Gear Review: Gregory Alpaca 28 Roller Bag

Problem: When loaded to the hilt, roller bags become tippy and hard to wrangle through airport mazes and over curbs and rough terrain. Solution: The Alpaca’s extra-wide chassis with a correspondingly wide handle, which results in the most stable, tip-proof bag we’ve used. “While my buddies were wrestling to get their rollers up the gravel path to our hut along Chile’s Rio Melado, it was smooth sailing with the Alpaca,” says one editor.

The thick, rubbery TPU (thermoplastic urethane) fabric holds its shape and rebuffs abrasion as well as rain, and the large D-shaped opening means that you can peel back the protective padded top for easy gear access and organizing. Compression straps (both internal and external) keep loads (up to 80 liters) from shifting, and the exterior is clean and streamlined to prevent baggage carousel hang-ups. “It’s not exactly light or cheap,” says one tester. “But it is, without a doubt, the most user-friendly off-road roller bag I’ve ever traveled with.” $399; 80 liters; 10 lbs. 3 oz.; gregorypacks.com