Dakine Drafter 12L

Hydration

This narrow, 3-liter Hydrapak system has a fixed interior baffle and a shoulder strap magnet that keeps the bite valve in easy reach. Note: The pack has a hose port only on the left side, a bummer for hikers who like to thread the tube on the right.

Comfort

The soft, textured webbing on the shoulder straps and hip belt is grabby and hard to adjust, so this pack jiggled more than most.

Packing

A U-shaped zipper lets you peel open the entire pack, which is loaded with variously sized pockets (including a fleecy one for glasses) and sleeves that fit a laptop or tablet, camera gear, and other small essentials. Plus, a shove-it pouch fits a helmet.

Ventilation

The trampoline backpanel kept us cool on a mid-50s day that was so humid it was like walking inside a cloud. But the curved framesheet pinches the packbag, hindering loading.