Best for overnight and day trips

Plusses: User-friendly and versatile, back panel zip access to interior.
Minuses: Could be better ventilated, zip will leak. 

907g, 32 litres

Features: The Ditch Rider packs a lot of features into a small bundle. It has a basic fixed-length harness supporting a single compartment with a roll-top closure. It’s hydration compatible and has stretch-mesh side pockets as well as a stretch overflow pocket and a small zipped external pocket. There are walking pole attachments and an ice axe holder and compression straps and daisy chains complete the package. But this pack’s biggest difference is the zip-opening back panel on  the harness: it can be opened suitcase style. 

Fit: It’s available in one size, which fitted me well, if not a little on the long side. Try on a loaded one before you buy. 

Comfort: The harness is simple and durable. Grooves in the back panel provide some airflow, but there is no breathable foam or mesh used, and the shoulder straps are constructed similarly, with no perforations. The hip belt has a large cut-out that helped it conform to my hips. The narrow shoulder straps felt fine for lighter loads, but when I maxed the pack out weight-wise for an overnight mountaineering trip they did dig in after a few hours. 

In use: The zip-opening back panel is useful to access buried items, or when refilling the water bladder. It makes the pack versatile but you should expect it to leak during rain. Both shoulder straps and the hip belt have some stretch, giving the pack an ‘integrated’ feel, especially when you’re on technical terrain, and the tapered shape balances well on your back. The compression straps are well configured and extend to the base of the pack, allowing the load to be pulled close. 

The base of this pack is the toughest of all the packs in this review, but some reinforcing fabric on the side pockets would have prevented a hole created by the corner of an object dragging against rock. 

Value: Compared with other packs with similar features, the Ditch Rider seems expensive, but its low weight and zip panel justify the high price. 

Verdict: I like how this versatile and user-friendly pack felt equally useful on a fast and light overnight trip, as a day pack or at the crag.