Can Take a Beating
The Ascent 40 was designed with climbing in mind; for example, it comes with a rope tarp. And while it does a fine job getting rope to the crag, we also loved it as an adventure-travel pack. That’s because the 2,450-cubic-inch Ascent is basically, as one tester put it, “a big, burly duffel bag with shoulder straps.” And that’s the beauty of it. The practically indestructible tarpaulin and PVC-free ballistic-nylon fabric and zippers are bomber, and, because you can tuck the shoulder straps and waist belt inside the pack, it makes a tidy package when tossed into baggage holds. It’s also tough to beat the price. 4.1 lbs;
Versatility: 4.6
Comfort: 3.2