Osprey Xena 85 backpack
BEST FOR: Serious Backpacking
The 鈥攖he women鈥檚 equivalent of the Gear of the Year-winning Xenith pack鈥攊s nearly as big (with enough capacity for weeklong trips) and every bit as awesome (it鈥檚 especially good at stabilizing heavy loads). Best part: you can heat-mold the hipbelt to perfectly contour your body. 5 lbs.
Platypus Sprinter XT 25 backpack
BEST FOR: Doing It All
With 22 liters of space, external pockets, attachments galore, and a taste-free, three-liter hydration reservoir, the can do just about anything. And because it鈥檚 practically waterproof鈥攖aped seams and highly water-resistant zippers鈥攊t can do it all in the rain. 2.5 lbs.
Patagonia Black Hole messenger bag
BEST FOR: Bike Commuting
With enough compartment space for a laptop, a yoga mat, and running shoes, this quickly became our everyday workhorse. The highly water-颅resistant, 1,200-denier polyester fabric makes it as durable as an armored car; this thing will likely last forever. 2.2 lbs.
Gregory Pace 8L pack
BEST FOR: Long Runs and Short Hikes
Instead of a traditional waist belt, the ultralight (12 ounces) has bifurcated shoulder straps that cinch the pack down against both the top and the small of your back at the same time. It sounds weird but works great, and the design reduces annoying sloshing (the downfall of many a trail-running pack) to a minimum. 12 oz.
The North Face Casimir 36 pack
BEST FOR: Overnights and All-Day 黑料吃瓜网s
The fit system (hipbelt, shoulder straps, and torso length) was designed specifically for women. We could tell: it was the most snug and supportive large day pack and fast-and-light overnighter we tested. 2.2 lbs.
Thule EnRoute Strut pack
BEST FOR: Tech Junkies
Every precious device鈥攁nd all its accessories鈥攈as its place in the 19-liter , including a 15-inch laptop and power supply. But our favorite gadget-friendly feature was the crushproof safe zone, a semirigid pocket at the top of the pack that鈥檚 big enough to hold a phone, sunglasses, and a point-and-shoot camera. 1.6 lbs; thule.com