, stowed, and brought out when needed. This pack is good enough to replace my previous 40L, and I'm happy enough with the lid switch to be satisfied with purchasing both. I'm even considering doing some DIY / warranty canceling work on the pack to make these changes that I outlined above, because the rest of the pack is Just That Good. It only needs a few more tweaks to really be the One That Rules Them All.
Originally reviewed on blackdiamondequipment.com
September 1, 2024
Awesome Pack!
This pack has everything you’ll need, rock snow or ice. Fantastic product! Shoulder strap adjustments are in a bit of a weird spot when the pack is loaded but pretty minor.
Originally reviewed on blackdiamondequipment.com
August 20, 2024
Perfect Alpine Pack
Pack is amazing at what it's built for, alpine climbing. No nonsense purpose built that holds strong in alpine enviroments.
Originally reviewed on blackdiamondequipment.com
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