James Smurthwaite

Contributor

The result is a pack where the weight is low down and held right against your body, meaning there is very little movement once it is in place. >>> Click…

Evoc has been producing reliable and well-made packs for years. The excellent strap system just clamps on and doesn’t slide around once cinched down. As a result these packs are…

The Fox was the only other pack instantly flagged up by the testers as being as stable as the Camelbak Volt over steep and technical ground. Although it doesn’t have…

The Osprey’s semi-rigid reservoir made for easy handling, and the zip around the reservoir compartment and down the shoulder guide makes it the simplest to remove and refill. A strong…

Platypus has been selling soft bottles and reservoirs to the outdoor market for years, so it was a bit of a surprise when we found the reservoir to be one…

We quickly learned to pack the Scott carefully, as the curved back panel wasn’t quite as stiff as we’d like and popped out of shape easily when put under pressure…

For some reason Madison is not importing the 15L Unzen into the UK, so at present the Unzen 10 is the go-to pack from the big S. >>> Click here…

Good for those of you with a sweaty back, but the reservoir needs more thought

Wingnut packs are made from a waterproof sailcloth, with no back stiffening, but they are superb quality and very lightweight. We like the low centre of gravity allowed by the…

As a very expensive trail pack, with an impressive design pedigree, we had high hopes for the Mavic Crossmax Hydropack 15. The large hip belt and wide padded shoulder straps were…

At almost 1kg, the Deuter is nearly double the weight of the Camelbak. Volt 13 LR. It uses a fancy suspension back panel: the back board is curved, and a couple…

What is the GoPro Hero 4 Session? GoPro cameras have always been impressively compact ­– dinky rectangles capable of capturing some of the most incredible footage the world has ever…

What have we got here then? This is Specialized’s new 2FO cliplite shoe. It has been designed as a more lightweight version to the current 2FO clipless shoe. What sort…

The Camber? You guys like them don’t you? Yep, we do. We’re fully sold on the idea of short-travel 29ers and this bike was one of our favourites. It was…

After the Leogang World Cup, the Pivot Factory DH team took some time out in Schladming, Austria, to enjoy a more relaxed style of riding at one of the most famous bike…