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Those packs in the range designed specifically for women are identified by an ND suffix (ND stands for Nanda Devi, a remote and beautiful mountain in the Garhwal Himalaya, haunt of the shunned goddess Nanda).
Incidentally, it's a mistake to think that women's involvement in mountaineering is a recent trend. Maria Paradis reached the summit of Mont Blanc in 1808 - not many years after its first ascent. While during the Victorian period, women's names regularly appeared among the first ascent lists. Lucy Walker, for example, climbed almost 100 alpine peaks in her 20-year career - despite the dual encumbrances of a voluminous dress and an expedition diet of sponge cake and champagne.
Despite these early precedents, women throughout this century have often felt sidelined by male-orientated equipment manufacturers. Lowe Alpine continually strives to restore the balance.
Many women achieve a good fit with a standard harness, but some find the back too long, or run out of strap adjustment. In ND versions of our packs, the tapered shoulder straps, waistbelt and lumbar pad suit slighter female forms, while the back is both narrower and shorter. The waistbelt adjustment span also takes account of women with slim figures.
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