The whole pack is cut from a toughened 210 denier Cordura fabric to help it resist any abrasion, while the lid has an integrated ‘Weather Vault’ to provide waterproof storage. Further water resistant protection comes from a DWR treatment that covers the whole pack.
It’s a premium pack and a premium cost but, from our experience, it’s extremely well made and built to withstand testing environments. If you want something that can help you to manage very heavy loads then this is worth considering if you have the budget.
Full Specifications
210 denier Cordura fabric / 65L capacity / ‘RotoGlide’ hipbelt / ‘Tegris’ (shatter-proof and recyclable) internal frame and aluminium stays / two access points for lid: drawcord under lid or via waterproof side zip / large ‘Kangaroo Pocket’ at front / stretchy mesh stash pockets on hipbelt / open side pockets / hydration bladder compatible / integrated ‘Weather Vault’ storage on lid / DWR water treatment.
Selected for the Outdoor 100 2022/23. Read our full Arc’teryx Bora 65 review.
Buy the Arc’teryx Bora 65: £280 at Arcteryx.com
4. Highlander Ben Nevis 52
This is our pick as the best value backpack you can buy this year.
Price: £125
Weight: 1.46kg
Best for: multi-day backpacking, weekend wild camping
Key attributes: good value, durable fabrics, good warranty
Following our tests, we think this is well worthy of our pick as the best value backpack you can buy this year.
OK, £120 still isn’t cheap, but we think it’s pretty good value considering what you get from this. It’s a backpack that has a suspended back system that creates loads of airflow. There’s a sliding back panel too, so you can really refine the fit – and quickly and easily. It has large hipbelt pockets, stretchy mesh pockets and all the same details that other much more expensive packs have.
The main material is a nylon with a 200D rating. We found this to be durable and able to withstand the usual levels of abrasion a heavily loaded backpack will tend to face. Fortunately, if there happens to be a defect that causes the pack to break, you’re covered by a 282 year guarantee. That’s a year for every Munro in Scotland.
Full Specifications
Available in men’s and women’s versions / also available in a 65L capacity / sliding back panel length adjustment / stretch mesh pockets / hydration bladder / side access / suspended back system.
Selected for our Outdoor 100 product guide. Read our full Highlander Ben Nevis 52 review.
Buy the Highlander Ben Nevis 52: £125 at highlander-outdoor.com
5. Bach Molecule 45
Selected as the best ultralight backpack following our tests
Price: £190
Weight: 1190g
Best for: lightweight backpacking
Key attributes: volume variation, light but durable fabrics, use of recycled materials
If you’re looking for a pack that’s lightweight but still well-padded and capable of keeping you comfortable even when you’re bearing heavy loads then we’d recommend considering this pack from Swiss brand Bach.
It’s made from an incredibly light but still very tough fabric and has lots of nice details, including stretchy mesh pockets on the sides, hipbelt and on the harness. We found that the rolltop and adjustment straps make this hugely versatile in terms of capacity. In fact, we’d say this can be used as a daypack as well as for multi-day missions.
Another aspect that we liked is the fact it packs down totally flat. This means it doesn’t take up much space when you’ve got it stored away and you can also fit it into the bottom of a suitcase or duffel when you’re travelling.
Full Specifications
Unisex / available in short, regular and long back lengths / back panel is fixed / three colourways / 30-litre version also available / 100% recycled Nylon ripstop fabric / non-waterproof / padded back panels / removable elements.
Selected for our Outdoor 100 product guide. Read our full Bach Molecule 45 review.
Buy the Bach Molecule 45: £163 at Alpinetrek.co.uk
6. Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor 40-60
The best multi-use backpack
Price: £165
Weight: 1.23kg
Best for: Backpacking and wild camping
Key attributes: expanding volume, lightweight, good carry comfort, lots of pockets
The Flex Capacitor is a lightweight backpacking rucksack with a genuine USP: a clever expanding gusset that allows the pack to expand in volume by up to 20 litres, simply with the tweaking of a few straps. You see, while most backpacks use top-loading designs, this one expands outwards, providing useful additional capacity in its main compartment without affecting load-carrying stability or comfort.
For any backpacker who’s ever needed to overstuff a pack in order to take on extra food, water or other supplies, this thing is a genuine game changer.
During our tests, we discovered that the Flex Capacitor does a lot of other things well too. First of all, it felt comfortable to wear, even when it was heavily loaded, and we loved all of the handy details, including the stretchy pockets on the sides and across the harness which give loads of extra space for snacks, maps, GPS devices and also extra layers. The durability was noteworthy too.
Related: Best Walking Shoes for Women
This thing’s made from a 100D nylon honeycomb fabric combined with an even tougher 420D fabric at the base, making it well capable of shrugging off sharp branches and any rough rock.There isn’t a base zip or side zip to help you access things buried in the pack, but the opening at the top is nice and wide, so you can see right into it and pull out your kit easily.
We found that the main downside to this pack is that it isn’t waterproof and doesn’t come with a waterproof cover, so you’ll need to carry everything in drybags if you’re heading out into conditions that could be wet.
Full Specifications
Capacity: 40-60L / available in two sizes: S/M and M/L / hydration sleeve doubles as a removable small bag / 2 stretch mesh side pockets / zipped pockets on hipbelt / trekking pole loops / 100D and 420D fabrics.Selected for the Outdoor 100 2023/24.
Read our full Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor 40-60L review.
Buy the Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor 40-60: £165 at Absolute-snow.co.uk
Best of the Rest
7. Osprey Talon 55
Price: £200
Weight: 1442g
Best for: backpacking, travel
Key attributes: packs flat, excellent load bearing and balance, recycled fabrics
What we like most about this pack is its body-hugging fit. It stays very close to your back, keeping the weight of your load centred to make you feel very stable. Fortunately, we found that there’s no trade-off with ventilation either as we found this to be breathable and comfortable with no noticeable problems with sweat build up.
There are packs of all shapes and sizes in the Talon and Tempest range from Osprey. This, the Talon 55, is the best for multi-day hikes (the nearest women’s equivalent would be the Tempest 50). It’s not the lightest of packs but it’s not heavy either, which is actually quite surprising given the durability of the fabric and also all the nifty features and details. The Talon 55 has three-points of access to the main compartment, big stretchy mesh pockets which can swallow a heck of a lot, trekking pole attachment points and a bladder sleeve. The only thing we think it’s lacking is a waterproof cover. Apart from that it’s a very useful, functional and comfortable pack that feels built to last.
If you’re wondering how the Talon differs from the Osprey Kestrel, which we’ve also included here, it’s a bit lighter and also versatile enough for fastpacking and even cycling. The Kestrel, on the other hand, is very much hiking-specific.
Key Specifications
Available in a women’s version called the Tempest 50 / bluesign approved recycled fabrics / top, side and bottom entry / foam back panel / packs down flat / sliding back panel / available in S/M and L/XL sizes.
Selected for our Outdoor 100. Read our full Osprey Talon 55 review.
Buy the Osprey Talon 55: £200 at Osprey.com
8. Lowe Alpine Cholatse 42:47
Price: £143
Weight: 1.77kg
Key attributes: Excellent carry comfort, feature-packed
Best for: Summer wild camps, hut-to-hut trekking, winter day hikes
Lowe Alpine’s Cholatse 42:27 is a tough old bag. With its high denier ripstop nylon throughout, you don’t need to worry about it ripping on a stray branch, that’s for sure.
What we really love about it, however, is its versatility. It’s the kind of pack that’s ideal for weekend wild camps or hut-to-hut treks, but then it’ll also serve well as a day pack – whether that’s in winter or summer.
During our tests with this in Snowdonia, we found the carry system to be very comfortable and capable of balancing out heavy loads, keeping the weight distributed between your hips and shoulders well. It involves a thermo-moulded back pad, slightly raised mesh, soft foams across the hipbelt and shoulders and a supportive PU sponge lumbar. There’s also around 6 inches of length variation, giving you the potential for what’s pretty much a custom fit. This coupled with the sliding back panel, harness adjustment and forward pull hipbelt, makes for a backpack that can be tweaked for a real custom fit.
When you’re working with different volumes, you’ve also got adjustment straps across the bag to help it grow or shrink depending on the load you’re carrying.
As for access to the main compartment, you can either dive in through the drawcord sealed top, or you can open up the buckles and big U-zip across the front of the pack to have duffle bag-like access, thus saving you having to dig around for items. There’s plenty of pocket space too, including a large overlid one, an underlid pocket, the stretchy zipped pockets on the hipbelt, the stash pocket and more.
Full Specifications
High-denier ripstop nylon / stretch mesh side pockets / thermo-moulded back pad / supportive PU sponge lumbar in the hipbelt and shoulders / drawcord sealed top lid access / duffle bag-like access / hipbelt pockets / water bladder pouch / big stash pocket / multiple size options / men’s and women’s options.
Selected for the Outdoor 100 2021/22. Read our full Lowe Alpine Cholatse review.
Buy the Lowe Alpine Cholatse 42:47: £143 at Proadventure.co.uk
