Black Diamond Nitro 26 £125

+ Technical design, fully-featured, sturdy, spacious

- Positioning of compression straps, back length too long for some, no raincover, slightly heavy

With a tall, streamlined design reminiscent of mountaineering and climbing packs, the Nitro 26 is unapologetically technical. It is a nice size, potentially suitable as a year-round pack, and feels comfy, balanced and durable.

The back system is perhaps a little simplistic, but it strikes a fine balance between comfort, ventilation and stability, making use of a ridged and perforated foam back panel with a breathable mesh. Internally, a spring steel frame provides good rigidity for load-carrying. During our tests in the Lake District, we were impressed by the close-to-the-body fit, but did notice slight lateral movement of the pack.

The hipbelt hugs your figure, providing good load transfer to the hips, and the shoulder straps are comfy and well-shaped.

All-round features are impressive too, including two side bottle pockets, one hipbelt zippered pocket, a fleece-lined valuables pocket and a sturdy front stash pocket.

Minor gripes include the way the compression straps run across the main zipper and get in the way, plus the absence of a raincover, while the torso length (we measured 54cm) won’t suit shorter hikers.

■ Weight 947g ■ Volume 26 litres

■ Back sizes One size ■ Versions Nitro 22 ■ Main fabric 210D ripstop nylon