TOWN AND COUNTRY
The perfect travel backpack needs to be versatile, compact, and sturdy. On all three counts, the panel-loading Instinct nails it. If you travel light, it’s just big enough for weekend trips. Out on the trail, the lightly padded back didn’t vent body heat as well as other systems in this review, but many testers still preferred the classic nylon padding to overengineered airflow systems. The generous shove-it compartment on the back and a gear loop on the top held everything from wet clothes to a climbing rope. It’s a tight squeeze for an overnight pack, but with plenty of gear attachments, we were able to (just barely) pull it off. 2.7 lbs, 1,700 cu in; blackdiamondequipment.com