Black Diamond JetForce Tour 26L

Our take The latest iteration of the JetForce is the most hassle-free airbag pack yet. The key component is the updated Alpride E1 system, a battery-driven supercapacitor—which charges up and discharges energy extremely quickly—that inflates the 150-liter airbag in less than five seconds. It runs on either a wall charge or two AA batteries instead of the usual lithium-ion battery, so you can pack the bag up after deployment and use it again in the field if you carry a spare set of batts (the JetForce gets one deployment per charge or battery set). Plus, you can stow the pack in your checked bag for air travel since it doesn’t run on gas or a lithium-ion source. Reality check: price.

The details Since you don’t have to carry around bulky extra cartridges, use the extra pack space for layers, lunch, and a hot drink. The backpack has an avy tool pocket, helmet holder, internal accessory pocket, and one hipbelt stash pocket that’s big enough for a couple gel packs.

Trail cred “The pack is roomy,” our tester says. “With one large stuffsack strapped to the outside, I carried enough gear for a three-day hut trip.”