Cotopaxi Taboche 55L

Support “The pack was incredibly comfortable considering the weight I was carrying,” one tester said after 26 miles of splitboarding to and from Wyoming’s Gannet Peak with a 65-pound load. The plush lumbar cushion and perimeter wire of the Cotopaxi Taboche that extends deep into the hipbelt dispersed the heavy load across her pelvis. The fully adjustable suspension system has 4.5 inches of torso range and 6 inches of adjustment in the hipbelt, which is great for winter trips when thick layers can add several inches of girth.

Storage Sometimes on long winter trips, 55 liters is just not enough. This pack has 13 external attachment points to which our tester lashed her splitboard (in ski mode), crampons, ice axe, camp shoes, and a solar charger panel. Ding: V-shaped bottom-side compression straps are effective, but complicate access to bottle pockets.

Weight Strip off the top lid and rain cover to shave 9 ounces. 55 liters