Thule Versant 60l
Best pack for big loads
Our take That camp chair you’re hesitant about taking? Go ahead, bring it along. The Versant 60L both devours gear and keeps it all at the ready, thanks to huge pockets and a large front U-zip that permits quick access to the main packbag. “It’s surprisingly roomy, and stores even more gear than you’d think,” says one tester who raved about how easy it was to load the Versant. Three enormous toplid pockets can hold as much as a small daypack, and the pack sports a hydration sleeve, two side pockets, and an articulated shove-it sleeve that expands with a zipper-and-button closure. Bonus: The detachable toplid doubles as a summit pack with a secure, cross-body carry.
The details A spring-steel perimeter frame transfers weight to the hips, and broad hipbelt fins, made of mesh-wrapped foam, spread the load evenly across the lower back. The result? “Lumbar support is exceptional,” reports one tester, who loaded the Versant with 38 pounds on a trip to Berry Pass in southern Alaska. Ding: Backpanel breathability is poor.
$260; 3 lbs. 13 oz. (m’s); one size each, m’s and w’s